This past Saturday I led the Sutro Baths Photo Walk here in San Francisco and was joined by a group of great photographers from all over northern California. This particular photo walk was one of many held on Saturday as part of the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk event. The weather was typical for San Francisco summers and ideal for longer exposure photography. For those that stuck it out there were great photo opportunities to be found. The photo walk started at 6:30, ran past sunset and I believe I was one of the last people to leave at 10pm. For those that joined me thank you so much for your participation and perseverance.
It’s that time of year again. July 24th I’m going to be leading a photowalk here in San Francisco as part of the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk mega-event. Last years photowalk through North Beach was a lot of fun with lots of great photos taken, but this year I’m going to be sharing a favorite spot of mine… Sutro Baths and Lands End. Â We’ll be meeting in front of Louis’, a small restaurant, and then exploring the Sutro Bath ruins, walking on the Lands End trail for great views of the Marin Headlands and the Golden Gate Bridge and returning to the ruins for sunset dusk shooting.
If you’re in town on July 24th join me by signing up. Space is filling up fast. At last check the photowalk was half full after 1 day.
I recently photographed my elusive “white whale” photo subject, a fog enveloped Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise. You might expect I’d be happy with capturing dozens of photos of this amazing phenomenon, but I’m eager to photograph it again to get a different take on it. I should clarify I am very satisfied with the photos captured including the one shown below, but I have an incredibly strong desire to try something new next time.
What might surprise you is that I almost missed this opportunity out of sheer laziness. I knew conditions were lining up to be good the evening before and I set my alarm for 5am… 40 minutes before sunrise. I had been working on photos until about 1am that morning and when my alarm went off I had a tough time getting my butt in gear. I got up, looked out my window and I could see a clear view above a fog layer in the valley beneath the hill I live on. What this meant is that the fog was receding and hugging the coast making the odds the bridge would be poking out of the fog a near certainty. Even still I got back in bed and after much internal debate I got myself up and out of the house. It should be noted to minimize my own internal resistance I had my gear ready to go the night before so no extra effort was needed… I just needed to get on the road.
To say I’m happy that I eventually got up is an understatement. The conditions turned out to be perfect and the rate at which the fog receded was astonishingly quick. With in a matter of 90-120 minutes the fog lowered in level from the top of the Golden Gate Bridge towers to below the bridge span. The morning air was cool, filled with the sound of birds chirping and of course foghorns. Beyond getting photographs of this phenomenon it was just fun to witness. Heck even the drive back was exciting as the fog was barely spilling over the bridge.
Easily one of the three most recognizable landmarks in San Francisco, Coit Tower is often lit beautifully by artificial and natural lighting. At the right time of day you can use both of these lighting types to capture dramatic photographs of this commonly photographed subject.
One thing I’m quite embarrassed about is the fact that I’ve yet to visit Coit Tower and enjoy the view from the top of the tower. After living in San Francisco for nearly 10 years you’d think I’d have visited all the classic locations. One of these days I’ll make it to Coit Tower and to Alcatraz too.
One of the most amazing things about nature is how it so easily dwarfs even the largest man made structures. I’ve taken my fair share of Golden Gate Bridge photos over the past 10 years, but my favorites are those that put this impressive structure in context to the natural world. A recent favorite is the following “San Francisco Starry Night”. Conditions were optimal on this evening to photograph fog rolling over the bridge. The warm air above the fog layer kept the skies super clear and enabled me to capture the stars over the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.
One of the more interesting features off the San Francisco coastline is a small cluster of off shore rock formations near Sutro Baths. Under the right conditions they can take on an ethereal form for someone creatively inclined. For the thousands of birds that reside here nightly it’s just home.
I was tipped off recently that something had changed in the Marin Headlands impacting future photographs of the Golden Gate Bridge. The change…
a missing tree.
Not just any tree… the ONLY tree in the Marin Headlands in plain view from most lookouts in San Francisco. Regularly this small tree is in frame for most if not all Golden Gate Bridge photos that have been taken over the past couple of decades. I’m not sure if this tree was officially removed or if someone went out of their way to remove it illegally. Either way I’m curious if anyone has heard anything about this. I’ve done some basic research and have not come up with any news on this.
(Left) Golden Gate Bridge As Seen From The Marin Headlands in Sept. ‘07
(Right) Golden Gate Bridge As Seen From The Marin Headlands in Mar. ‘08 ‘07
Word is that this likely happened in late 2007. In January and February I had been in the area photographing the Golden Gate Bridge, but at night. I thought the tree was missing, but I chalked it up to being dark and didn’t think anything of it.
In this episode “Mastering Digital Panoramic Photography” is discussed. Topics covered include an introduction to the technique, best practices, pitfalls, alternative methods, computer & software tips, and creative vision. This information packed episode will put you on track to master this challenging photographic technique in roughly (30) thirty minutes.
Featured Panoramic Photos in this Episode of EXIF and Beyond:
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“4 Corners – Welcome to Colorado”
made From (16) Sixteen Vertical Images (1×16)
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“Last Light On Delicate Arch, Arches National Park”
Made From (6) Six Vertical Images
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“The Beauty of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge”
Made From (10) Ten Vertical Images
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“Bryce Canyon Sunset, Bryce Canyon National Park”
Made from (5) Five Vertical Images
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“100 Caribou”
Made from (21) Twenty One Vertical Images
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“Caribou Pass View To The South Panoramic ” – Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Made From (35) Thirty Five Vertical Images
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“Caribou Pass and Kongakut River Panoramic” – Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Made From (50) Fifty Vertical Images
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“Cable View Panoramic, Golden Gate Bridge – San Francisco”
Made From (3) Three Horizontal Images via Tilt Shift Lens
Between the cables is Alcatraz and in the distance is San Francisco more…
“Golden Gate Bridge Panoramic Sunset”
Made From (3) Three Vertical Images via Tilt Shift Lens more…
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“Yosemite Trees”
made From (11) Eleven Vertical Images (1×11)
