I was born in San Francisco and have spent much of my life hiking the mountains and coastline of California.
My father was a photographer and worked in the large darkrooms at the Presidio in San Francisco. When not in
the dark room, he could look out his office window and see the Golden Gate Bridge less than a mile away. I
enjoyed visiting his work place so I could see all of the photographic equipment and walk along the sandy shore
of the bay. Now, his office is the visitor center for the new Golden Gate National Park, but I still enjoy visiting this
scenic place full of memories. You can actually see the visitor center in the image below. It is near the water
just to the right of the 10th cable on the right side of the tower.
I did not take up photography after college, but instead worked on the trading floor of the Pacific Stock Exchange
in San Francisco for a few years. The noise and chaos were too much, so I took up computer database
programming and have done it for years.
One day, I came across a website called ePHOTOzine (the largest photography website in the UK) and the
images I saw there inspired me to take up photography on my own. I have worked hard to improve my
photography ever since.
The San Francisco Bay Area experiences one of the world's most unique climates. It can be cool and foggy at the
coast while it is 104+ (40c+) just over the coastal hills. Geography, ocean and temperature differences combine
to create unusual fog and other weather patterns that lead to spectacular lighting and cloud formations.
The time of day and the weather are the most important factors leading to the capture of good light. Without the
proper light, even the most scenic place can look commonplace. I have been a computer programmer and
systems analyst for many years. So my knowledge of computers, weather, geography, and general science has
really helped improve my photography and my ability to show my photos on this website. Please feel free to
send me your ideas and comments at any time.
Inspiration:
The beauty of nature is all around us at all times, but there are brief moments when a combination of elements
present themselves in a truly spectacular way. Anybody who is fortunate enough to witnesses one of these
events will look back fondly upon the memory. And they are even more fortunate if they happen to have a
camera ready to record the event. In order to be in the right place at the right time, it is necessary to understand
the complex interactions between light, weather, landscape, the tides, plants, and animals. And it is important to
have a deep respect for this planet and its inhabitants. I hope that photography can bring people closer to
nature and encourage them to preserve it for future generations.
I want to be able to capture exactly how it feels to be there at the moment of exposure. So I try to get as close to
the interesting action as possible. So you won't find any images taken at the usual tourist postcard, side of the
road pullout spots if I can help it! I often get wet when making seascape images so that you can feel the sea
spray in your face too. And I often climb thousands of feet in the hills to bring back a view not often seen.
Also, I will wait a long time for the light and clouds to make a memorable scene. In California, there are many
clear days so I often have to wait a long time for conditions to be right.
I enjoy visiting fine art galleries as often as possible. And I especially like works from classical painters such as
Claude Lorrain, whose work I was fortunate enough to see in San Francisco, that depict the landscape and
seascape with that dramatic light and form that you rarely if ever see in person. That is the sort of image I hope
to capture if I can be so fortunate. I also enjoy the surreal works of artists such as Salvador Dali. Sometimes,
extra long exposures can create landscapes that are part real and part surreal. It is possible that the reality of
photography can never match the imagination of a talented artist, but I can hope that I will be able to capture
some of that light in the real world.
Thanks for looking!
Patrick
My father was a photographer and worked in the large darkrooms at the Presidio in San Francisco. When not in
the dark room, he could look out his office window and see the Golden Gate Bridge less than a mile away. I
enjoyed visiting his work place so I could see all of the photographic equipment and walk along the sandy shore
of the bay. Now, his office is the visitor center for the new Golden Gate National Park, but I still enjoy visiting this
scenic place full of memories. You can actually see the visitor center in the image below. It is near the water
just to the right of the 10th cable on the right side of the tower.
I did not take up photography after college, but instead worked on the trading floor of the Pacific Stock Exchange
in San Francisco for a few years. The noise and chaos were too much, so I took up computer database
programming and have done it for years.
One day, I came across a website called ePHOTOzine (the largest photography website in the UK) and the
images I saw there inspired me to take up photography on my own. I have worked hard to improve my
photography ever since.
The San Francisco Bay Area experiences one of the world's most unique climates. It can be cool and foggy at the
coast while it is 104+ (40c+) just over the coastal hills. Geography, ocean and temperature differences combine
to create unusual fog and other weather patterns that lead to spectacular lighting and cloud formations.
The time of day and the weather are the most important factors leading to the capture of good light. Without the
proper light, even the most scenic place can look commonplace. I have been a computer programmer and
systems analyst for many years. So my knowledge of computers, weather, geography, and general science has
really helped improve my photography and my ability to show my photos on this website. Please feel free to
send me your ideas and comments at any time.
Inspiration:
The beauty of nature is all around us at all times, but there are brief moments when a combination of elements
present themselves in a truly spectacular way. Anybody who is fortunate enough to witnesses one of these
events will look back fondly upon the memory. And they are even more fortunate if they happen to have a
camera ready to record the event. In order to be in the right place at the right time, it is necessary to understand
the complex interactions between light, weather, landscape, the tides, plants, and animals. And it is important to
have a deep respect for this planet and its inhabitants. I hope that photography can bring people closer to
nature and encourage them to preserve it for future generations.
I want to be able to capture exactly how it feels to be there at the moment of exposure. So I try to get as close to
the interesting action as possible. So you won't find any images taken at the usual tourist postcard, side of the
road pullout spots if I can help it! I often get wet when making seascape images so that you can feel the sea
spray in your face too. And I often climb thousands of feet in the hills to bring back a view not often seen.
Also, I will wait a long time for the light and clouds to make a memorable scene. In California, there are many
clear days so I often have to wait a long time for conditions to be right.
I enjoy visiting fine art galleries as often as possible. And I especially like works from classical painters such as
Claude Lorrain, whose work I was fortunate enough to see in San Francisco, that depict the landscape and
seascape with that dramatic light and form that you rarely if ever see in person. That is the sort of image I hope
to capture if I can be so fortunate. I also enjoy the surreal works of artists such as Salvador Dali. Sometimes,
extra long exposures can create landscapes that are part real and part surreal. It is possible that the reality of
photography can never match the imagination of a talented artist, but I can hope that I will be able to capture
some of that light in the real world.
Thanks for looking!
Patrick
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Patrick Smith Photography - Biography |
