Nightfall over the Golden Gate Bridge
I had been planning the concept of this photo in my mind for a while. When we finally got to San Francisco that day it was a typical foggy day over the city an...
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I had been planning the concept of this photo in my mind for a while. When we finally got to San Francisco that day it was a typical foggy day over the city and we couldn't even see the bridge. Thankfully the fog cleared but that wasn't my only obstacle. The viewpoint was crowded and people kept walking in front of my shot, boats were passing under the bridge, and it was very windy and hard to keep a camera steady on a tripod for 15 second increments. But I'm so happy with how this came out, my vision came to life and I will cherish this photo for years to come.
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Sep, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Battery Spencer, a Fort Baker site with Golden Gate views. I had seen another photographer's photo of the bridge from this viewpoint and knew that was the location I wanted to shoot from.Time
This photo was taken just after sunset. I had been working on my vision for this image for a while. Once I had it constructed in my mind my husband and I got a babysitter so that we could go to San Francisco for the day with capturing this image being the top priority. We spent the day enjoying the city with the intent of heading to Battery Spencer for sunset. We did not account for traffic or parking and were suddenly rushing up the hill to get set up in time. The viewpoint was very crowded so we claimed our small little corner with enough space to set up my tripod. People kept walking in front of my shot and it was also very windy up there and difficult to keep the camera still even on the tripod but we did it! I was so proud to see my vision executed exactly as I had hoped!Lighting
I was grateful to have had a clear day in San Francisco, sometimes the fog can be so heavy you can't even see the bridge. The light changes very quickly this time of day, along with the long exposure times, each shot was different and settings needed to be adjusted.Equipment
This photo was shot with my Canon EOS 60D and an 18-135mm lens at 24mm. The camera was also set up on my proline tripod.Inspiration
I had been wanting to try some techniques I had learned about taking car trail photos. I wanted the location to be somewhere iconic with plenty of traffic to give a good trail. What better place than the Golden Gate Bridge!Editing
There was very little post processing done to this photo. The temperature was adjusted to a cooler setting to enhance the blue night sky and the exposure was brought down just a little to give it a darker nighttime overtone.In my camera bag
I always have my Canon 60D body, along with my 3 favorite lenses that give me the most coverage a 50mm lens, 18-135mm and a 70-300mm. I also carry a neutral density filter and a polarizing filter.Feedback
I would say for this particular location give yourself plenty of time to get there and stake a good spot. Be prepared for wind and the need to stabilize your tripod. With the long exposure time, 15-30seconds, and as quickly as the light changes this time of day you may only have a few opportunities to get the perfect shot. A few of my shots had a boat passing underneath the bridge that produced a squiggly line from the lights on the boat. I only had this one frame that was perfect. Have fun and enjoy the process!
