https://www.travelingphotographs.com/photography-blog daily 0.75 2016-05-06 https://www.travelingphotographs.com/photography-blog/why-travel monthly 0.5 2026-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463761699459-PPGFQ4RZGKJJ9PEP9JNC/Through+the+Looking+Glass.jpg Photo Blog - 'Why Travel?' - Through the Looking Glass A sunset photo capture of Big Ben and Parliament in London https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463761702238-1XGE5AW6ZKHUM2TKOSUC/Last+Moment+in+Sydney.jpg Photo Blog - 'Why Travel?' - Last Moment in Sydney A stunning sunrise photo from Sydney overlooking the harbor and opera house https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463761720817-XVTZVRLJUPHOC38EQ45P/Nyhaven+Magic.jpg Photo Blog - 'Why Travel?' - Nyhaven Magic https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463762908658-T5TYN9SAIAJ0TTOZN54Z/Under+the+Bridge.jpg Photo Blog - 'Why Travel?' https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463761927521-KO5LVFDTBLZIGIPCOPXJ/The+Lost+Fire.jpg Photo Blog - 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Oxbow Bend is famous for a reason. The slow-moving water creates mirror-like reflections on calm mornings, and when you time it right with sunrise light, the Tetons glow while their reflection doubles the impact. I arrived in pre-dawn darkness to secure this spot—it's popular among photographers for good reason—and watched as the sky transformed from deep blue to soft pink to golden light. The challenge with Oxbow Bend is timing: you need still water (no wind), clear skies, and the right light. On this morning, all three conditions aligned. The Snake River became a perfect mirror, capturing every detail of the jagged Teton peaks, the surrounding forests, and the pastel sunrise sky. This is the American West at its most breathtaking—wild, pristine, timeless. The Grand Tetons rising dramatically from the valley floor, reflected in one of the most photogenic bends in the Snake River. **Classic American landscape photography at its finest.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1554315070339-QASTDSOEZ84GH0U0FSJN/Glacial+Majesty.jpg Land **Emerald Lake Dawn** Golden hour sunrise at Emerald Lake in the Canadian Rockies—turquoise water, mountain reflections, and the kind of pristine alpine beauty that makes you understand why this is one of Canada's most photographed locations. Emerald Lake lives up to its name. The glacial water creates that distinctive turquoise color you only find in alpine lakes—minerals suspended in the meltwater scatter light in a way that produces this otherworldly hue. Add a mirror-calm morning, golden sunrise light hitting the surrounding peaks, and perfect reflections, and you have landscape photography magic. I arrived at the lake in pre-dawn cold to catch the first light. The air was absolutely still—critical for getting those glass-like reflections. As the sun rose and golden hour light touched the mountain peaks, the entire scene glowed: turquoise water, warm sunlight on rocky summits, evergreen forests, all doubled in the lake's perfect mirror. The Canadian Rockies offer some of the most spectacular alpine scenery on earth, and Emerald Lake captures it all in one perfect frame. **Pristine wilderness. Alpine perfection. Pure Canada.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519323038894-8OWII9CSQN7TWCNG9S53/Anticipated.jpg Land **Mount Tamalpais Summer Fog** Mount Tam at sunset as low fog rolls across Marin County—soft pastel skies, layers of coastal fog, and the kind of atmospheric beauty that defines the Bay Area in summer. Mount Tamalpais offers some of the best fog photography anywhere. Summer evenings bring the marine layer rolling in from the Pacific, creating those dreamy layers of fog that settle into the valleys and ridges of Marin. When sunset light hits this scene, the pastels emerge—soft pinks, lavenders, peach tones painting the sky while the fog below glows in diffused light. This is my backyard. Living in the Bay Area means I can chase these fog conditions regularly, but even so, evenings like this one are special. The fog height was perfect—low enough to create dramatic layers, high enough to reveal the ridgelines. The summer light was soft and warm, creating those gentle pastel colors rather than dramatic reds and oranges. Mount Tam is where locals go to watch fog roll in like a slow-motion ocean. This is California's coastal beauty distilled into one mountain. **Local favorite. Summer magic. Marin County at its most beautiful.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463766046973-3QW2PDJQRT9N809J4Y02/image-asset.jpeg Land **That Wanaka Tree** New Zealand's most famous tree—the lone willow growing in Lake Wanaka at high tide, with the Southern Alps glowing in the distance at sunset. This is one of the most photographed trees in the world, and for good reason. A solitary willow growing right out of Lake Wanaka, its roots submerged, standing resilient against the elements with dramatic mountain peaks as a backdrop. At high tide, the water surrounds it completely, creating this surreal scene of a tree emerging from the lake itself. I timed my visit for sunset when the light would be at its most dramatic. The Southern Alps in the distance caught the golden hour glow while the lake created mirror-like reflections around the iconic tree. The challenge was finding a unique perspective on something photographed thousands of times—focusing on the interplay between the lone tree, the expansive water, and the distant mountain range. This tree has become a pilgrimage site for landscape photographers worldwide. Standing there at sunset, watching the light change, you understand why—it's minimal, dramatic, and quintessentially New Zealand. **Icon of New Zealand. Solitary beauty. World-renowned composition.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569339948219-MSXN2SJIOTEE25CHYWY1/Peaceful-Edit-2-Edit.jpg Land **Path to the Sun** Mount Tamalpais in spring—vibrant green hillsides, golden sunset light, and a winding path leading directly toward the setting sun. Spring transforms Mount Tam. The winter rains turn the normally golden California hills into vivid emerald green, creating a brief window of lush color before summer returns everything to its familiar amber. I captured this during that precious few weeks when the hills are at their greenest and wildflowers are just beginning to emerge. The composition came together naturally—a trail winding through the hillside, leading the eye directly toward the setting sun. The yellow-gold light of sunset contrasts beautifully with the vibrant spring green, creating warm and cool tones in perfect balance. This is the path less traveled, literally and figuratively, inviting you to walk toward the light. Mount Tam's spring beauty is fleeting—blink and you miss it. This image captures that brief moment when Northern California's coastal mountains are at their most vibrant, when winter's rain has done its work and summer's heat hasn't yet arrived. **Spring ephemeral. Leading lines. Walk toward the light.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569267616912-4SIYIW5HB6PZWODT134Q/A+Mother%27s+Tree2-Edit.jpg Land **Half Dome Golden Hour** Yosemite's iconic Half Dome bathed in golden sunset light during early spring—the granite monolith glowing warm against the evening sky. Half Dome is arguably the most recognizable rock formation in America, and when sunset light hits that massive granite face, it transforms into something almost surreal. The entire dome glows golden-orange, the low-angle light emphasizing every texture and detail in the ancient granite while the surrounding valley falls into shadow. Early spring in Yosemite offers unique advantages—fewer crowds than summer, waterfalls still flowing from snowmelt, and that specific quality of light that comes when the sun's angle is still low in the sky. I positioned myself in the valley to capture Half Dome's full profile, waiting for that brief window when the light would be at its most dramatic. Ansel Adams made this view famous, and countless photographers have captured it since, but there's a reason we keep coming back. Half Dome at sunset is simply one of those natural wonders that never gets old—timeless, powerful, quintessentially Yosemite. **Yosemite icon. Granite majesty. Golden hour perfection.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519322703648-JSL0QM6YYVIN4898L9TS/Rebirth.jpg Land **Pink Dreams Over Marin** Mount Tamalpais at sunset with surreal pink skies, fog mixing with clouds, creating a dreamlike atmosphere over Marin County. Some sunsets defy reality. This was one of those evenings when the atmospheric conditions aligned to create colors that look almost too vivid to be real—deep magentas, soft pinks, lavender tones painting the sky while fog and clouds merged into ethereal layers below. From this Mount Tam vantage point, I watched as Marin County disappeared beneath the marine layer while the sky above performed its show. The surreal quality comes from the interplay between fog (cool, gray, grounding) and sunset light (warm, pink, otherworldly). When these two elements combine, you get scenes that feel more like paintings than photographs. The fog softens everything, diffusing light and creating that dreamlike quality where reality and imagination blur. This is Mount Tam's magic—its ability to create moments that feel transcendent. Not just beautiful, but surreal. Not just a sunset, but an experience that makes you pause and simply witness. **Surreal beauty. Pink perfection. Mount Tam at its most dreamlike.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463766067438-N1K02J76F7C546FEVZCN/image-asset.jpeg Land **Milford Sound Waterfall** Milford Sound, New Zealand—dramatic waterfall cascading down vibrant green cliffs in one of the world's most spectacular fjords. Milford Sound is New Zealand's crown jewel, and it's not hard to see why. Steep mountain walls rise directly from the sea, lush rainforest clings impossibly to near-vertical cliffs, and waterfalls—hundreds of them after rain—pour down from heights that make you crane your neck. This particular waterfall exemplifies the raw power and pristine beauty that defines this UNESCO World Heritage site. The green here is unlike anywhere else—constant rain (Milford Sound receives over 20 feet annually) creates this almost luminescent emerald vegetation that covers every surface. The waterfall I captured demonstrates the sheer scale of this landscape: water falling hundreds of feet, disappearing into mist before reaching the fjord below, surrounded by that distinctive vivid green that only this much rainfall can create. Milford Sound has been called the eighth wonder of the world. Standing there, dwarfed by these ancient mountains, watching waterfalls materialize from clouds, you don't argue with that title. **Fjord magnificence. Emerald wilderness. New Zealand at its most dramatic.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463761925465-9ZOIG9LLXGQ82EXKLS1W/Light+and+Dark.jpg Land **Love on the Mountain** Mount Tam in spring—vibrant green rolling hills, fog bank in the distance, and a couple embracing on the hilltop against the atmospheric backdrop. This image captures what Mount Tam means to Bay Area locals: it's where we go to connect with nature, with each other, with something larger than ourselves. I was photographing the spring landscape—those brilliant green hills that only last a few weeks—when I noticed a couple at the summit, silhouetted against the fog rolling in from the Pacific. They stood there in an embrace, completely present in the moment, becoming part of the landscape. The human element transforms this from pure landscape into something more—a reminder that these beautiful places exist not just to be photographed, but to be experienced. The fog in the distance adds that dreamy Mount Tam atmosphere, while the spring green provides vibrant life, and the couple provides scale, story, and emotion. Sometimes the best photographs find you. This moment wasn't planned, but it perfectly captures the spirit of Mount Tam—a place where nature and human connection intertwine. **Human connection. Spring beauty. Mount Tam moments.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463761927521-KO5LVFDTBLZIGIPCOPXJ/The+Lost+Fire.jpg Land **Firefall Phenomenon** The rare and breathtaking Yosemite Firefall—Horsetail Fall on El Capitan glowing like flowing lava during a February sunset. This natural phenomenon occurs for only a few weeks each February when conditions align perfectly: Horsetail Fall must be flowing with snowmelt, the sky must be clear, and the sun must set at precisely the right angle to illuminate the waterfall. When all three conditions meet, the result is spectacular—the waterfall appears to transform into a cascade of molten fire flowing down El Capitan's granite face. Thousands of photographers make the pilgrimage to Yosemite each February hoping to witness this moment. I was fortunate to capture it during one of those rare perfect evenings when the firefall effect was at its peak—brilliant orange and gold light making the water glow against the massive dark wall of El Capitan. The window is brief, maybe ten minutes of optimal light. You wait all day, position yourself among hundreds of other photographers, hold your breath as the sun drops lower, and then—if you're lucky—nature delivers this extraordinary gift. **Rare natural wonder. February magic. Yosemite's most spectacular light show.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462820984064-GQCYO6X4OARWEUKX0Y8T/Fjord+Farming.jpg Land **Flåm Fjord Village** Norway's dramatic fjord landscape—steep mountain walls rising from deep blue water, a small village with distinctive red buildings nestled along the shore in Flåm. The Norwegian fjords represent some of Europe's most dramatic scenery, and Flåm captures it perfectly. Towering mountains plunge directly into the fjord, creating that signature vertical landscape Norway is famous for. Against this massive natural backdrop, the tiny village clings to the shoreline—a collection of traditional red buildings that provide human scale to an otherwise overwhelming landscape. What strikes you about the fjords is the sheer magnitude. Mountains rise thousands of feet on both sides, the water is impossibly deep and blue, and villages like Flåm feel both vulnerable and perfectly situated. These red buildings are iconic in Scandinavian architecture—their color chosen centuries ago because red ochre paint was affordable and weather-resistant. I captured this from an elevated viewpoint that shows the relationship between human settlement and natural grandeur—how people have carved out lives in one of earth's most dramatic landscapes for generations. **Norwegian majesty. Fjord beauty. Where mountains meet the sea.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462820786369-2YL2UAPAUJXHMMDBO3DY/Solitude.jpg Land **Fog Flow** Mount Tamalpais at sunset with long exposure smoothing the fog into silky layers flowing above the trees—orange sky glowing in the background. Time-lapse photography transforms fog from chaotic movement into something serene and painterly. By using a long exposure, I captured the fog's motion as it poured over Mount Tam's ridges, turning the swirling marine layer into smooth, ethereal streams that look almost liquid. The fog becomes less about texture and more about flow—a river of mist rolling through the landscape. The orange sunset sky provides the perfect counterpoint to the cool gray fog, creating warm and cool tones in beautiful contrast. Trees emerge from below as dark silhouettes, anchoring the composition while the fog moves around and above them like a slow-motion ocean. This technique requires patience—waiting for the right fog density, the right light, the right wind speed. Too much wind and the fog becomes chaotic streaks. Too little and there's no sense of movement. This evening delivered the perfect balance, creating that dreamlike quality where Mount Tam feels more like an ethereal landscape than a physical place. **Motion captured. Fog transformed. Mount Tam's flowing beauty.** https://www.travelingphotographs.com/favorites-photo-gallery daily 0.75 2015-11-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360160608-SRR1Y7JA1SHIS25AAV41/Evening+Commute.jpg Favorites - Evening Commute (Copy) Evening Commute For those using the Golden Gate Bridge, not a bad sunset for the evening commute home! A landscape photo of a truly majestic, beautiful sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge with the fog beginning to roll in and engulf the city of San Francisco. This photograph almost didn't come to exist. I was sitting at home, when I started to notice the sky changing colors into what I was hoping would be a spectacular sunset. I grabbed my camera, my wife and our dog and rushed out the door. Fortunately we live less than 2 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge and as we approached, the sky began to bloom into the brilliant colors captured here. I literally sprinted to the top of the Marin Headlands, dropped to my knee, steadied the camera, and grabbed this photograph. Out of breath but quite relieved at the results. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569266669493-1Y9ZVW4V8SAQDCONZB2B/First+Light.jpg Favorites - First Light (Copy) First Light I will be the first to say, I really despise waking up to shoot sunrise, especially in the summer when the sun is brutally early, but once up and moving, I've never regretted the choice. Captured this sunrise from Jackson, WY looking west towards the Grand Teton. The reflection is on a tributary from the Snake River which winds its way through the valley beneath the mountains known more famously as Jackson Hole. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487027570018-FC600TK1X3S4UHGC26RK/Arrival.jpg Favorites - Arrival (Copy) Arrival Arrival. From a few years ago, lost and found recently. The fog was coming in heavy, shaking my tripod, and I took this photo handheld. A technical point, that at sunset, I would probably not do today. It was freeing to shoot naive, to not overthink it. To not be limited creatively because you're focusing on the technicalities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1554315369619-8OKAXK92PPI7BIFX8RCA/Glacial+Majesty.jpg Favorites - Glacial Majesty (Copy) Glacial Majesty Tucked in the middle of the Canadian Rockies is a small glacial fed lake frozen most months of the year. During the summer thaw, the lake has a beautiful turquoise color to it from glacial soot, the origin of its namesake 'Emerald Lake.' The lake's real beauty is to catch the mirror reflections just after sunrise but before the sun lights the glacial soot, transitioning the scene green. You can see in this photo where the sun has broken through the mountains, there's a pool of turquoise that formed and will expand over the next hour until the mirror effect is gone for the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519324200152-L8Z3GJOF4W2JCDOEMU2W/Memorable.jpg Favorites - Memorable (Copy) Memorable What attracts me to this photo is the fragility of the color in reference to time. This vibrant burst lasted less than two minutes before the sun dipped further, the color casted on the water and rocks faded, and the scene transformed into night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360149907-O46Z9568RXBC2IM30H2I/Dawn+Painting.jpg Favorites - Dawn Painting (Copy) Dawn Painting Wake up San Francisco! Spent the morning watching the dawn colors paint the famous San Francisco Victorian row houses: 'The Painted Ladies.' A pleasant way to start the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569339948219-MSXN2SJIOTEE25CHYWY1/Peaceful-Edit-2-Edit.jpg Favorites - Peaceful (Copy) Peaceful As quickly as they came, the storm clouds receded, lifting us from the dark, cold rains. Scars still wet, we cautiously ventured onto this new path, hopeful we find our peace. Taken from atop Mt Tam in Marin County, just north of San Francisco at sunset, overlooking the famous Stinson Beach, Bolinas, and Point Reyes National Seashore. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519323038894-8OWII9CSQN7TWCNG9S53/Anticipated.jpg Favorites - Anticipated (Copy) Anticipated Quintessential Mt Tam summer sunset, captured July 2016. Was lost, deep in the caverns of my photo library until recently. I stumbled upon it trying to find a fresh print for a friend. I think it aged well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1480714635796-UUMBWVS9M8R1JGB1M3V1/Composed.jpg Favorites - Composed (Copy) Composed With colors so vibrant you could almost hear Mother Nature's masterpiece as it electrified all senses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360003204-605B7CI8VLQG0GPPHIO4/Beacon.jpg Favorites - Beacon (Copy) Beacon If you are lost, wake up early, watch a beautiful sunrise, let the beacon of light guide you back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360064631-3LBXKVRPAK7LBOBVZ9KO/Motion.jpg Favorites - Motion (Copy) Motion I've been in motion for so long, I forgot what had initially scared me, whom I was actually fleeing from. And I found myself alone, along this San Francisco beach, when the wind whispered, turn around. I stopped running, looked behind me, and found this scene. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360101233-1GPI50KYLN94O0CHENCQ/The+Lost+Fire.jpg Favorites - The Lost Fire (Copy) The Lost Fire We spent the day exploring Yosemite Valley and as as the sun headed for the horizon, we found a quiet spot, away from the masses to watch the fire fall from Horsetail Falls. A spectacular site that was more pronounced this year with all the rain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487375362307-8M55S68OED7NL4JJYN45/Dichotomy.jpg Favorites - Dichotomy (Copy) Dichotomy From a beautiful sunset along the California coast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569267530881-N8KX8COI63ZOOE2K45HF/Bliss-Edit.jpg Favorites - Bliss (Copy) Bliss From a truly magical sunrise in the summer of 2016 where we were surrounded by low fog, high beautiful sunrise clouds, and a few hundred Bay Area photographers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360239250-J6YM92P5JG0MSISQV4WK/Standing+Strong.jpg Favorites - Standing Strong (Copy) Standing Strong The lone tree in Wanaka New Zealand. Some think this tree reminds them of the struggles, against the wind, perseverance, survival. To me, this tree isn't just surviving, its thriving. Broke free from the pack, a trailblazer on a path of its own, against the current, standing strong with the reward of this mountain lake sunset to lull it to sleep nightly. Dare to be different. Dare to stand out. Dare to travel against the grain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360271569-078SHEGATC01QGFPOYVE/Among+the+Clouds.jpg Favorites - Among the Clouds (Copy) Among the Clouds This is my favorite place to be. As an urban landscape photographer, having the proximity to quickly drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and capture the infamous San Francisco fog as it begins its march across the Bay is a privilege I don't take for granted. This photo was captured on an early morning. I hiked to one of the local peaks in the San Francisco Bay Area, just north of the City in the Marin Headlands. As the sun began to rise, the fog transformed into a beautiful flowing river of clouds. With a long exposure filter on my camera's lens, I shot this photo, trying to depict the relationship the Golden Gate Bridge has with the fog as it dances and swirls about. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1480714655910-XYB41VRICYJHJ90M5QW1/Flow.jpg Favorites - Flow (Copy) Flow Its easy to be negative, critical, destructive. The challenge is buiilding up rather than destroying. A new month, a new season, stay positive, enjoy the scenery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360126173-ZGHOZ2M7TECGU5RBQPPR/Shoulders+of+Giants.jpg Favorites - Shoulders of Giants (Copy) Shoulders of Giants Stand on the shoulders of giants https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1481566281285-YLJIAX5BOMU0EDTQ42UF/Morning+Fog.jpg Favorites - Orange October (Copy) Orange October As seen in the 2016 National Geographic book titled 'Greatest Landscapes'. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360396379-PH83B19YINN9Q0UUKSDF/Last+Moment+in+Sydney.jpg Favorites - Last Moment in Sydney (Copy) Last Moment in Sydney https://www.travelingphotographs.com/golden-gate-bridge-photo-gallery daily 0.75 2026-01-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/51aff191-87e8-4110-95fd-7dd8a1232b7f/golden-gate-bridge-sunset-san-francisco.jpg Golden Gate Not a bad sunset for the drive home. This photograph almost didn't exist. I was sitting at home when I noticed the sky changing colors—the kind of light you don't ignore. I grabbed my camera, my wife, our dog, and rushed out the door. We live less than two miles from the bridge, and as we approached, the sky exploded into the brilliant colors you see here. I literally sprinted to the top of the Marin Headlands, dropped to my knee, steadied the camera, and captured this moment. Out of breath. Completely worth it. The Golden Gate Bridge at sunset as fog begins to roll in and engulf San Francisco—one of those perfect Bay Area moments when everything aligns. **My best-selling print.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1768963675283-ITMYRYHT67U77P011MQ9/Arrival.jpeg Golden Gate **Above the Fog** Hawk Hill sits nearly 1,000 feet above sea level in the Marin Headlands—one of the few spots where you can photograph the Golden Gate Bridge from above. On this evening, I climbed to the summit just as sunset light began illuminating the scene. The fog was rolling below like a river, creating dramatic layers between the bridge and the bay. From this elevation, you're often above the fog line, giving you that rare bird's-eye perspective most people never see. The hike up is steep, the wind at the top is relentless, but when the light and fog align like this, it's absolutely worth every step. **A photographer's favorite viewpoint for good reason.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1768963433334-Q1RP92P7RBENI6Y3LEQL/Golden+Surf.jpg Golden Gate **Surfing Under the Golden Gate** Pure San Francisco living—where world-class surfing meets iconic architecture. I positioned myself to capture surfers riding waves beneath the Golden Gate Bridge during golden hour. This is the intersection of two things the Bay Area does best: legendary surf culture and breathtaking landmarks. Most people photograph the bridge from afar, but this perspective shows it as a living backdrop to the active lifestyle that defines California. The golden hour light adds magic to the scene, illuminating the bridge's towers while surfers carve through the waves below. It's a moment locals see regularly but visitors rarely photograph—the bridge not just as a monument, but as part of everyday Bay Area life. This shot required timing, patience, and a bit of luck to catch the surfers in the perfect position with ideal light. Worth the wait. **One of my most unique Golden Gate Bridge prints.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569266577187-MI00X62IZSJG94ENLPLQ/Memorable.jpg Golden Gate **China Beach Sunset** The Golden Gate Bridge from China Beach at sunset—waves receding around boulders, dramatic clouds painting the sky. China Beach offers one of the most intimate perspectives on the Golden Gate Bridge. Unlike the elevated viewpoints in the Marin Headlands, this puts you at sea level with the Pacific Ocean at your feet. I timed this shot for the receding tide, when the waves pull back and reveal the textured boulders and wet sand that add depth and foreground interest. The sunset clouds provided that spectacular sky you dream about as a photographer—layers of color, dramatic formations, the kind of atmosphere that makes the Golden Gate Bridge look even more iconic against nature's canvas. This is the bridge from a quieter, more contemplative angle. Beach. Ocean. Boulders. Bridge. Everything the California coast should be. **Where land meets sea meets icon.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463010672303-BN2VRYXC3XWWH7V65RVK/Into+the+Mist.jpg Golden Gate **Golden Hour in Motion** The Golden Gate Bridge glowing bright red during golden hour sunset, with a dramatic cliff in the foreground—long exposure blurring both traffic and clouds into smooth streaks of movement. This is one of my most popular prints, and for good reason. The time-lapse technique transforms static elements into dynamic motion: car headlights become ribbons of light across the bridge deck, clouds streak across the sky, while the bridge itself remains sharp and vibrant against the golden hour glow. I positioned myself to include the rugged Marin Headlands cliff in the foreground, adding depth and that quintessential Northern California coastal drama. The long exposure required perfect stability and timing—waiting for the right light, the right cloud movement, the right traffic flow all to align in a single frame. The result is the Golden Gate Bridge not as a frozen monument, but as a living artery of movement and light. This is San Francisco in motion. **Customer favorite. Golden hour perfection. Motion and stillness in harmony.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/5c36f20d-19fa-4cbe-8e3a-e4214d96af57/Emulate-2.jpg Golden Gate **After the Storm** The Golden Gate Bridge reflected in a rain puddle after an evening storm—orange towers against dark, moody skies. Most photographers pack up when the weather turns bad. I've learned that the best moments often come right after the storm passes. This image captures that dramatic post-storm atmosphere: dark clouds, fog rolling in, wet pavement, and the bridge's iconic orange reflected perfectly in a puddle at my feet. The contrast between the bright orange towers and the nearly black storm clouds creates a graphic, almost abstract composition. By getting low and using the puddle as a natural mirror, I found a perspective on the Golden Gate Bridge that few people ever see. Sometimes the shot is right there on the ground in front of you—you just have to be willing to get your knees wet. **A unique perspective born from stormy weather.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1481566281285-YLJIAX5BOMU0EDTQ42UF/Morning+Fog.jpg Golden Gate **The Greatest Landscapes** Just the tip of the north tower piercing through a sea of fog, downtown San Francisco glowing beneath a yellow sunrise sky. This is the photograph that was featured in National Geographic's 2016 compilation "The Greatest Landscapes"—one of the proudest moments of my photography career. I arrived at the Marin Headlands before dawn, hoping for good fog conditions. What I found exceeded all expectations: a complete fog inversion with only the very top of the Golden Gate Bridge's north tower visible above the marine layer. The rising sun painted the sky in shades of yellow and gold while the city skyline created a distant silhouette through the mist. It's a rare alignment—the fog at exactly the right height, the light at the perfect angle, the atmosphere absolutely still. Moments like this are why I chase fog at sunrise. **Featured in National Geographic's "The Greatest Landscapes" 2016.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/4f9de1e6-d0cc-4ecc-8a44-18d90fd1ffa0/Anomoly.jpg Golden Gate **North Tower at Dawn** Just the north tower emerging from low fog with downtown San Francisco glowing in the background at sunrise. This is one of my favorite fog conditions—when the marine layer sits just low enough to obscure the bridge deck and south tower, leaving only the north tower rising dramatically above the mist. The fog creates a natural frame, isolating the tower against the awakening city skyline behind it. I arrived early to catch the soft dawn light as it began illuminating downtown San Francisco, creating that beautiful glow you only get in those first moments of sunrise. The layering effect—fog in the foreground, the iconic tower in the middle, the city glowing beyond—gives this image incredible depth. Some mornings, fog height makes all the difference. This was one of those perfect mornings. **Minimalist composition, maximum impact.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462724822845-N1TDBCS7HP393NMUCMKS/Winter+Lights.jpg Golden Gate **Through the Cables** San Francisco's glowing skyline framed through the Golden Gate Bridge's suspension cables at night. This perspective required getting onto the bridge itself—not an easy task for photography. I positioned myself to use the iconic orange cables as a natural frame, creating leading lines that draw your eye toward the illuminated city beyond. The bridge's architectural geometry becomes the foreground, while San Francisco's lights create a sparkling backdrop. Night photography on the bridge presents unique challenges: wind that never stops, vibration from traffic, limited time to set up the shot. But the result—this graphic composition of cables, city lights, and engineered beauty—captures the Golden Gate Bridge as both subject and frame. The bridge isn't just something to photograph. Sometimes it's the lens through which you see the city. **Architecture as art, city as canvas.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/5a51c941-33f2-4e99-985c-82a1befc05c1/Fogged+In-Edit.jpg Golden Gate **Magenta Dawn** The Golden Gate Bridge bathed in rare magenta light as sunrise illuminates fog-shrouded towers. Vertical orientation. Some mornings, the light does something extraordinary. This wasn't the typical golden sunrise—the atmospheric conditions created these stunning magenta and pink tones that painted the fog and bridge in colors you don't see often. I captured this during that brief window when the sun was low enough to scatter light through the marine layer, creating this otherworldly glow. The vertical format emphasizes the bridge's soaring height and the upward movement of the fog as it rises with the warming air. Perfect for narrow walls, hallways, or anywhere horizontal prints won't fit. This is the Golden Gate Bridge in a color palette most people never witness—ethereal, unusual, unforgettable. **A rare moment captured in the perfect orientation.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487629835350-RTWOV1H659FWI6JFRC5Z/Through+the+Gates.jpg Golden Gate **Kirby Cove Dawn** Sunrise from Kirby Cove after the steep hike down—the Golden Gate Bridge towering above, waves rolling in, spectacular clouds catching first light. Kirby Cove requires commitment. It's a steep mile-long hike down from the road, and you know that everything you carry down, you're carrying back up. But when you arrive at this secluded beach beneath the bridge and watch sunrise light hit those clouds, every step is justified. This perspective puts you directly under the bridge's north tower with the Pacific Ocean at your feet. The waves provide constant motion and sound, the clouds create drama overhead, and you're experiencing the Golden Gate Bridge in a way most people never will—from a hidden beach that requires effort to reach. I made the hike in pre-dawn darkness to be in position for this light. Worth every step down. Worth the climb back up. **Hidden beach, extraordinary view.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360271569-078SHEGATC01QGFPOYVE/Among+the+Clouds.jpg Golden Gate **Enveloped** Just a fragment of the Golden Gate Bridge tower visible through thick fog—captured with a long exposure that smooths the fog into a silky, dreamlike texture. This is San Francisco fog at its most mysterious. The bridge is almost completely obscured, with only a small section of the tower breaking through the marine layer. By using a long exposure, I turned the moving fog into smooth, ethereal layers that look more like painted brushstrokes than atmosphere. Time-lapse technique transforms fog from chaotic movement into something calm and minimal. What the eye sees as swirling mist, the camera captures as serene abstraction. The result is almost meditative—more about mood and mystery than the bridge itself. Some of my favorite images are the ones where you have to search for the subject. This is the Golden Gate Bridge at its most elusive. **Minimalism in motion.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463010852704-CV6B05MSTZLWP47MC9PM/Heaven+Sunset.jpg Golden Gate **Small Tower, Big Sky** Minimalist composition—a small Golden Gate Bridge tower dwarfed by massive fog banks and even larger pink and purple sunset clouds. This is about scale and negative space. I positioned the bridge tower in the lower portion of the frame, letting the fog and dramatic sunset clouds dominate the composition. The result is a study in minimalism where the icon becomes small, and nature becomes monumental. Sometimes the best way to showcase the Golden Gate Bridge is to show how insignificant it becomes against the vast Pacific sky. The pink and purple clouds create layers of color that dwarf even the fog, which itself dwarfs the bridge. It's a humbling perspective—human engineering magnificent, yet small against the atmosphere. Minimalist photography is about what you leave out as much as what you include. Here, empty space tells the story. **Less bridge, more sky, maximum impact.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360126173-ZGHOZ2M7TECGU5RBQPPR/Shoulders+of+Giants.jpg Golden Gate **Nightfall in Fog** The Golden Gate Bridge at night, its lights glowing through heavy fog—dark atmospheric blues and blacks creating a moody, ethereal scene. Night fog transforms the Golden Gate Bridge into something otherworldly. The bridge's lights don't illuminate—they glow, diffused through the dense marine layer into soft halos of amber against deep blue-black darkness. This is the bridge at its most mysterious, where you sense its presence more than see its structure. Shooting in these conditions is challenging. The fog is so thick visibility drops to near zero. The lights create exposure challenges. The cold, damp air seeps into everything. But this mood—this specific combination of darkness, fog, and glowing lights—only exists on certain San Francisco nights. This is the Golden Gate Bridge as mood, as atmosphere, as feeling rather than landmark. **Where visibility ends, mystery begins.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569267326314-G615C8CIBVH6Y0GTYZ6O/Refresh.jpg Golden Gate **Marshall's Beach Reflection** The Golden Gate Bridge reflected in wet sand and surf at Marshall's Beach during sunset—the towers glowing brilliant red against the sky. Marshall's Beach is one of San Francisco's hidden gems, requiring a steep trail down to reach this secluded stretch of black sand directly beneath the bridge. I timed this shot for low tide when the receding waves leave that perfect mirror of wet sand—nature's reflective surface for the bridge towering above. The sunset light turned the bridge an even more vibrant red than usual, and the wet beach captured that color perfectly in reflection. It's a perspective that combines intimacy (you're right beneath the bridge) with drama (the reflection doubles the visual impact). The hike down is steep. The beach is often empty. The view is unmatched. This is the Golden Gate Bridge from a vantage point few people ever experience. **Hidden beach, brilliant reflection, unforgettable perspective.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1452107778348-RE3FF296GB4KGUGW5MQO/image-asset.jpeg Golden Gate **Soft Focus** Similar composition to my National Geographic featured image, but with softer, more blurred fog creating an even dreamier atmosphere—yellow sunrise sky, city silhouette in the distance. This was captured during the same fog inversion series, but with a slightly different exposure technique that renders the fog as a softer, more abstract blur. Where the National Geographic shot shows defined fog layers, this version leans into the ethereal—the bridge tower barely visible, the city a distant suggestion, the entire scene wrapped in golden atmospheric haze. Sometimes shooting the same conditions with different settings yields completely different moods. This one feels more like a painting than a photograph, more impression than documentation. The fog becomes less about texture and more about pure atmosphere. Same morning, same location, different interpretation. That's the beauty of landscape photography. **The companion piece to a National Geographic moment.** https://www.travelingphotographs.com/sea-photograph-gallery daily 0.75 2026-01-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569266577187-MI00X62IZSJG94ENLPLQ/Memorable.jpg Sea **China Beach Perfection** Waves crashing around rocks at China Beach with the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance beneath a vibrant, dramatic sky—one of my absolute favorite captures. China Beach offers an intimate perspective on the Golden Gate Bridge that few other locations provide. You're at sea level with the Pacific Ocean at your feet, rocks providing foreground interest, and the iconic bridge towering in the distance. When all the elements align—dramatic waves, perfect light, spectacular sky—this spot delivers some of the most dynamic coastal photography anywhere in San Francisco. I waited for the waves to crash around these particular rocks, timing the shot to capture that explosive moment when water meets stone. The sky cooperated with brilliant colors that only happen when atmospheric conditions are perfect. The Golden Gate Bridge anchors the composition in the distance, connecting the raw power of the ocean with the engineering marvel of the bridge. This image represents everything I love about shooting the California coast—the interplay of ocean, rock, sky, and that iconic bridge. It's chaotic and serene, powerful and beautiful, all in one frame. **Absolute favorite. China Beach magic. California coast at its most dramatic.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1480714525955-0YIBH1DE1J2KHLPAOGPG/Composed.jpg Sea **Crissy Field Textures** Sunset over San Francisco Bay with the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance—wind-sculpted sand ripples at Crissy Field Beach creating intricate patterns in the foreground. Crissy Field offers a different perspective on the Golden Gate Bridge—calmer, more contemplative than the dramatic wave-crashing spots. What makes this location special are these wind-created patterns in the sand, miniature dunes sculpted by the constant bay breeze. The ripples create natural leading lines that draw your eye toward the bridge in the distance. I positioned myself low to emphasize the sand texture, letting the ripples dominate the foreground while the bridge and sunset provide context and drama. The late afternoon light rakes across the beach at a low angle, highlighting every detail in the sand patterns—shadows and light creating depth and dimension in something as simple as wind-blown beach. This is the gentler side of San Francisco's waterfront. Not crashing waves and rocky shores, but soft sand, calm bay water, and the bridge standing sentinel in the golden hour light. **Quiet beauty. Textured foreground. Crissy Field at sunset.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1480714737907-DBWB3VUJ4NTRKWP9NKYR/Flow.jpg Sea **Golden Stream** Ocean Beach at sunset—a stream from the Pacific flowing across the sand like liquid gold, massive rocks in the distance silhouetted against the vibrant golden sky. Ocean Beach is San Francisco's wild western edge, where the Pacific meets the city in dramatic fashion. This evening, the receding tide created a perfect stream cutting through the sand, and the low-angle sunset light transformed that water into flowing gold. It's one of those moments where natural elements align to create something almost surreal—water that looks like molten metal flowing toward the ocean. The composition came together naturally: the golden stream creates a strong leading line, drawing your eye from the foreground through the frame to the silhouetted rocks and the vibrant sunset beyond. The wet sand reflects the sky, doubling the golden tones and creating this cohesive warm palette throughout the entire scene. Ocean Beach offers endless photographic possibilities, but this particular combination—the stream, the rocks, the golden light—represents that perfect convergence of tide, light, and timing that landscape photographers chase. **Liquid gold. Ocean Beach sunset. Nature's alchemy.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463763752577-935H17I3SOZWCKWXCFQ5/Ebbs+and+Flows.jpg Sea **Elements Aligned** Golden Gate Bridge to the right, vibrant sunset to the left, Marin Headlands and fog in the distance, with a river flowing to the ocean in the foreground—all the elements of a San Francisco coastal sunset in one frame. This composition captures the complete Bay Area coastal experience. The Golden Gate Bridge anchors one side, the dramatic Pacific sunset dominates the other, the Marin Headlands rise in the background shrouded in fog, and a stream cuts through the beach leading to the ocean. It's everything that makes this coastline special, all converging in a single image. I positioned myself to balance all these competing elements—giving each its space while creating a cohesive composition. The stream provides that crucial foreground interest and leading line, pulling your eye through the frame. The fog adds atmospheric depth, the bridge provides iconic recognition, and the sunset delivers the color and drama. Timing was critical: the light had to be right, the tide had to create that stream, the fog had to be at the perfect density. When all these variables align, you get moments like this—complete, balanced, quintessentially San Francisco. **Complete composition. All elements present. Coastal perfection.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487375362307-8M55S68OED7NL4JJYN45/Dichotomy.jpg Sea **Sun Star at China Beach** The setting sun perfectly aligned behind a rock pillar at China Beach—creating a dramatic sun star as waves crash around the formation, backlit by golden hour light. This shot required precise timing and positioning. I needed the sun to drop to exactly the right height—low enough to be partially obscured by the rock, creating that starburst effect, but high enough to still provide dramatic backlighting. The waves had to crash at the right moment, adding dynamic motion and spray. Everything had to align within a window of maybe five minutes. The sun star effect happens when you shoot directly at the sun with a small aperture—the camera's lens blades create those radiating light spikes. Combined with the silhouetted rock pillar and the explosive waves, it creates this dramatic interplay of light, stone, and water. The backlighting turns the spray into glowing mist, adding an ethereal quality to the raw power of the ocean. China Beach delivers again. Same location as another of my favorites, but an entirely different mood—more about light and timing than composition and sky. **Perfect alignment. Sun star magic. Light meets stone meets water.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519324605937-NLGII1HO68OTHGUSL1IO/Blew+Away.jpg Sea **Maui Golden Hour** Classic Hawaiian sunset—palm tree silhouetted against golden hour light, calm ocean, pristine Maui beach. This is the Hawaii of postcards and dreams, and it's real. A solitary palm tree leaning toward the ocean, soft sand, gentle waves, and that specific quality of golden hour light that only exists in the tropics. Maui's west-facing beaches deliver these sunset moments with remarkable consistency—warm light, calm water, and palm trees providing that quintessential island silhouette. I positioned myself to use the palm as a natural frame and focal point, its curved trunk creating elegant lines against the glowing sky. The calm ocean provides simplicity and serenity—a stark contrast to the dramatic crashing waves of California's coast. This is a different kind of coastal beauty: peaceful, warm, inviting rather than wild and powerful. Sometimes landscape photography is about capturing the iconic for good reason. This scene is classic Hawaii because it represents what makes the islands special—that perfect intersection of tropical beauty, golden light, and ocean tranquility. **Island paradise. Golden hour warmth. Classic Maui.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1452108362632-EMFQRJ63ETDVY5AW1UI2/image-asset.jpeg Sea **Fire and Water** Past sunset at Crissy Field—deep reds and oranges painting the sky, mud ripples with a stream reflecting the vibrant light like molten color, Golden Gate Bridge silhouetted in the background. This is the magic that happens after the sun drops below the horizon. Most photographers pack up when the sun sets, but often the most dramatic colors arrive in those minutes immediately after—when the sky explodes into deep reds and oranges that feel almost unreal. The stream cutting through Crissy Field's mudflats became a mirror for this spectacular sky, reflecting those intense colors across the textured foreground. The mud ripples add critical texture and depth, creating patterns that lead your eye toward the bridge. The Golden Gate Bridge becomes a dark silhouette, its iconic form recognizable even in shadow. The interplay between the textured earth, the reflective water, and the explosive sky creates layers of interest throughout the frame. This is patience rewarded. Staying past sunset, waiting for that post-sunset glow, being in position when the sky delivers its final dramatic show. **Post-sunset magic. Deep fire tones. Patience rewarded.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519326149180-R0C7PQVO2RQE8ZNY2FLR/Reverie.jpg Sea **Blue Hour Bay** Earlier in the evening at Crissy Field—blue hour light mixing with orange sunset glow, the Golden Gate Bridge spanning the bay, beach and water in perfect tranquility. This captures that transitional moment between day and night, when the sky holds onto both warm sunset tones and the deep blue of approaching darkness. Blue hour is one of landscape photography's most magical times—the light is soft and even, colors are rich but not harsh, and there's a peaceful quality that daylight doesn't have. The bay was remarkably calm, creating subtle reflections of the bridge and sky. The beach in the foreground provides grounding and context, while the bridge connects the composition across the middle ground. The color gradient in the sky—from warm orange near the horizon to deep blue overhead—creates natural depth and atmosphere. Blue hour doesn't last long, maybe 20-30 minutes depending on conditions. You have to be in position, ready, waiting for that specific quality of light. This is the calm, contemplative counterpoint to the dramatic post-sunset reds—same location, same evening, entirely different mood. **Blue hour serenity. Transitional light. Bay Area calm.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487629835350-RTWOV1H659FWI6JFRC5Z/Through+the+Gates.jpg Sea **Kirby Cove Sunrise** Explosive sunrise from Kirby Cove—dramatic sky painted in brilliant colors, waves crashing onto the beach, Golden Gate Bridge towering directly above. Kirby Cove requires commitment. The steep mile-long hike down from the road in pre-dawn darkness, carrying all your gear, knowing you'll have to climb back up—it's not for casual photographers. But when you arrive at this hidden beach beneath the Golden Gate Bridge and witness a sunrise like this, every step is justified. This morning delivered everything: the sky erupted in vibrant colors—oranges, pinks, purples painting the clouds in layers. The Pacific waves rolled in with perfect rhythm, crashing onto the beach and adding dynamic motion to the scene. And the bridge, towering directly overhead from this unique vantage point, provides that iconic San Francisco element that makes the location unmistakable. Being beneath the bridge rather than viewing it from afar creates an entirely different perspective—intimate, powerful, immersive. You feel the bridge's massive scale, hear the waves crash, watch the sky transform. This is one of my absolute favorite shooting locations. **Worth the hike. Explosive color. Kirby Cove magic.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487374303129-LNX1N134ZDHTDX11TKVH/Explore.jpg Sea **The Photographer** Waves flooding around rocks at Baker Beach during sunset—a fellow photographer perched on a distant rock, capturing their own vision of the Pacific's power. This image captures what draws us to coastal photography. That lone figure on the rock, surrounded by churning surf, camera in hand, chasing the same perfect light and dramatic moment I was pursuing. We're all out there together—photographers scattered along the coast, each finding our own angle, our own composition, our own relationship with the ocean's beauty and power. The flooding waves add drama and movement, rushing around the rocks while the photographer remains focused on their shot. Sunset light bathes the entire scene in warm tones, turning the water golden and silhouetting the distant figure. It's a reminder that these moments aren't just about the landscape—they're about the human desire to capture and preserve beauty. Baker Beach attracts photographers for good reason. The combination of accessible coastline, dramatic waves, rock formations, and the Golden Gate Bridge creates endless possibilities. Sometimes the best shot includes acknowledging that we're all out here, doing the same thing, chasing the same light. **Fellow traveler. Shared passion. We're all chasing the light.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463763679166-Q2BSHDJVCL8KIGGWBUJO/Rushed.jpg Sea **Tower Reflected** Golden sunset at Crissy Field—the Golden Gate Bridge's north tower perfectly reflected in the shallow waves, doubled in the water's mirror. Reflections at Crissy Field are tricky. The bay water is rarely still enough to create perfect mirror images, and the sandy bottom creates sediment that can cloud the water. But on this evening, conditions aligned: the tide was right, the water was calm enough, and the wet sand created a reflective surface that captured the bridge's north tower in stunning detail. I positioned myself low to maximize the reflection, letting the foreground water dominate the lower half of the frame. The golden sunset light illuminates both the actual tower and its watery twin, creating symmetry and doubling the visual impact of the bridge's iconic form. The gentle waves add just enough texture to make it interesting without destroying the reflection. This is the patient photographer's reward—waiting for the exact moment when tide, light, and water surface all cooperate. Crissy Field can deliver these reflection opportunities, but you have to be there at precisely the right time with the right conditions. **Perfect reflection. Golden light. Patience rewarded.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519337075134-2EF5W7PCET3X99ERP4AV/Simple+Marin.jpg Sea **Soft Simplicity** One of my favorites—the Marin Headlands hills meeting the bay, captured in soft, gentle tones. Pure minimalism. Sometimes the best photographs are the quietest ones. No dramatic sunset, no crashing waves, no bold colors—just the gentle contours of the Marin Headlands rolling down to meet San Francisco Bay in soft, muted light. This is landscape photography stripped to its essence: land, water, atmosphere, and that specific quality of softness that only happens in certain light conditions. The simplicity is what makes this work. The hills create elegant curves against the calm bay, the soft light eliminates harsh contrasts, and the overall effect is meditative rather than dramatic. It's a photograph that asks you to slow down, to appreciate subtlety, to find beauty in restraint rather than spectacle. I captured this during one of those o https://www.travelingphotographs.com/city-photo-print-gallery daily 0.75 2026-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360149907-O46Z9568RXBC2IM30H2I/Dawn+Painting.jpg City **Painted Ladies at Dawn** Sunrise over San Francisco's iconic Painted Ladies—pastel colors painting the sky above the Victorian row houses with the city skyline rising in the background. The Painted Ladies at Alamo Square might be San Francisco's most photographed homes, and for good reason. These Victorian "postcard row" houses represent classic San Francisco architecture, and when you catch them at sunrise with the modern skyline behind them, you get the perfect juxtaposition of old and new, residential and urban, historic and contemporary. I arrived in pre-dawn darkness to position myself for the sunrise. As the sun rose, the sky transformed into soft pastels—pinks, lavenders, peach tones—creating that gentle morning light that contrasts beautifully with the vibrant colors of the Victorian homes. The Financial District towers in the background add vertical drama and show the city's architectural evolution across different eras. This is quintessential San Francisco: where Victorian elegance meets modern skyline, where pastel sunrise light illuminates one of the city's most beloved views. It's been photographed countless times, but sunrise light always makes it feel fresh and new. **San Francisco icon. Victorian charm. Pastel perfection.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583665921-ZN43UQK6K40DTT7G2KPC/Ocean+Beach+Drive.jpg City **Great Highway Flow** Ocean Beach at sunset—the Great Highway with time-lapse turning traffic into ribbons of light, the expansive beach and Pacific waves stretching beyond. This is where San Francisco's urban grid meets the Pacific Ocean. The Great Highway runs alongside Ocean Beach, a constant stream of traffic heading north and south along the coast. Through long exposure, I transformed that traffic into abstract streaks of color—red taillights flowing one direction, white headlights the other—while the cars themselves disappear, leaving only their light trails. The composition captures San Francisco's relationship with its western edge: urban infrastructure (the highway), natural beauty (the beach and ocean), and that dramatic interface where city meets wild Pacific coast. The sunset provides warm light, the waves add motion and texture, and the light trails create that surreal quality where movement becomes art. Time-lapse technique strips away the mundane—individual cars, traffic, metal and glass—and reveals the pure energy of a city in motion. The highway becomes a river of light flowing alongside the ocean's waves, two different kinds of movement captured in one frame. **Urban meets ocean. Motion as art. San Francisco's western edge.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583681253-7G2Y270CXCCJTXTUVH7K/Sydney%27s+Pearls.jpg City **Sydney Blue Hour** The Sydney Opera House during blue hour—Jørn Utzon's architectural masterpiece glowing against the deep blue twilight sky. Blue hour in Sydney offers something special. The sky holds that perfect gradient from deep blue overhead to warm tones near the horizon, and the Opera House's distinctive white shell-like structures seem to glow against this backdrop. The architectural lighting illuminates the building from within and below, emphasizing those iconic curved forms that make this one of the world's most recognizable buildings. I positioned myself along the harbor to capture the Opera House's full profile, waiting for that specific quality of blue hour light when day and night balance perfectly. The still water provides subtle reflections, the city lights begin to sparkle in the background, and there's a peaceful quality that harsh daylight doesn't offer. This is one of those buildings that transcends architecture and becomes pure sculpture—those billowing sail-like forms rising from Sydney Harbour, instantly recognizable from any angle. Blue hour reveals it at its most elegant and serene. **Architectural icon. Blue hour magic. Sydney Harbor beauty.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462724822845-N1TDBCS7HP393NMUCMKS/Winter+Lights.jpg City **Christmas Through the Cables** San Francisco's glowing skyline framed through the Golden Gate Bridge cables at night from Hawk Hill—the city adorned with Christmas lights, creating a festive sparkle through the bridge's iconic orange geometry. This perspective required hiking up to Hawk Hill in darkness, positioning myself to use the Golden Gate Bridge's suspension cables as a natural frame for the city beyond. During the holiday season, San Francisco's skyline takes on extra sparkle—buildings decorated with Christmas lights, adding warmth and festivity to the urban glow. The cables create strong diagonal lines that draw your eye toward the illuminated city. The bridge's orange paint provides warm tones that complement the golden city lights and holiday decorations. The elevation from Hawk Hill gives you this bird's-eye perspective where you're looking through the bridge's architecture at the city it connects to Marin. Night photography from Hawk Hill is challenging—it's dark, windy, and requires long exposures—but the payoff is this unique perspective that combines the bridge's engineering beauty with the city's nighttime magic, especially during the holidays when everything sparkles a little brighter. **Holiday sparkle. Bridge as frame. San Francisco nights.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519323898837-T49C2QL01L065VMM6NVL/Beautiful+Time.jpg City **Victorian Details** Zoomed perspective on the Painted Ladies at sunrise—architectural details of the Victorian homes emphasized, San Francisco skyline rising behind them. This tighter composition isolates the Victorian architecture, bringing you closer to the intricate details that make these homes special: the ornate trim work, the distinctive paint colors that give them their "Painted Ladies" nickname, the period-specific architectural elements that define this style. By zooming in, the modern Financial District towers become a more dramatic backdrop, creating that striking contrast between 19th-century craftsmanship and contemporary glass-and-steel skyscrapers. Sunrise light adds warmth and dimension, raking across the Victorian facades and highlighting every architectural detail while the city towers catch the early morning glow. This closer perspective shows the relationship between old and new San Francisco—how the city has grown up and around these historic homes while preserving them as treasured landmarks. The Painted Ladies represent San Francisco's commitment to architectural preservation. While the city has transformed around them, these Victorian beauties remain, reminding us of the city's rich history even as modern towers rise behind them. **Architectural details. Old meets new. Victorian preservation.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463763819963-EZEGB5R1J0SBO82QNNBH/Superbowl+Blues.jpg City **City Lights** San Francisco at night—the illuminated Bay Bridge spanning the water with the iconic Transamerica Pyramid rising from the skyline, the city glowing in full nocturnal splendor. San Francisco's nighttime skyline is defined by two architectural icons: the Bay Bridge with its suspended lights creating a ribbon of illumination across the bay, and the Transamerica Pyramid, that distinctive pointed tower that's been part of the skyline since 1972. Together, they create San Francisco's most recognizable nighttime composition. I captured this during blue hour when the sky still holds some color but the city lights are fully illuminated, creating that perfect balance between ambient light and artificial glow. The Bay Bridge's lights reflect in the water, doubling their visual impact, while the Transamerica Pyramid stands as a beacon among the surrounding buildings, its unique shape unmistakable even in silhouette. This is San Francisco as locals and visitors see it from across the bay—a glittering urban landscape where engineering marvels and architectural landmarks combine to create one of America's most beautiful city skylines. **Dual icons. Night glow. San Francisco's skyline signature.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583696964-L1R3WOMGUW1S72JCRDVG/Last+Moment+in+Sydney.jpg City **Sydney Sunrise Fire** The Sydney Opera House beneath an explosive sunrise—monster vibrant reds and pinks painting the sky, Sydney Harbour's calm water reflecting the spectacular show. Some sunrises are subtle and gentle. This was not one of them. The sky erupted in intense reds and pinks that looked almost too vivid to be real, transforming the entire harbor into a canvas of brilliant color. The Opera House's white shells became the perfect foreground subject—their iconic curves silhouetted against this spectacular atmospheric display. I positioned myself along the harbor to capture the full sweep of the scene: the calm water reflecting the explosive sky colors, the Opera House's distinctive architecture providing that instantly recognizable element, and the dramatic clouds creating texture and depth in the brilliant sunrise. These are the mornings you chase as a landscape photographer—when nature delivers color so intense it takes your breath away. Sydney Harbour during sunrise can be magical, but this particular morning was extraordinary. The kind of light that makes you grateful you woke up early, made the trek to the waterfront, and were in position when the sky decided to put on a show. **Explosive color. Sydney icon. Nature's spectacular show.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463762475260-750KKIZNYGYPHOBWXXOD/Through+the+Looking+Glass.jpg City **London Framed** Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament framed through a brick archway during golden hour—classic London architecture viewed through historic stone. This composition uses one of photography's most effective techniques: natural framing. The brick archway creates a window onto the scene beyond, drawing your eye directly to Big Ben's iconic clock tower and the Gothic Revival architecture of Parliament. The archway adds depth, context, and a sense of discovery—like you're glimpsing this famous view through a portal. Golden hour light bathes the entire scene in warm tones, illuminating the intricate details of Parliament's Victorian Gothic architecture while the brick archway provides texture and contrast in the foreground. This is London layered—historic stonework framing even more historic landmarks, centuries of architecture captured in a single frame. Big Ben and Parliament are among the world's most photographed buildings, so finding fresh perspectives matters. The archway transforms this from a straight documentary shot into something more artistic—a framed view that adds dimension and storytelling to an iconic scene. **Natural framing. Golden light. London through the portal.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1466694809104-UBHTBMWGLWMHNOUTU9HZ/Nyhavn.jpg City **Nyhavn at Twilight** Copenhagen's famous Nyhavn waterfront at blue hour—colorful historic townhouses illuminated along the canal, their lights reflecting in the calm water. Nyhavn is Copenhagen's postcard-perfect harbor district, and blue hour reveals it at its most magical. The 17th-century townhouses—painted in vibrant reds, yellows, oranges, and blues—line the canal, each building glowing with warm interior lights and exterior illumination. The deep blue twilight sky provides the perfect contrast to these warm tones, creating that balanced color palette that makes blue hour so special. I positioned myself to capture the full sweep of the canal with its moored boats and historic buildings creating symmetrical lines on both sides. The still water doubles the scene through reflections, turning the canal into a mirror that captures both the colorful facades and the glowing lights. This is Denmark's most photographed street for good reason—it's quintessentially Copenhagen, where Scandinavian design meets maritime history. Blue hour transforms Nyhavn from charming daylight scene to something almost fairytale-like, when the buildings glow against the evening sky and the whole harbor takes on an enchanted quality. **Copenhagen icon. Blue hour charm. Scandinavian beauty reflected.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463763820788-IQ7IZ2B7TF2Y9595KO5M/Twists+and+Turns.jpg City **The Crookedest Street** Lombard Street at blue hour—a car's brake lights captured in long exposure creating red streaks down San Francisco's famous crooked street, Coit Tower glowing in the distance. Lombard Street's eight hairpin turns make it one of San Francisco's most iconic thoroughfares, and capturing it with light trails adds dynamic energy to this already distinctive scene. I set up during blue hour when the sky's deep blue contrasts beautifully with the street lights and a car's taillights. Using long exposure, that single vehicle becomes a ribbon of red light snaking down the serpentine street, its brake lights intensifying on each sharp turn. Coit Tower anchors the background, its Art Deco form illuminated on Telegraph Hill, providing context and that unmistakable San Francisco skyline element. The combination of the winding street, the flowing light trail, and the distant tower creates layers of interest—each element contributing to this quintessentially San Francisco composition. Timing is everything: blue hour for the perfect sky, a car cooperative enough to drive the street during my long exposure, and positioning that captures both the street's curves and the tower beyond. When all the variables align, magic happens. **Iconic curves. Light in motion. Pure San Francisco.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583097834-7SPTI4QBBG4JVVRV7OD3/Night+Moves+Columbus+Ohio.jpg City **The Crookedest Street** Lombard Street at blue hour—a car's brake lights captured in long exposure creating red streaks down San Francisco's famous crooked street, Coit Tower glowing in the distance. Lombard Street's eight hairpin turns make it one of San Francisco's most iconic thoroughfares, and capturing it with light trails adds dynamic energy to this already distinctive scene. I set up during blue hour when the sky's deep blue contrasts beautifully with the street lights and a car's taillights. Using long exposure, that single vehicle becomes a ribbon of red light snaking down the serpentine street, its brake lights intensifying on each sharp turn. Coit Tower anchors the background, its Art Deco form illuminated on Telegraph Hill, providing context and that unmistakable San Francisco skyline element. The combination of the winding street, the flowing light trail, and the distant tower creates layers of interest—each element contributing to this quintessentially San Francisco composition. Timing is everything: blue hour for the perfect sky, a car cooperative enough to drive the street during my long exposure, and positioning that captures both the street's curves and the tower beyond. When all the variables align, magic happens. **Iconic curves. Light in motion. Pure San Francisco.** https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1448322994123-JDZ18KK54JN4PTP2XHR2/Seattle+Sunrise-Edit.jpg City **Seattle Dawn** Panoramic sunrise from Queen Anne Hill—the entire Seattle skyline stretching across the frame with Mount Rainier rising majestically in the distance. This is the quintessential Seattle vista: the Space Needle punctuating the urban skyline, Elliott Bay providing foreground interest, and Mount Rainier—that massive 14,411-foot volcanic peak—dominating the horizon nearly 60 miles away. When sunrise light hits this scene, everything glows: the city awakening, the mountain catching first light, the water reflecting the morning sky. Queen Anne Hill offers Seattle's best overview, and I used the panoramic format to capture the full sweep of the scene—the breadth of the city from north to south, the expanse of Puget Sound, and that dramatic mountain backdrop that makes Seattle's geography so distinctive. On clear mornings when Rainier is visible (locals call it "The Mountain is out"), the view is simply spectacular. The challenge with panoramic cityscape photography is balancing all the elements across a wide frame while maintaining visual interest throughout. The skyline provides urban detail, the water adds reflection and calm, and Mount Rainier delivers that natural grandeur that defines the Pacific Northwest. **Pacific Northwest icon. Mountain meets metropolis. Seattle in full glory.** https://www.travelingphotographs.com/about-san-francisco-photographer-dave-gordon daily 0.75 2026-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1448218446997-OTV7NUTO9DKMSSB3VGJR/image-asset.jpeg https://www.travelingphotographs.com/behind-the-scenes-dave-gordon-photo-gallery daily 0.75 2015-12-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074658204-E1TCLEXDA1WIG4DJWAE2/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+New+Zealand+Milford+Sound.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074601142-DD3OLQPGBRN3NVSFV1GL/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Baker+Beach+Luna+Lab.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074606688-X3UXHGZCM6TO4IOUZ225/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Golden+Gate+Bridge.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074607795-AT58KSYHPI6JYUAI62SC/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Kauai.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074638869-Y7Q9828EEHXT9OQNIOCH/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+London.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074643393-NOY8IB8492KR7L2UAS15/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Marin+County+Luna+Lab.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074633211-E11AP1YJY1GMALYZ5I96/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Luna+Lab+Golden+Gate+Bridge.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074653619-M4OFYNHKL8NBPUSWG8W1/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Marin+Mt+Tam+Fog.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074654656-IITPOUQQ3WNQ6M4FH41J/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Marin+Muir+Beach+Luna+Lab.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074652808-V7H5XPWNN0AMG2T8LDVQ/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Marin+County+Mt+Tam+Green+Spring.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074656472-SQUW4AKBSR0OJYOQ1ESI/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Marin+County+Mt+Tam+Luna+Lab.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074675534-J2U3LL3PGYY1MZRDH6LM/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Ocean+Luna+Lab.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074662499-FXSJRW25ESFI7Z3PSEQP/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Na+Pali+Coast.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074683227-ZX4KYJT9HHFARXOLYJ9B/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Sonoma+Luna+Lab.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074689372-CEFL2CVWUP5OUQWJTOWO/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Tulip+Seattle.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074691348-13ZCXTEUS1AS85HG800J/Dave+Gordon+Self+Photo.jpg The Photographer's Wife's Perspective https://www.travelingphotographs.com/home daily 1.0 2026-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1452107778348-RE3FF296GB4KGUGW5MQO/image-asset.jpeg Home Golden Gate Bridge https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1554315369619-8OKAXK92PPI7BIFX8RCA/Glacial+Majesty.jpg Home Landscapes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1480714737907-DBWB3VUJ4NTRKWP9NKYR/Flow.jpg Home Seascapes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463766009541-A6YNCKCQ7GQ0F8EWXLT8/image-asset.jpeg Home Cityscapes https://www.travelingphotographs.com/store daily 0.75 2026-01-20 https://www.travelingphotographs.com/store/p/golden-gate-bridge-sunset-san-francisco-print monthly 0.5 2026-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/51aff191-87e8-4110-95fd-7dd8a1232b7f/golden-gate-bridge-sunset-san-francisco.jpg Store - 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Golden Gate Bridge Surfers Print - Surfing Golden Hour San Francisco - Surf GGB Bed.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/25ed5588-17ca-4a85-8235-b2985365752e/Surf+GGB+White+Wall.jpg Store - Golden Gate Bridge Surfers Print - Surfing Golden Hour San Francisco - Surf GGB White Wall.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/d1c2851f-ff86-4db6-bf9f-2ea55fe18153/Surf+GGB+Bar.jpg Store - Golden Gate Bridge Surfers Print - Surfing Golden Hour San Francisco - Surf GGB Bar.jpg https://www.travelingphotographs.com/photography-index-dave-gordon daily 0.75 2026-01-20 https://www.travelingphotographs.com/photography-index-dave-gordon/behind-the-scenes-5pma7 monthly 0.5 2026-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074658204-E1TCLEXDA1WIG4DJWAE2/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+New+Zealand+Milford+Sound.jpg Photography - Behind the Scenes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074601142-DD3OLQPGBRN3NVSFV1GL/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Baker+Beach+Luna+Lab.jpg Photography - 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Behind the Scenes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074654656-IITPOUQQ3WNQ6M4FH41J/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Marin+Muir+Beach+Luna+Lab.jpg Photography - Behind the Scenes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074652808-V7H5XPWNN0AMG2T8LDVQ/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Marin+County+Mt+Tam+Green+Spring.jpg Photography - Behind the Scenes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074656472-SQUW4AKBSR0OJYOQ1ESI/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Marin+County+Mt+Tam+Luna+Lab.jpg Photography - Behind the Scenes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074675534-J2U3LL3PGYY1MZRDH6LM/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Ocean+Luna+Lab.jpg Photography - Behind the Scenes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074662499-FXSJRW25ESFI7Z3PSEQP/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Na+Pali+Coast.jpg Photography - Behind the Scenes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074683227-ZX4KYJT9HHFARXOLYJ9B/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Sonoma+Luna+Lab.jpg Photography - Behind the Scenes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074689372-CEFL2CVWUP5OUQWJTOWO/Dave+Gordon+Photographer+Tulip+Seattle.jpg Photography - Behind the Scenes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1449074691348-13ZCXTEUS1AS85HG800J/Dave+Gordon+Self+Photo.jpg Photography - Behind the Scenes https://www.travelingphotographs.com/photography-index-dave-gordon/city-photo-dave-gordon-xk4sc monthly 0.5 2026-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583646872-IKFKEINZU6775M3PLGY3/Dawn+Painting.jpg Photography - City - Dawn Painting (Copy) Dawn Painting A little abstract for me but sometimes it's not about the vast landscapes or apocalyptic skies. Beauty can be found right in front of you if you open your eyes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583665921-ZN43UQK6K40DTT7G2KPC/Ocean+Beach+Drive.jpg Photography - City - Ocean Beach Drive (Copy) Ocean Beach Drive https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583681253-7G2Y270CXCCJTXTUVH7K/Sydney%27s+Pearls.jpg Photography - City - Sydney's Pearls (Copy) Sydney's Pearls Sydney Australia treated us well on our vacation to the Southern Hemisphere. This view of two of Sydney's iconic landmarks is taken from Mrs. Macquarie's Point which has the vantage point of both the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge. The bright lights on the top, left side of the bridge are the headlamps from a Walk the Bridge tour group. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583846699-566ELZK2TRT8BX0936XE/Winter+Lights.jpg Photography - City - Winter Lights (Copy) Winter Lights https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519323898837-T49C2QL01L065VMM6NVL/Beautiful+Time.jpg Photography - City - Beautiful Time (Copy) Beautiful Time Despite how busy the day gets, there's always something magical about taking a few minutes to watch the sun rise. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463359775711-PKNH1STAN0RHO988JJZW/Superbowl+Blues.jpg Photography - City - Superbowl Blues (Copy) Superbowl Blues San Francisco skyline during the Superbowl season taken from the Russian Hill neighborhood. The Embarcadero buildings fashioning their winter lights, adding to the already beautiful San Francisco city view. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583696964-L1R3WOMGUW1S72JCRDVG/Last+Moment+in+Sydney.jpg Photography - City - Last Moment in Sydney (Copy) Last Moment in Sydney On our last sunrise before we left to the airport to return to the States, this is how Sydney said goodbye. They always say to lead with your best foot forward. I don't know if this was my best foot from our Aussie/NZ trip, but it was the best light for sure. This required very minimal editing, other than lightening a little and making sure the horizon was straight. The color actually had to be desaturated because I didn't think anyone would believe the sky could be that brilliant. Maybe it's a southern hemisphere thing. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583856348-VF9W7QAVXAC6EUUI819F/Through+the+Looking+Glass.jpg Photography - City - Through the Looking Glass (Copy) Through the Looking Glass https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1466694809104-UBHTBMWGLWMHNOUTU9HZ/Nyhavn.jpg Photography - City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583142372-GP4817QKDGB9EWDS3B6B/Twists+and+Turns.jpg Photography - City - Twists and Turns (Copy) Twists and Turns The famous Lombard Street in San Francisco has the most hair pinned turns of any road in the Bay Area. Crooked Lombard Street in San Francisco at night. My favorite part of this photo is that you can see the transition from headlights to brake lights all the way down the hill as the car twisted and turned. I also love the subtle reflection of the streaking lights in the house's front window. It was one of those photographs that as soon as the shutter closed, I knew I had something special. It is very busy but at the same time the colors are very simple. Kind of a paradox, much like how this road even can exist. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462583097834-7SPTI4QBBG4JVVRV7OD3/Night+Moves+Columbus+Ohio.jpg Photography - City https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1448322994123-JDZ18KK54JN4PTP2XHR2/Seattle+Sunrise-Edit.jpg Photography - City - Seattle Sunrise (Copy) Seattle Sunrise I was in Seattle for Thanksgiving this past year and had a break in the family action to sneak away to this spot, Kerry Park and try and capture sunset. However I wasn't the only photographer escaping the family events and I was completely surrounded by tripods. It was cold for Seattle, low 20s f and my tripod decided that would be a good time to malfunction. Frustrated with the crowds, my equipment and having lost blue hour sunset, I left feeling quite defeated. The next morning, I set my alarm early, drove back to this locale and found myself alone, still cold but without the crowds to witness this Seattle sunrise. Just me and the Emerald City waking up on this low fog, chilly morning. https://www.travelingphotographs.com/photography-index-dave-gordon/land-photographs-dave-gordon-lfrce monthly 0.5 2026-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569266919662-TGB6SHIE0J1SV6WV4LMZ/First+Light.jpg Photography - Land - First Light (Copy) First Light I will be the first to say, I really despise waking up to shoot sunrise, especially in the summer when the sun is brutally early, but once up and moving, I've never regretted the choice. Captured this sunrise from Jackson, WY looking west towards the Grand Teton. The reflection is on a tributary from the Snake River which winds its way through the valley beneath the mountains known more famously as Jackson Hole. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1554315070339-QASTDSOEZ84GH0U0FSJN/Glacial+Majesty.jpg Photography - Land - Glacial Majesty (Copy) Glacial Majesty Tucked in the middle of the Canadian Rockies is a small glacial fed lake frozen most months of the year. During the summer thaw, the lake has a beautiful turquoise color to it from glacial soot, the origin of its namesake 'Emerald Lake.' The lake's real beauty is to catch the mirror reflections just after sunrise but before the sun lights the glacial soot, transitioning the scene green. You can see in this photo where the sun has broken through the mountains, there's a pool of turquoise that formed and will expand over the next hour until the mirror effect is gone for the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519323038894-8OWII9CSQN7TWCNG9S53/Anticipated.jpg Photography - Land - Anticipated (Copy) Anticipated Quintessential Mt Tam summer sunset, captured July 2016. Was lost, deep in the caverns of my photo library until recently. I stumbled upon it trying to find a fresh print for a friend. I think it aged well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462820760672-3NP18HBTDOR5L95TCSVQ/Standing+Strong-Edit-Edit.jpg Photography - Land - Standing Strong (Copy) Standing Strong The lone tree in Wanaka New Zealand. Some think this tree reminds them of their struggles, against the wind, perseverance, survival. To me, this tree isn't just surviving, it's thriving. Broke free from the pack, a trailblazer on a path of its own, against the current standing strong with their reward of this mountain lake sunset to lull it to sleep nightly. Dare to be different. Dare to standout. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569267676101-KOCYOBN14FOXKKW0XMGV/Peaceful-Edit-2-Edit.jpg Photography - Land - Peaceful (Copy) Peaceful As quickly as they came, the storm clouds receded, lifting us from the dark, cold rains. Scars still wet, we cautiously ventured onto this new path, hopeful we find our peace. Taken from atop Mt Tam in Marin County, just north of San Francisco at sunset, overlooking the famous Stinson Beach, Bolinas, and Point Reyes National Seashore. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569267616912-4SIYIW5HB6PZWODT134Q/A+Mother%27s+Tree2-Edit.jpg Photography - Land - Mother's Touch (Copy) Mother's Touch Mother's Touch. Yosemite in the spring is nothing short of magical. Captured this photo at sunset with the Yosemite mountains blocking the setting sun and only the distant Half Dome capturing the fading light on its famous peak. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519322703648-JSL0QM6YYVIN4898L9TS/Rebirth.jpg Photography - Land - Rebirth (Copy) Rebirth A re-processed photo originally from 2014. Over the past few years my photo processing has slowly evolved into a 'Less is More' style. Focusing on micro adjustments instead of macro, becoming more comfortable with Photoshop, using less Lightroom, and really trying to stick to the original colors as the scene presented them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462820778359-DQC95M1R1LZ307RKOH12/image-asset.jpeg Photography - Land - Enchanted (Copy) Enchanted Get out and explore, there's adventure around every corner, even if its just in your own backyard. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462820602969-UJYFJDOP4A4EG0P9FCSH/Light+and+Dark.jpg Photography - Land - Light and Dark (Copy) Light and Dark The fading light dances along the rolling peaks. Free just for a brief, ever changing moment, before the sun is pulled below the horizon, extending the shadows, extinguishing their song for the evening.   https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462820721837-HHUK3TQTROKVJ1X5LTY5/The+Lost+Fire.jpg Photography - Land - The Lost Fire (Copy) The Lost Fire We spent the day exploring Yosemite Valley and as the sun headed for the horizon, we found a quiet spot, away from the masses, to watch the fire fall from Horsetail falls. A spectacular site that was more pronounced this year with all the rain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462820984064-GQCYO6X4OARWEUKX0Y8T/Fjord+Farming.jpg Photography - Land - Fjord Farming (Copy) Fjord Farming https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462820786369-2YL2UAPAUJXHMMDBO3DY/Solitude.jpg Photography - Land - Trade Winds (Copy) Trade Winds To be above the clouds as they roll over the landscape, watching cool fog paint the treetops, while the last of the angst from the workday fades below the horizon with the sun. Return to simple. The fog in San Francisco can be pretty encompassing. The summer is called our winter, it's cold, drizzly, and grey. Unless of course you go to the tallest peaks in the Bay Area and get above the fog layer. Up there, it's just beautiful. To photograph this scene, much like all of photography, took time and patience. The fog does not always line up where your composition is and you have to be willing to either adapt to the weather pattern, or wait for it to come to you. This sunset photo was captured with a long exposure effect to show the fog smoothness https://static1.squarespace.com/static/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/696fde3a7ace53780d0ef4e6/696fde3b7ace53780d0ef546/1768939067391/ Photography - Land - Eternal (Copy) Eternal Emerald Lake Lodge, nestled deep in the Yoho National Park, one of those rare, special places I felt I could be content staying forever. https://www.travelingphotographs.com/photography-index-dave-gordon/sea-photographs-dave-gordon-n2nsx monthly 0.5 2026-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519324200152-L8Z3GJOF4W2JCDOEMU2W/Memorable.jpg Photography - Sea - Memorable (Copy) Memorable What attracts me to this photo is the fragility of the color in reference to time. This vibrant burst lasted less than two minutes before the sun dipped further, the color casted on the water and rocks faded, and the scene transformed into night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1480714720241-KTAN1R8FJJIXDYXOOBX3/Composed.jpg Photography - Sea - Composed (Copy) Composed With colors so vibrant you could almost hear Mother Nature's masterpiece as it electrified all senses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1480714737907-DBWB3VUJ4NTRKWP9NKYR/Flow.jpg Photography - Sea - Flow (Copy) Flow It is easy to be negative, critical, destructive. The challenge is building up rather than destroying. A new month, a new season, stay positive, enjoy the scenery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462903116569-TP6VJ0LW9Y43ZAZUEAYO/Ebbs+and+Flows.jpg Photography - Sea - Ebbs and Flows (Copy) Ebbs and Flows The river turns and twists before it returns to the Ocean. At the end of its journey is where we met, with the setting sun guiding the path. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487375362307-8M55S68OED7NL4JJYN45/Dichotomy.jpg Photography - Sea - Dichotomy (Copy) Dichotomy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519324605937-NLGII1HO68OTHGUSL1IO/Blew+Away.jpg Photography - Sea https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462903086374-GWEMXY3PKSDH6WU8Z4B5/Healing.jpg Photography - Sea - Healing (Copy) Healing Scraping your knees as a kid was a lot easier than healing the bruises of an adult. Caught this light a few weeks back. Mother Nature there to provide food for the soul. This photo is dedicated to my muse, my wife, on her birthday. The sun, my world spins around. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519326149180-R0C7PQVO2RQE8ZNY2FLR/Reverie.jpg Photography - Sea - Reverie (Copy) Reverie There will always be beauty in the world https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1462903076188-RT4DOZFG439B8WV46JY6/With+the+Tide.jpg Photography - Sea - With the Tide (Copy) With the Tide I enjoyed just sitting and watching the waves come in and melt away. It reminded me of this year. A massive amount of emotional energy was spent just to keep my head above the rising tide. But in the end, it washes clean as the year comes to a close. Fades away with the surf, no footprints left behind, no scars too deep. A new dawn brings the New Year. A clean slate. Time to write this year's story. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487374303129-LNX1N134ZDHTDX11TKVH/Explore.jpg Photography - Sea - Explore (Copy) Explore New year, new resolution. This year's photography will be an exploration. Whether in the field, or post-processing, the finished work will be a contrast to previous. Each stretching my creative horizon, because being creative is being ok making mistakes and eventually growing from them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487629835350-RTWOV1H659FWI6JFRC5Z/Through+the+Gates.jpg Photography - Sea https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519337075134-2EF5W7PCET3X99ERP4AV/Simple+Marin.jpg Photography - Sea - Simple Marin (Copy) Simple Marin https://www.travelingphotographs.com/photography-index-dave-gordon/golden-gate-bridge-photo-gallery-dave-gordon-aj8yn monthly 0.5 2026-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463010042958-F5PV0LUJBTIHV4GRDT3Z/Evening+Commute.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Evening Commute (Copy) Evening Commute For those using the Golden Gate Bridge, not a bad sunset for the evening commute home! A landscape photo of a truly majestic, beautiful sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge with the fog beginning to roll in and engulf the city of San Francisco. This photograph almost didn't come to exist. I was sitting at home, when I started to notice the sky changing colors into what I was hoping would be a spectacular sunset. I grabbed my camera, my wife and our dog and rushed out the door. Fortunately we live less than 2 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge and as we approached, the sky began to bloom into the brilliant colors captured here. I literally sprinted to the top of the Marin Headlands, dropped to my knee, steadied the camera, and grabbed this photograph. Out of breath but quite relieved at the results. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487027408402-DLAGWPHOR3M5U14UCWVR/Arrival.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Arrival (Copy) Arrival Arrival. From a few years ago, lost and found recently. The fog was coming in heavy, shaking my tripod, and I took this photo handheld. A technical point, that at sunset, I would probably not do today. It was freeing to shoot naive, to not overthink it. To not be limited creatively because you're focusing on the technicalities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569811312618-QJJB6TUY2W5EBVQG5D57/Golden+Surf2.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Golden Surf (Copy) Golden Surf Caught this surf pack taking advantage of the giant swells in San Francisco recently by catching some waves under the Golden Gate Bridge. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463010179906-W8MWBJQSE8E1TDDPHHMK/Among+the+Clouds.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Among the Clouds (Copy) Among the Clouds This is my favorite place to be. As an urban landscape photographer, having the proximity to quickly drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and capture the infamous San Francisco fog as it begins its march across the Bay is a privilege I don't take for granted. This photo was captured on an early morning. I hiked to one of the local peaks in the San Francisco Bay Area, just north of the City in the Marin Headlands. As the sun began to rise, the fog transformed into a beautiful flowing river of clouds. With a long exposure filter on my camera's lens, I shot this photo, trying to depict the relationship the Golden Gate Bridge has with the fog as it dances and swirls about. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463010672303-BN2VRYXC3XWWH7V65RVK/Into+the+Mist.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Into The Mist (Copy) Into The Mist Some days you travel down the road, no destination in sight, emotions still raw, you stumble on something beautiful. Just beyond your grasps, into the mist. From the Marin Headlands, the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge has an unfavorable angle for photographing sunset relative to the location of the setting sun and the city. Therefore the deepest parts of the burning sky are usually behind you if you're trying to capture a San Francisco city and Golden Gate Bridge photograph. However on this day, the fog was rolling in from the Pacific and the last light lit up the north tower of the bridge, while subtle sunset changes in the clouds offered a beautiful and unexpected photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1481566225726-1GBXCR7HQMEXMD6DLPMI/Morning+Fog.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Orange October (Copy) Orange October As seen in the National Geographic book titled 'Greatest Landscapes'. Although the sun rises every morning, it doesn't look like this but a few times a year. I had a lot of photographers ask me how I knew it was going to be beautiful this morning. The truth is, I didn't. I took an educated guess, but in reality I've been skunked by the fog more times than I can count. But if you don't keep waking up, trying and failing, you're never going to catch the low fog or whatever other adventures await you. Carpe Diem. In the background of the photograph you can see that Coit Tower, a San Francisco landmark is illuminated orange to celebrate the San Francisco Giants, local baseball team making it to the World Series. Hence the title, Orange October. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569267406722-P6O15EOB40UHNPWIFEYZ/Bliss-Edit.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Bliss (Copy) Bliss From a truly magical sunrise in the summer of 2016 where we were surrounded by low fog, high beautiful sunrise clouds, and a few hundred Bay Area photographers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569267326314-G615C8CIBVH6Y0GTYZ6O/Refresh.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Refresh (Copy) Refresh We watched the bridge we all know so well begin to glow, challenging the night's shadows as the last of the clouds reluctantly let go of their fading color which they had been clutching ever so tightly, grabbing just a few seconds more of the warmth, before it finally slipped away. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487380023037-VXCE19QF9Y2Q677N9KF8/Onward.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Onward (Copy) Onward https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463010450179-TMR5KFEAXFGCTBSDSIVV/Beacon.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Beacon (Copy) Beacon If you are lost, wake up early, watch a beautiful sunrise, let the beacon of light guide you back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463010467450-YJHV27OECBJFCX7D6T4O/Motion.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Motion (Copy) Motion I've been in motion for so long, I forgot what had initially scared me, whom I was actually fleeing from. And I found myself alone, along this San Francisco beach, when the wind whispered, turn around. I stopped running, looked behind me, and found this scene. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1480714777735-PX6S7XKGWNTRJ3Y79BVT/Fogged.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Fogged In (Copy) Fogged In https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569295567522-C8R22KIP55QH5ESOZI3W/IMG_9553-Edit.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Shoulders of Giants (Copy) Shoulders of Giants Stand on the shoulders of giants. The San Francisco fog can be quite elusive and when I hear the foghorn sounding alarm, even if its late at night, I'll usually try and scurry up to the Marin Headlands to capture a few photographs. This scene was early in the morning with heavy traffic coming into and out of the city of San Francisco. Because the ambient light was so low, a long exposure made it easy to capture the fast changing landscape. This allowed for both the colors from the fog and the traffic headlights to blur into a seamless object, creating the illusion of movement. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569268203807-OJB7NW14IONQACK1QCDW/Liberated.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Liberated (Copy) Liberated Been quite a bit since I worked on some new photography, enveloped in the daily ups and downs of my world, the arts got shelved for a while. Scrolling through my archives a few weeks ago I stumbled on this one from 2014. Now revamped, reprocessed, the creative part of my personality awakened, as a favorite shirt you forgot about, only to be liberated from the back of the closet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463010852704-CV6B05MSTZLWP47MC9PM/Heaven+Sunset.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Heaven Sunset (Copy) Heaven Sunset For me, this looks like the entrance to heaven, a gateway between our world and the next. Just the tips of the Golden Gate Bridge peeking through the thick low fog layer. There are very few man made objects that blend so seamlessly into their surroundings. This is an illustration of how the Golden Gate Bridge enhances its natural vista. I captured this photo during a spectacularly beautiful sunset over Labor Day weekend. It is so rare to have high clouds that produce color and low fog that slides under the Golden Gate Bridge during sunset in San Francisco. I've been photographing San Francisco for a few years and this is the only time I can remember such a profound weather occurrence. Perfect for urban photography. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519324802465-UR133KY0IMZVEC36Y5AM/Anomoly.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Anomoly (Copy) Anomoly https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463010683162-8ZKIDJS3LY4UBK4UIR7C/Perspective.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Perspective (Copy) Perspective Sometimes I feel like the North Tower, breaking through the fog, embracing the day, taking a stance. Other times, I'm comfortable as the South Tower, letting the fog roll over me, going with the flow while keeping my head down. There's nothing like a San Francisco Sunday morning hike in the Marin Headlands with Luna, my yellow lab. We caught some beautiful, low fog over the Golden Gate Bridge, meet a few fellow photographers and embraced the calm to start the week. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463011105450-88WGUSFYRUIIZ1VBJL07/Winter%27s+Golden+Gate.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Winter's Golden Gate (Copy) Winter's Golden Gate In the winter, as the angle of the sun lies lower on the horizon, the sunset colors can be long, glowing and vibrant. In the summer, these colors don't exist with such powerful luminescence. A beauty produced by the angle of the light as it refracts across our atmosphere. A kind treat from Mother Nature to warm the soul during the coldest of the winter months. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463010484824-4AILZGTBN9GOWBA7JX4A/Reprieve.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Reprieve (Copy) Reprieve Had a brief break in between stretches of work. Was able to catch both sunrise and sunset yesterday. This is from the latter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463011026754-V6LFXK6NQM1QD8F9ZOZ6/Smiling+at+Dawn.jpg Photography - Golden Gate - Smiling at Dawn (Copy) Smiling at Dawn I'm not sure how many turns the road took to lead me to this point. But there I sat amongst the crashing waves, on the beach directly underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, watching a spectacular sunrise, amonst some of the premier Bay Area photographers. I stopped shooting for a second, enjoyed the colorful dawn for myself, smiling. I'm not big in quoting lyrics but all I could think of is 'What a long, strange trip its been.' https://www.travelingphotographs.com/photography-index-dave-gordon/favorites-photographs-dave-gordon-jxfp2 monthly 0.5 2026-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360160608-SRR1Y7JA1SHIS25AAV41/Evening+Commute.jpg Photography - Favorites - Evening Commute (Copy) Evening Commute For those using the Golden Gate Bridge, not a bad sunset for the evening commute home! A landscape photo of a truly majestic, beautiful sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge with the fog beginning to roll in and engulf the city of San Francisco. This photograph almost didn't come to exist. I was sitting at home, when I started to notice the sky changing colors into what I was hoping would be a spectacular sunset. I grabbed my camera, my wife and our dog and rushed out the door. Fortunately we live less than 2 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge and as we approached, the sky began to bloom into the brilliant colors captured here. I literally sprinted to the top of the Marin Headlands, dropped to my knee, steadied the camera, and grabbed this photograph. Out of breath but quite relieved at the results. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569266669493-1Y9ZVW4V8SAQDCONZB2B/First+Light.jpg Photography - Favorites - First Light (Copy) First Light I will be the first to say, I really despise waking up to shoot sunrise, especially in the summer when the sun is brutally early, but once up and moving, I've never regretted the choice. Captured this sunrise from Jackson, WY looking west towards the Grand Teton. The reflection is on a tributary from the Snake River which winds its way through the valley beneath the mountains known more famously as Jackson Hole. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487027570018-FC600TK1X3S4UHGC26RK/Arrival.jpg Photography - Favorites - Arrival (Copy) Arrival Arrival. From a few years ago, lost and found recently. The fog was coming in heavy, shaking my tripod, and I took this photo handheld. A technical point, that at sunset, I would probably not do today. It was freeing to shoot naive, to not overthink it. To not be limited creatively because you're focusing on the technicalities. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1554315369619-8OKAXK92PPI7BIFX8RCA/Glacial+Majesty.jpg Photography - Favorites - Glacial Majesty (Copy) Glacial Majesty Tucked in the middle of the Canadian Rockies is a small glacial fed lake frozen most months of the year. During the summer thaw, the lake has a beautiful turquoise color to it from glacial soot, the origin of its namesake 'Emerald Lake.' The lake's real beauty is to catch the mirror reflections just after sunrise but before the sun lights the glacial soot, transitioning the scene green. You can see in this photo where the sun has broken through the mountains, there's a pool of turquoise that formed and will expand over the next hour until the mirror effect is gone for the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519324200152-L8Z3GJOF4W2JCDOEMU2W/Memorable.jpg Photography - Favorites - Memorable (Copy) Memorable What attracts me to this photo is the fragility of the color in reference to time. This vibrant burst lasted less than two minutes before the sun dipped further, the color casted on the water and rocks faded, and the scene transformed into night. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360149907-O46Z9568RXBC2IM30H2I/Dawn+Painting.jpg Photography - Favorites - Dawn Painting (Copy) Dawn Painting Wake up San Francisco! Spent the morning watching the dawn colors paint the famous San Francisco Victorian row houses: 'The Painted Ladies.' A pleasant way to start the day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569339948219-MSXN2SJIOTEE25CHYWY1/Peaceful-Edit-2-Edit.jpg Photography - Favorites - Peaceful (Copy) Peaceful As quickly as they came, the storm clouds receded, lifting us from the dark, cold rains. Scars still wet, we cautiously ventured onto this new path, hopeful we find our peace. Taken from atop Mt Tam in Marin County, just north of San Francisco at sunset, overlooking the famous Stinson Beach, Bolinas, and Point Reyes National Seashore. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1519323038894-8OWII9CSQN7TWCNG9S53/Anticipated.jpg Photography - Favorites - Anticipated (Copy) Anticipated Quintessential Mt Tam summer sunset, captured July 2016. Was lost, deep in the caverns of my photo library until recently. I stumbled upon it trying to find a fresh print for a friend. I think it aged well. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1480714635796-UUMBWVS9M8R1JGB1M3V1/Composed.jpg Photography - Favorites - Composed (Copy) Composed With colors so vibrant you could almost hear Mother Nature's masterpiece as it electrified all senses. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360003204-605B7CI8VLQG0GPPHIO4/Beacon.jpg Photography - Favorites - Beacon (Copy) Beacon If you are lost, wake up early, watch a beautiful sunrise, let the beacon of light guide you back. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360064631-3LBXKVRPAK7LBOBVZ9KO/Motion.jpg Photography - Favorites - Motion (Copy) Motion I've been in motion for so long, I forgot what had initially scared me, whom I was actually fleeing from. And I found myself alone, along this San Francisco beach, when the wind whispered, turn around. I stopped running, looked behind me, and found this scene. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360101233-1GPI50KYLN94O0CHENCQ/The+Lost+Fire.jpg Photography - Favorites - The Lost Fire (Copy) The Lost Fire We spent the day exploring Yosemite Valley and as as the sun headed for the horizon, we found a quiet spot, away from the masses to watch the fire fall from Horsetail Falls. A spectacular site that was more pronounced this year with all the rain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1487375362307-8M55S68OED7NL4JJYN45/Dichotomy.jpg Photography - Favorites - Dichotomy (Copy) Dichotomy From a beautiful sunset along the California coast. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1569267530881-N8KX8COI63ZOOE2K45HF/Bliss-Edit.jpg Photography - Favorites - Bliss (Copy) Bliss From a truly magical sunrise in the summer of 2016 where we were surrounded by low fog, high beautiful sunrise clouds, and a few hundred Bay Area photographers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360239250-J6YM92P5JG0MSISQV4WK/Standing+Strong.jpg Photography - Favorites - Standing Strong (Copy) Standing Strong The lone tree in Wanaka New Zealand. Some think this tree reminds them of the struggles, against the wind, perseverance, survival. To me, this tree isn't just surviving, its thriving. Broke free from the pack, a trailblazer on a path of its own, against the current, standing strong with the reward of this mountain lake sunset to lull it to sleep nightly. Dare to be different. Dare to stand out. Dare to travel against the grain. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360271569-078SHEGATC01QGFPOYVE/Among+the+Clouds.jpg Photography - Favorites - Among the Clouds (Copy) Among the Clouds This is my favorite place to be. As an urban landscape photographer, having the proximity to quickly drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and capture the infamous San Francisco fog as it begins its march across the Bay is a privilege I don't take for granted. This photo was captured on an early morning. I hiked to one of the local peaks in the San Francisco Bay Area, just north of the City in the Marin Headlands. As the sun began to rise, the fog transformed into a beautiful flowing river of clouds. With a long exposure filter on my camera's lens, I shot this photo, trying to depict the relationship the Golden Gate Bridge has with the fog as it dances and swirls about. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1480714655910-XYB41VRICYJHJ90M5QW1/Flow.jpg Photography - Favorites - Flow (Copy) Flow Its easy to be negative, critical, destructive. The challenge is buiilding up rather than destroying. A new month, a new season, stay positive, enjoy the scenery. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360126173-ZGHOZ2M7TECGU5RBQPPR/Shoulders+of+Giants.jpg Photography - Favorites - Shoulders of Giants (Copy) Shoulders of Giants Stand on the shoulders of giants https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1481566281285-YLJIAX5BOMU0EDTQ42UF/Morning+Fog.jpg Photography - Favorites - Orange October (Copy) Orange October As seen in the 2016 National Geographic book titled 'Greatest Landscapes'. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/563acfb1e4b032b112a67c2b/1463360396379-PH83B19YINN9Q0UUKSDF/Last+Moment+in+Sydney.jpg Photography - Favorites - Last Moment in Sydney (Copy) Last Moment in Sydney