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Gary Hart's Eloquent Images
As I mentioned once before, San Francisco is the prime exception to my "rule" to avoid displaying the hand of man in my images. Nature always gets things right (it's up to us to find it), but occasionally we humans do too. San Francisco is a case in point.
Though I didn't grow up in San Francisco, I did grow up in the vicinity, and I went to college here, so I feel a special connection. This view from the Marin Headlands is probably at the top of my list of favorite San Francisco skyline views. Of course when I'm in the Berkeley Hills or at Treasure Island my opinion wavers a bit, but for today at least it's this view.
As you can see, it was quite dark when I exposed this, and in fact the only light visible here is manmade light. I exposed long enough to bring out the color, but not so long that the black areas (the sky, the San Francisco Bay, and the foreground hillside) lost their blackness. The resulting contrast makes the vivid color stand out with drama that (I hope) rivals the drama of being there.
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* Website: Eloquent Images
Thanks for visiting. Even if I don't respond, your comments are always read and appreciated.
@Dulcie: Thanks, Dulcie. And of course we all know that "rules" are rarely absolute. Creativity starts where rules end.
@Elora: Thanks, Elora. I think vivid color really stands out against black and I'm always looking for opportunities to do it.
@Viewfinder: Thanks, VF. San Francisco really is a magical city. So many of the best images succeed not because of what was included, but by what was omitted. Shooting this at night allowed me include only those elements that conjure the magic.
@Tracy: Thanks, Tracy. There's one spot along the road where the tower and pyramid align. But one thing I like a lot there is how much moving along the road changes the perspective. It makes for an infinite number of possibilities.
