Golden Gate Bridge from Ft. Baker - Ver. 2

Nikon D100, Sigma 15-30mm

Here's another example of using a superwide lens perspective to frame the bridge in the background with and interesting foreground

--Warren

Private Stairway - Sausalito

Nikon D100, Sigma 15-30mm

This was seen while doing the Sausalito/Ft. Baker photo shoot with Eric.

--Warren

Bunker Symmetry

In B&W:

In Color:

Nikon D100, Sigma 15-30mm

These old, coastal defense artillery bunkers' designs remind me of the Pueblo style architecture of the American Southwest. This one was at Fort Baker.

--Warren

Golden Gate Bridge from Fort Baker

Nikon D100, Sigma 15-30mm


Eric and I spent yesterday afternoon exploring and photographing the area around Fort Baker at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge. We were walking past a passenger drop-off area in front of the Discovery Museum when I spotted these bright yellow knobby plates on the ground which gave me a splash of color and pattern to incorporate into a different view of the iconic bridge.



--Warren

The Void Beyond the Door

Nikon D100, Sigma 15-30mm

Another blue door on Treasure Island. Don't you get the feeling that something is about to jump out of the darkness at you? I stuck my head in there to look around but I admit, it was a bit creepy to be there.

--Warren

Who's Waiting?...

Nikon D100, Sigma 15-30mm @ 17mm

...That was my question when I saw this oddly placed message.

Seen on Treasure Island.

--Warren

View of Yosemite Falls from a Meadow

Nikon D100, Sigma 15-30mm

Here's another one for all you fans of my Yosemite pictures.

We've been to Yosemite so many times that it is a challenge to make a picture that is "different". To get warmed up and into the photography "groove", we go to the usual view points and we take the standard shots. This is true of any place with spectacular scenery, you feel compelled to take pictures of it even though you and everyone else have taken hundreds of pictures from the exact same spot before. Take Yosemite Falls, for example, it's true that each time, the scene is just little bit different, the weather, the fullness of the falls, the shadows on the granite, the color of the trees, etc. I'm sure that showing one of those "standard" shots would still impress by virtue of the subject matter. However, I believe that it is even more satisfying to see and create a new view of a particular subject. It takes time, willingness, patience, and a "practiced eye", to really observe the scenery around you.

This picture was taken in the meadow between Sentinel Bridge and Yosemite Falls. On this trip, we decided to stay and hike primarily in the valley. We hiked in the valley from one end to the other. After breakfast, we took took a shuttle to the Sentinel Bridge stop to see if the clouds have lifted from Half Dome. Half Dome was still covered in clouds so we decided to begin our walk by going through the meadow. The park service built wooden paths across the meadows in the valley in order to save the meadows from being trampled by park visitors (see my previous shot in a different meadow: "Meadow People"). As Gail walked ahead, I took my time on the path, snapping various shots along the way. As I walked along, I noticed that because it was still early summer, the falls were full and the rivers were high, and there was a lot water in this meadow. Then I came upon this particular swatch of water that was rather dramatically curved and I saw the reflection of Upper Yosemite Falls in the water. I immediately thought to myself, "Now here's a scene that you don't usually see!". I had to capture that scene as I saw it that morning. During any other time of the year, the meadow would be dry.

I decided to travel light on this trip, but most fortunately, I decided to include my Sigma 15-30mm in my kit (as my only other lens). My Tamron 24-135mm was on the camera at the time, and the 24mm was not wide enough to show what the image that I had already framed in my mind. The path was narrow, so there was no space for the "sneaker zoom technique"(walking back and forth). So I quickly put down my backpack and swapped lenses before anything changed. The winds were calm at that moment which made the reflection more pristine. I took 3 shots in total, the first two were overexposed, so I switched to manual exposure to compensate and got the shot that you see here.

I hope you enjoyed this story.


--Warren