San Francisco Moonlight
In honor of the last days of the Bay Bridge which will be replaced on September 3.
In honor of the last days of the Bay Bridge which will be replaced on September 3.
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Aug, 2013Views
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Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Legendary Award
Featured
Featured
Contest Finalist in Landmarks Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Light In Water Photo Contest by DigitalRev
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
Exceptional Contrast
Jaw Dropping
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Genius
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken from the Embarcadero (close to the Ferry Building) in San Francisco, looking up at the Bay Bridge.Time
It was a full-moon evening in January around 11 pm. I remember being so cold that I could not face the task of changing to my wide-angled lens!Lighting
The light was gorgeous! The full moon and the city lights lit up the Bay and the Bridge and there was no need for filters or polarizers. I did not mind that the moon itself was not in the picture (and never add one in post-production).Equipment
I took the picture with my Canon 7D with its 28-135 mm kit lens. Like I said, I could have switched to a wider angle lens, but it was too cold for my stiff fingers and I am generally happier with the quality of the lens I used. I started out shooting at F/22 to get the star effect from the lights, but may have changed to a smaller aperture as it got darker. I used a tripod, locked up the mirror and set the camera on a timer to avoid camera shake.Inspiration
A group of photography enthusiasts were doing a San Francisco Full Moon shooting and the Bay Bridge is a must!Editing
I try to keep the photo as close to what I saw. I shoot RAW and move the clarity, vibrance, highlights and shadows slider a bit in Lightroom to avoid the sometimes dull RAW look. I then opened in Photoshop and used Nik's Define filter to clear some noise and banding and sharpened the photo a bit by adding a high-pass filter.In my camera bag
Too much!!! Apart from the camera, a macro lens or two (love the sharpness of these prime lenses!) a wide angle, the kit lens mentioned above and the Canon 100 -400 mm which I use for just about anything. Also various ND filters and a polarizer. There will most likely also be a Canon Flash for on or off camera use.Feedback
It is all about avoiding camera shake and finding good light. Check your calendars for a clear full moon night and find a subject with lights that can twinkle with the right aperture and some foreground interest.
