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Patrick Smith Photography - San Francisco Cityscapes and Seascapes |
Ghirardelli Evening Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco, California
Details: 4 images, 30-second exposures @F8, no filters, 7373x2929 (2x5) 167mb tiff file
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
This 4 image panorama taken just after sunset shows the Balclutha on the left and Ghirardelli square on the right. I shot the left hand image first
and worked my to the right as it got darker, since the sun had just set to the right of the frame. So by the time I got the right right hand image, it
had become as dark there as it was when I took the left side image. So the whole image has a consistant brightness, as it was seen with my eye.
This image is so detailed, that you can see into the flats in some of the buildings on a 20x50 print.
(from www.boatingsf.com) The 256-foot Full-Rigged Ship Balclutha was built in 1886. Owned by SFMNHP. Based at San Francisco Maritime
National Historical Park. San Francisco's most prominent tall ship, permanently berthed at the Hyde Street pier. Originally built for the
Britain-California grain trade, Balclutha switched to salmon fishing in 1902 and was renamed Star of Alaska in 1906. While she hasn't sailed in
decades, at least she's still afloat--the only sailing ship of her size remaining on San Francisco Bay. (more info at
http://www.nps.gov/archive/safr/local/balc.html)
Location: Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco, California
Details: 4 images, 30-second exposures @F8, no filters, 7373x2929 (2x5) 167mb tiff file
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
This 4 image panorama taken just after sunset shows the Balclutha on the left and Ghirardelli square on the right. I shot the left hand image first
and worked my to the right as it got darker, since the sun had just set to the right of the frame. So by the time I got the right right hand image, it
had become as dark there as it was when I took the left side image. So the whole image has a consistant brightness, as it was seen with my eye.
This image is so detailed, that you can see into the flats in some of the buildings on a 20x50 print.
(from www.boatingsf.com) The 256-foot Full-Rigged Ship Balclutha was built in 1886. Owned by SFMNHP. Based at San Francisco Maritime
National Historical Park. San Francisco's most prominent tall ship, permanently berthed at the Hyde Street pier. Originally built for the
Britain-California grain trade, Balclutha switched to salmon fishing in 1902 and was renamed Star of Alaska in 1906. While she hasn't sailed in
decades, at least she's still afloat--the only sailing ship of her size remaining on San Francisco Bay. (more info at
http://www.nps.gov/archive/safr/local/balc.html)
The Cityscape and Seascapes of San Francisco
The position of the hilly and densely populated city on the end of a peninsula near the Golden Gate makes for a never-end variety of landscape
photography opportunities. The vertical nature of the architecture and streets is a landscape in and of its own. It will take many years to even
scratch the surface. It is rare that a city blends in so well into the landscape since most large cities are built on flat ground.
The position of the hilly and densely populated city on the end of a peninsula near the Golden Gate makes for a never-end variety of landscape
photography opportunities. The vertical nature of the architecture and streets is a landscape in and of its own. It will take many years to even
scratch the surface. It is rare that a city blends in so well into the landscape since most large cities are built on flat ground.
Yerba Buena Morning Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: San Francisco viewed from Yerba Buena Island, California
Details: 4 images stitched, 1/4-second exposure each @F8, can be printed up to 60 inches wide
Story:
The first light of the day is often the best at showing details of the Bay Bridge and city skyline. The skyline is about to change radically so I
consider this to be the 'before' view. An 'after' view is planned. It took a bit of fussing and a rather awkward pose to get all the parts of the bridge
to line up like this and still get the view to the right to be open. And I had to wait for a whie for a break in the traffic so that it appears to be an
easy commute. A rarity on the second-busiest bridge in the world that is only 3% behind the busiest George Washington bridge in New York
City.
Location: San Francisco viewed from Yerba Buena Island, California
Details: 4 images stitched, 1/4-second exposure each @F8, can be printed up to 60 inches wide
Story:
The first light of the day is often the best at showing details of the Bay Bridge and city skyline. The skyline is about to change radically so I
consider this to be the 'before' view. An 'after' view is planned. It took a bit of fussing and a rather awkward pose to get all the parts of the bridge
to line up like this and still get the view to the right to be open. And I had to wait for a whie for a break in the traffic so that it appears to be an
easy commute. A rarity on the second-busiest bridge in the world that is only 3% behind the busiest George Washington bridge in New York
City.
Fireboat 55 Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: San Francisco looking towards Yerba Buena Island, California
Details: 1/8-second exposure @F8 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
I wanted to arrange a scene reminiscent of an old painting with fluffy clouds, lots of ripples in the water and good light on the bridge. I was
fortunate to have the elements come together in this scene to show off the old fireboat at it's best. 1/8 of a second seems to be just right for
capturing water texture like this. It is difficult to keep all vertical lines vertical while keeping the horizon level on a view so wide!
Location: San Francisco looking towards Yerba Buena Island, California
Details: 1/8-second exposure @F8 with ND grad 0.9
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
I wanted to arrange a scene reminiscent of an old painting with fluffy clouds, lots of ripples in the water and good light on the bridge. I was
fortunate to have the elements come together in this scene to show off the old fireboat at it's best. 1/8 of a second seems to be just right for
capturing water texture like this. It is difficult to keep all vertical lines vertical while keeping the horizon level on a view so wide!
San Francisco MOMA Reflections Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California
Details: 5 exposures ranging from 20-240 seconds, HDR tone mapped
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
The San Francisco Museum of Modern art is set in what are many modern works of art. Due to the extreme contrast in this scene, I made 5
different exposures and blended them together using HDR (High Dynamic Range) techniques. Modern cameras can not capture the full range of
brightness that our eyes can see. So now this scene is as I saw it with my own eyes.
Location: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California
Details: 5 exposures ranging from 20-240 seconds, HDR tone mapped
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
The San Francisco Museum of Modern art is set in what are many modern works of art. Due to the extreme contrast in this scene, I made 5
different exposures and blended them together using HDR (High Dynamic Range) techniques. Modern cameras can not capture the full range of
brightness that our eyes can see. So now this scene is as I saw it with my own eyes.
Cupid's Span Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: San Francisco Embarcadero, California
Details: 0.6 seconds @F22 with ND grad 0.75
Story:
I was careful to include the Ferry Tower right under the bow with some good first light at sunrise. This enormous work of art was created by
internationally renowned artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Composed of fiberglass and steel, the sculpture stands approximately
60 feet tall and is 130-140 feet wide. See here for more on this work and many others: http://www.oldenburgvanbruggen.com/lsp.htm
Location: San Francisco Embarcadero, California
Details: 0.6 seconds @F22 with ND grad 0.75
Story:
I was careful to include the Ferry Tower right under the bow with some good first light at sunrise. This enormous work of art was created by
internationally renowned artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Composed of fiberglass and steel, the sculpture stands approximately
60 feet tall and is 130-140 feet wide. See here for more on this work and many others: http://www.oldenburgvanbruggen.com/lsp.htm
SF MOMA Falls Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California
Details: 4 exposures from 15-180 seconds HDR (High Dynamic Range) tone mapped
Story:
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a work of art in and of itself. Here, the fountian creates a perfect opportunity for some strong lines
and a dramatic skyline.
Location: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California
Details: 4 exposures from 15-180 seconds HDR (High Dynamic Range) tone mapped
Story:
The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a work of art in and of itself. Here, the fountian creates a perfect opportunity for some strong lines
and a dramatic skyline.
Martin Luther King Memorial Falls Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California
Details: 5 exposures ranging from 20-210 seconds HDR (High Dynamic Range) tone mapped
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
This memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. features text from some of his speeches along with roaring falls and misty spray. There was a dramatic
red sunset behind the camera, which helped warm up the light in this scene. And warm spotlights added good tones to the falls.
Location: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, California
Details: 5 exposures ranging from 20-210 seconds HDR (High Dynamic Range) tone mapped
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
This memorial to Martin Luther King Jr. features text from some of his speeches along with roaring falls and misty spray. There was a dramatic
red sunset behind the camera, which helped warm up the light in this scene. And warm spotlights added good tones to the falls.
West Span Purchase Print Wallpaper: (1024x768) (1280x1024)
Location: San Francisco Embarcadero, California
Details: 10,50,120 second exposures @F8 HDR (High Dynamic Range) tone mapped
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
This is a combination of 3 shots all taken at F8 of the 9,260 foot long west span of the San Francisco - Oakland Bay bridge. Exposure times were
10, 50 and 120 seconds each. I created a 32 bit image using Photomatix and then I used tone mapping to make a few small adjustments. But in this
case I hardly had to move any sliders, as it looked almost perfect from the start. Then I saved to a 16 bit TIFF
Location: San Francisco Embarcadero, California
Details: 10,50,120 second exposures @F8 HDR (High Dynamic Range) tone mapped
Comments on this photo: ePHOTOzine
Story:
This is a combination of 3 shots all taken at F8 of the 9,260 foot long west span of the San Francisco - Oakland Bay bridge. Exposure times were
10, 50 and 120 seconds each. I created a 32 bit image using Photomatix and then I used tone mapping to make a few small adjustments. But in this
case I hardly had to move any sliders, as it looked almost perfect from the start. Then I saved to a 16 bit TIFF
