Let's face it, I grew up in San Francisco and have spent a lot of time driving across the Golden Gate Bridge. One might think that this drive becomes old or mundane, but actually on almost every trip across the 1.7 mile span, I almost always think about the fact that this bridge helps to define the city and is a major tourist attraction. What really makes the bridge and it's surroundings interesting, is that every trip has a different view. Sometimes the bridge is fully visible, other times it is totally blanketed by the fog...rarely is it ever perfectly clear. As a photographer, I love the variety of images that this provides.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigOqNqccLPjitZ3I0MMkwufULXHSOYequ6yb0FGoGS8aH2VuByX4HDi9u4Y__MfI06XQEym1qo8TflhAA1OA_0BBR3A51Zw5u17IfMGF25CljBgqoYRkPwtpUdlDrdtx9SsPqfAIGYV3qp/s400/Edit_SF_DLWS_0362.jpg)
On this particular visit to the Marin Headlands, I was with a large group of photographers, many of who had never been to this vista. I was happy to be shooting (since a bad day shooting images is still better than a good day at the office), but had shot images here enough times that I needed to find a new perspective, as much to keep me interested as capturing something for the portfolio. So, this time, I decided to zoom in tighter and just show a hint of the bridge while focusing in on the city.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAkNoHrnz_mURs3JcN45_ruJSBM8JeJEqvufsfmtkaCswaogQOF4J43ThUWluUMUGI_N6-Q7gVscd7L0R8Udq3ss_XTuWZcA6S4UT-o4uQ-TGqJRa2Wt_eBs4fh9moQ5JNLPgUndNJr7fw/s400/Edit_SF_DLWS_0360.jpg)
I walked to different vantage points, finding spots where the wires of the bridge would help frame the Transamerica building. Could I have shot an image showing the city in the background with more of the bridge in the foreground? Sure. But I think that this shows enough of the span to get the point across and make people think a little more.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgveBiwD2xV1bR7L4hxJo3Xu0cbDjSMXk3gpVhDAnUUBWvYBzV1dGg5O-Z5edbD_fEsjHY2jN6SPx0UuZg4INGOKEWv7JSj5gHbMGgJ-Yy0qo9Ooc0EZ9F_6aL9Y2Z3cq97LRW3Q1qmX-gB/s400/Edit_SF_DLWS_0405.jpg)
As we waited for the sun to set, most everyone had their cameras and tripods facing East, watching the last bits of sunlight reflecting off of the bridge, but I was waiting to get this shot. A silhouette of all of them lined up for the "big shot".
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXH6Su9rrx_coG_acB5U6Eh2poylLs_HKZxb1wGO8YlpRNmqkvvb6JlhxuT2exmQjwax2TEME-cQdRxTHYzlkxZwmblrzrH539G3NJG_mlpNu07R2xdb6OoSnjaoyU_sIvzWVgdBaP4Bj/s400/Edit_SF_DLWS_0379.jpg)
And this shot looking towards the West, as the sun sets amongst the incoming fog.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgblUtOLH81Dg74MTl5psRLjUY0nIu_pNKYDchY2sM_Tzjf11yZ5UNFrebgn0CABPUqzbwZqCAx9jWlKcMgKh5nHFF1WNHj4zhC3JIyCBrDZzocaNxfxnSILe3i15ZnAdaCPzncXYw67kDf/s400/Edit_SF_DLWS_0423_15pct.jpg)
And even though I was looking for more unique shots, I still grabbed some images from the "typical" view of the bridge. I really liked the blanket of fog resting just above the skyline of San Francisco. (15 second exposure, ISO 100, Aperture 4.5, 35mm)