Location 1 : Fort Point

GPS :  37.8094389, -122.4759563 (Google Map)

The first morning of the first day (usually a Saturday)  navy ships sail under golden gate bridge to get to the berths.  It is quite a sight to see these huge ships to sail under the bridge and enter the bay.  The 'classic' location is Fort Point (at the base of the south end of bridge).  From Fort Point you will be facing North West towards the bridge, so the morning sun provides very good lighting and accentuates orange color of the bridge.

If you are driving, get there early (at least 2 hours before the ships come in) to secure a parking spot (as it gets filled up pretty quickly).  Another thing to watch out for is high tide surfs. The waves break over the wall and will splash or soak an unsuspecting photographer  & his/her equipment  (see picture).  So beware of this and don't setup the camera too close the shore!
Check tide info here:
    http://www.saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/californiasites.html
    http://www.tides.info/?command=view&location=San+Francisco%2C+California

pictures

Location 2 : Fishermen's Wharf

My personal favourite part of fleet week is Blue Angels's air show.  Fast and roaring in tight formations - they are a thrill to watch.

Preparation:

While photographing Blue Angels alone is good (see picture on left below),  photographing them in context of San Francisco landmarks leads to great photographs.  I got my inspirations from the following SFGate.com article.  Have  a look at the following photos from the article.  My favourite is the second one showing Blue Angels flying 'through' the spiers of St.Paul's church in North Beach.  What an amazing picture!

(these amazing photos are from SFGate.com and belongs to the respective photographers - click the images to find out)

For getting good shots

1. scout the location where you are going to shoot from
   
2. learn the flight routine so you know what to expect when
   

Blue Angels do practice runs, usually for the first two days (Thu & Fri) before the fleet week weekend.  Use these if you can.  Normally the practice runs are less than perfect than the actual show.  There is no smoke trails used so it is hard to see the flight path.

Shooting tips

1. Use a tripod.
2. A zoom lens around 100-300 mm
3. To freeze action
• loose the polarizer : even though they can produce appealing blue skies, they cut down so much light.  Here you need the fastest shutter speed you can get
• On my D70 I switch to Apeture mode (A) and set my lens to wide open (lowest F number).  This way camera will use the fastest shutter speed possible.  But lower F settings make reduce the depth of field
• I used manual focus.  Even in the 'sports-mode' and 'continious tracking' the when the lens (Nikkor 28-200 G) finally focused jet was out of the frame.  Keep the focus ring at Infinity, and keep checking it occassionaly as when you zoom in/out focusing ring is displaced
4. Know what angle you want and stick to it.  For instance if you are super-imposing Blue Angels against Golden Gate Bridge south tower, keep  the camera trained on it
5. Don't be 'greedy'.  Don't 'chase' the planes with the camera.  You will only get average shots.  It is better to get fewer well focused and well framed shots than a lot of out-of-focus out-of-place shots.  So keep your camera trained at your desired target.  It is hard to do this when every one around you is following the planes with their camera, and oohing and aaahing, I know!.  But stick with (4) and you will be rewarded
6. turn to 'continious shooting mode' and fire away when the plane is flying over your target.

Location 1 : Golden Gate Bridge

• most of the activity happens around Fishermen's Wharf (Pier  39)
• 4 or 5 out of the 6 planes will be flying in formation at the main event site
• one plane will fly low and fast (after burners blazing & roaring) to buzz the unsuspecting spectators who are watching the main formation :-)
• the 'buzz' plane starts its run just west of GG Bridge close to South Tower
• occassionaly the formation will fly past the bridge close to South Tower

1. Fort Point - at the base of GG bridge (East of Bridge)
   GPS : 37.8094389, -122.4759563  (Google Map)
   
   great vantage point to shoot for flyovers by South Tower.  Since you at at the sea level you are looking up to the tower, that can give you some unique pictures.  Parking is also easier to get here.  
   Only down side is you can't see Angels getting ready on the other side (west) of the bridge to make a flyover.  So you have to anticipate the timing by listening to the sound.  Since they fly pretty close to the speed of sound, you have to react quickly.  (Speed of sound is Mach 1; Blue Angels fly around 0.9 - 0.98Mach.  They don't exceed Mach 1 because it will produce sonic boom)
   
   
2. Bridge East  vista point 
   GPS : 37.8081469, -122.472932   (Google Map)
   
   This is almost directly above the first vista point almost at the height of bridge deck.  My favourite vantage point.  You can almost see the jets forming on the West side of the bridge.
   
   
3. Bridge West Vista Point
   GPS : 37.8046343, -122.4768107   (Google Map)
   
   This vista point is unique because it gives you a view of bridge from West side (as opposed to the more classic view from East side).  Also it is not over run by sight seers like the East side.  Parking is easy on Lincoln Blvd.  Best of all it has old battery buildings with nice un obstructed view of the bridge.
   I don't have any pictures from this vista point, may be for the next fleet week.

Pictures

Location 2 : Hyde Street Pier

Location 3 : embarcadero / bay bridge