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Vertical view of tower 2 from bus on Golden Gate Bridge

Vertical view of tower 2 from bus on Golden Gate Bridge

On the way back to San Fran from John Muir Redwood Forest.

On the way back to San Fran from John Muir Redwood Forest.
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Feb, 2013

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Behind The Lens

Location

In November of 2012 my wife, daughter, myself and her family all took a cruise up to San Francisco for Thanksgiving. I was not super excited about the cruise but going to Northern California is a sacred past time for me. Upon arriving in San Fran, we rented a 12 person van, all piled in and made our way over the Golden Gate Bridge entering Marin County up Mt. Tamalpais. Mt. Tamalpais is where Muir Woods is located, filled with a majestic Redwood Grove. This actual image was captured on the way back into San Fran. I was on the right side in the back of the van. As we approached the Golden Gate, I grabbed my camera and shot the most northern tower through the window traveling at about 60mph.

Time

We arrived at Muir Woods around noon and started out on the trail. My wifes family tends to be a tad impatient. Remembering this I started to worry that I would not have enough time to take photos, and I was right. :) I snapped away at what I could find hidden away behind nature's veil. Tall and mighty Redwood Giants stretching towards the sunlight, creating a brilliant green canopy to soften the raindrops falling from the looming dark grey clouds above. Banana Slugs, mushrooms, Lichen, ferns, moss, the works.

Lighting

The sky was dark and it was raining all day. Just right around 4pm the lighting was still sufficient enough to get a great shot from the roadway. The slight blur in the image gives the sense of movement and almost an eerie feel to it. I was concerned being inside the van and having to shoot through the window, was not going to produce the image the way I would had expected, it came out even better!!

Equipment

At the time I shot this image I was using an Olympus EVOLT E-500 8mp DSLR with a Zuiko Digital 14-54mm/1:2.8-3.5 lens. I was not using a tripod or a flash. Currently I am utilizing a Canon 5D MarkII with a Canon 85mm 1.8 prime lens, Canon 35mm L-Series prime lens and a Tamron 24-300mm Macro zoom lens for long shots and Macro shots. I only use natural light during the day and indoors. During the hours of darkness, I rely on city lights for reflections, shadows, windows, etc. I have a SLIK lightweight tripod for hiking and going exploring in nature, as well as a MEFOTO ball head, with a monopod option.

Inspiration

You always see images of the Golden Gate from afar or from the sidewalks but you rarely get a chance to see an image taken from the road looking straight up just before the tower. The Golden Gate is a gateway into the Northern part of the state where Nature truly takes hold and doesn't let you go. A Doorway into what most of the city and surrounding areas used to look like.

Editing

The only post-processing I did was raise the contrast to 10. Nothing else was processed in this image. I prefer the least amount of processing possible. I am a photographer who prefers to take single shots as opposed to leaving a lead finger on the trigger and shooting 100 images to get just one good one. It was the way I taught myself.

In my camera bag

I usually have my CPF filters handy, microfiber cloth for cleaning, tools which I may need to adjust a loose bolt on the tripod or tighten a loose serpentine belt on my car. You never know. I also have a BlackRapid sling strap for those fast and jerky shots when I am on the run ;). The Tamron lens and the Canon 35mm prime rest safe and securely in my Tamrac Camera Sling/Backpack. A few CF memory cards and 2 extra batteries for the camera. I also never leave home without my compact CREE LED flashlight. Besides that and maybe a Snickers Bar for a snack, thats just about it.

Feedback

While I was on that trip I was actually in my last semester in school for Physics. I was unable to finish due to family responsibilities and starting school late in the game. Through Science, Physics, and the LOVE of Nature, my eyes opened wide to new events and occurrences of beautiful wonder happening all around me. I was given a gift to "SEE" nature how she truly is and the opportunity to photograph her through my lens. I have a passion for nature and teaching others through my images. It is an exciting feeling when you show someone a rainbow or circular shadows under a trees canopy following an explanation of the phenomena that was completely different than what the observer thought. Be yourself, explore, and listen to what Mother Nature is telling you. What a wonderful universe we live in!!

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ToddGirouxPhoto

ToddGirouxPhoto

Vertical view of tower 2 from bus on Golden Gate Bridge

On the way back to San Fran from John Muir Redwood Forest.

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow ToddGirouxPhoto

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