Marin Headlands, a missed opportunity at Point Bonita Lighthouse, & Rodeo Beach

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of shooting in the Marin Headlands with fellow photographers, Kevin Ash, and Justin Chase. After photographing the Marin Civic Center the same day, we decided to shoot in the Marin Headlands.

Originally, we'd hoped to see the Point Bonita Lighthouse. It had been some time since I'd gone to the lighthouse and was hoping that we'd get some good shots there. However, the path to the lighthouse was closed off. FYI - The tunnel to the suspension bridge/lighthouse is open Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 12:30–3:30 pm. However the lighthouse is not accessible due to the suspension bridge closure. Currently the bridge is due to be replaced and open to the public in the Spring of 2012.

Since we were unable to shoot the lighthouse, we shot towards the east in the direction of Hawk Hill, the Golden Gate Bridge, and some of the abandoned piers. It was not quite yet time for the sun to set, so I decided to shoot a few long exposures with my trusty Singh-Ray Vari-ND filter. The Vari-ND allowed me to slow down the shutter speed to get a 2 sec exposure on the photograph below. Kevin let me use his 70-200mm lens in order to get a bit more reach out of the scene. Thanks again, Kevin.



As sunset approached, we decided to drive down to Rodeo Beach. We shot from the footbridge. There was a nice light reflecting on the lagoon, and coming over the hillside. For the wide angle shot, I used both a 2, & 3-stop soft graduated neutral density filter. They worked like a charm and allowed me to capture the golden color illuminating the clouds.




While Kevin stayed on the footbridge a bit longer, Justin and I hauled it over to the coastline. Although the three sea stacks are shot all the time, the three of us decided that it was simply too good to pass up. At high tide, I'm not sure it would have been wise to go much further anyway. By this point, I found that the light at the horizon was a bit too harsh. The two shots below were shot utilizing a 2-stop reverse graduated neutral density filter to balance the foreground, and background light.

San Francisco - Part 3 - Port of San Francisco & The Palace of Fine Arts

Amongst the many things that fascinate me about San Francisco, is the way the city appears at twilight. Its one of my favorite times to make photographs. The first of these images was taken while I was walking around the Embarcadero with friend/colleague, Edward Chuck of Edward Chuck Photography. The remaining photographs were taken at the Palace of Fine Arts. In case any of you were unaware, the scaffolding has finally been taken down. At least for the time being. So if you've been hoping to catch an unobstructed view of the palace, now is a good time to go.

The Crown Jewel of California's Coast - Point Lobos

If I were ever pressed to name a single location that has led me pursuing photography as a profession, it would be the Point Lobos State Reserve in California. Located just south of Carmel, this state park is often described as the crown jewel of California's coast. It has served as inspiration to numerous writers and artists such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Robinson Jeffers, Ansel Adams, and the Weston family.

I can spend hours just staring at the waves whenever I visit. Whenever I have friends and family visiting from out of town, Point Lobos always makes the list of must-see locations. So much of my childhood was spent at the park that I know my love of the ocean and sunsets was born here.

This past week, I had the pleasure of visiting twice. I was fortunate enough to witness a few spectacular sunsets. Here are a few images from my most recent shoots at Punta de los Lobos Marinos | Point of the Sea Wolves.

Being In The Moment - Four Mile Beach

I've heard many photographers speak about the difficulty in balancing family life with photography. Over the last 3 weeks, I often noticed beautiful photographic opportunities while en route to functions that didn't allow me time enough to stop and shoot. The more I let myself get frustrated about that, the more I seemed to experience it. I had to force myself to re-evaluate my outlook and remind myself to live in the moment. Usually, I'm pretty easy about things like this. But I definitely had a setback. Luckily, I was able to get back on track in time to really enjoy my holiday season and spend quality time with friends and family.

Now, if I have a personal commitment or engagement that does not involve photography, I'll just leave the camera at home and embrace the decision. Occasionally, I'll whip out my iPhone as a way of documenting an idea that I might have for a later time. In most situations, there will be another opportunity to take photos. Photographic scenes are abundant. I truly believe that something just as good, or greater will present itself if you are able to pay enough attention. This pretty much mirrors my outlook on life.

Yesterday was pretty much the first time that I had a real opportunity to go out and take some photos. It all happened very naturally, which is ideal for me anyway. I had the urge, I had the time, I hopped in the car and enjoyed being in the moment.

Below, are a few examples of my shoot from yesterday at Four Mile Beach, which is just north of Santa Cruz, CA.

San Francisco - Municipal Pier & Aquatic Park

Whenever I decide to walk around San Francisco and take photos, I often find that some of my more interesting shots of the day come from unintended subjects. My friend and colleague, Edward Chuck, and I decided to shoot in the area around Fisherman's Wharf this past weekend. We only planned to hang out in the area until just before the lights turn on in the city. We had hoped to capture the orange light illuminating City Hall in support of the San Francisco Giants. Neither of us seemed to be paying much attention to the time. We decided that we would just continue walking towards Aquatic Park, and the Municipal Pier. That decision was rewarded with gorgeous light. The bay was lit with orange, pink, and touches of yellow and purple. I can't imagine there being too many areas in the region that got such spectacular light.

Eastern Sierras - Part 1 (Mono Lake)

First off, I'd like to extend my thanks to Phil Richardson, of Phil Richardson Photography. Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of photographing some great scenes in the Easter Sierras of California at Phil's invitation. He has made an annual trip of it and was kind enough to invite me along.

I've been to the Eastern Sierras before, but not in the role of photographer. Its always a great experience seeing things with different eyes. In addition, I've never witnessed the region when all of the beautiful fall colors have set in. There is a relatively small window each year when such vibrant color is so apparent.

Our first stop was Mono Lake. We made it over the Tioga Pass with plenty of time to scout and take photos past the setting of the sun. It came as no surprise to see that the greater majority of people at Mono Lake were photographers. Everyone was so courteous. We all got our shots and made room for each other, or exchanged vantage points once we had finished. It was all just a great experience and the start of a fun adventure.

Chasing Light - Four Mile Beach

It has been a while since I've had the opportunity to shoot at sunset. I've missed a few spectacular sunsets lately. Over the weekend, I drove over Hecker Pass in order to get to the coast by Santa Cruz, CA. I enjoy the drive. Its certainly less frustrating than Hwy. 17 and faster coming from my house.

My first thought was to head over to Panther/Hole-In-The-Wall Beach. Not long after arriving, I noticed an unpleasant haze, and too much wind. Of course, a lot of that can change, so I probably stayed a bit longer than I should have. I thought it would be best to head back down south.

On the drive in, I noticed that it was much more clear towards the south. I thought I'd take a few shots at Four Mile Beach. By the time I arrived, the sun had already started to descend quickly. Although where I parked was not too far from the shoreline, it wasn't exactly close. The light was fading fast. I did have a few shots in mind that I would have taken further down the beach, but as I glanced over the hill, I knew that there would be no time. I planted my tripod down right away, and fired off a few frames with the most interesting composition I could come up with at the time. There was a yellow glow from the sun that touched down just in front of the water. The light was pretty warm. It added a nice little touch to the image that disappeared after taking only a few shots. I did shoot a bit later into the night, but these few were my favorites. They are quite similar, but I thought I'd post them anyway.

Walton Lighthouse

Last wednesday was pretty interesting. After watching the brutally awesome, "The Expendables", with friend and fellow photographer Phil Richardson, Phil and I decide to grab a bite to eat before heading over to the coast. As we were just about to leave, I spotted a friend that I hadn't seen in about 12 years. The timing was pretty funny. Her car had been disabled by the dead battery in her remote. I spotted her right after she called just about everyone she knew. No one was able to help. So we drove her to a Radio Shack to get a replacement battery and back to the car. Fortunately, the car started. We said our goodbyes, and then Phil & I were off to the coast!

The day was beautiful along the Pacific. There were so many people out on the local beaches. Although we had several tourists blocking our shots at some of the most opportune moments (people really have a knack for that), it was still worth the trip. Phil and I managed to snap off a few decent frames. The breeze was light, and the light was fairly nice. The sky along the horizon was a little muddy though :-( I really enjoyed shooting in this location. I'll have to return soon and capture something a bit more dramatic.

One Night in Zürich

I've had about ten layovers in Zürich over the last 15 years. I never had the opportunity or time to stay. Finally, I got a chance to visit the city. By train, Zürich is just under 3 hours away from Geneva, Switzerland. My girlfriend, Fabiola and I arrived fairly early, so we had plenty of time to check into our hotel and relax for a little while. After catching the tram back to the Bahnhofstrasse, we had lunch @ Cafe Sprüngli. Tasty :) Then, Fabi decided to get her hair done while I went off to go shooting. The light was very harsh, so I didn't take many photos except for inside the train station. Afterwards, we met up with our friend, Franka for drinks and dinner. City Beach, anyone? Franka, was kind enough to show us around the city and a few of the local sites. I took a few night shots that were to my liking.

Before we left, we had the pleasure of eating at a great restaurant called Bianchi's! YUM! I highly recommend it.

Zürich was such a magnificent place! I will definitely return. Though there is so much more to discover, I am happy that I was able to leave Zürich with a few images that pleased me.

Random Photo - Geneva

I missed a great opportunity to capture some great color in the sky. There were deep shades of orange, yellow, and purple. Unfortunately, I didn't make it out in time to capture the intense color in the sky. I was having a bit of fun with some friends, and hesitated for too long. No matter, I still had a great evening! I did manage to at least take one decent capture :)

Lac Léman at Dusk

Since my arrival back in Geneva, Switzerland, the weather has been great! At least by my standards (the locals have not been too pleased). True, it has been very hot. But not unbearable considering that I am from California. The humidity was so high around Lac Léman (or Lake Geneva), that the haze covered the surrounding mountains. Not very nice conditions for the shots that I had in mind.

This was a great opportunity for me to just enjoy this magnificent weather and play the role of participant instead of being the constant observer. Lol. Its a balance that is hard to achieve at times. In this alpine region, consistent heat is always sure to bring rain. Once I started noticing some interesting cloud formations, a slight drop in temperature, I took this opportunity to go out and try to capture a little magic along the left bank of Geneva.