Amidst this clamor live sculptors, photographers, painters, writers and musicians. They seem at ease in this mayhem. From their front step in the morning they smoke American Spirit ultra lights. In the afternoons they sip on beer at the outdoor cafes. There are also tourists. Busloads of them trundle up to Alamo Square, to photograph the Painted Ladies: six restored Victorian houses against the backdrop of the San Francisco skyline. This is one of the most photographed images in the city.