On a recent trip to San Francisco, I took a cab to Crissy Field. From this former Marine Corps air field, now turned recreation park, you can see a fantastic view of the Golden Gate. I was fortunate to arrive there before the fog had completely obscured the bridge for the night!
Having scouted the location on the previous evening, I knew that the bridge would be reflected in the waves rolling onto the beach. I made numerous images trying to make one that I was satisfied with. My biggest concerns were for my safety. I was on a tiny peninsula that was quickly being engulfed by the rising tide. I was also constantly looking over my shoulder, hoping that I wouldn't get mugged. Fortunately, everyone that I had spoken to said that this was a safe location and it proved to be true!
I used a 2 second exposure to blur the waves and allow the light to be bright enough to show the colors that I was seeing. This created an issue that needed to be solved. The wind was gusting quite a bit and creating significant camera shake. I planted the tripod legs deep into the beach sand and hung my heavy camera bag from the center of the tripod. This added some stability, but I was not convinced that it would be enough to stop the camera from shaking. So, I stood to the side of the camera to act as a wind shield and I used my remote cable release to trip the shutter. This helped me to create an acceptably sharp image despite using a long exposure in high winds.
Seeing the Golden Gate in this beautiful light, while hearing the ocean waves crash ashore is a memory that I will never forget.
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