Golden Gate Lights

    The best part is the moment you rise out of the fog and suddenly the entire scene opens up – the tops of the Golden Gate Bridge towers, the pre-dawn lights of the City, Coit Tower, Twin Peaks, Alcatraz, the Bay Bridge, Berkeley, Oakland, and Mount Diablo in the distance, a fog horn sounding at regular intervals and a massive cargo ship returning from or leaving on a long trip.

    The odds of low fog rolling through the Golden Gate seem to be much higher when there’s a jump in temperature. The forecast this past weekend called for hotter-than-usual weather, so I dragged myself out of bed at 5am on Saturday and Sunday and sure enough – low fog both mornings.

    I arrived early enough to shoot from pitch black pre-dawn all the way until after sunrise, and – as usual – my favorite shots are from the brief transition point where it’s just bright enough to show the shape of the fog and add color to the sky but not so bright that it overpowers the glow of the tower lights. It’s a surprisingly short window – maybe 5-10 minutes – and even then it helps to use a graduated ND filter to balance out the sky.

    Comments and faves

    1. © Ali Shokri / www.alishokri.com (32 months ago | reply)

      excellent works, fogy and sky colors are wonderful, exposure are perfect, thanks for share my friend

    2. deborah d. lattimore (32 months ago | reply)

      i love how you see

    3. R.A.W. (32 months ago | reply)

      Beautiful shot!! I was just there and was trying for a shot close to this but it didn't work out....Awesome!!

    4. louistib (32 months ago | reply)

      Superb light !!

    5. Yen Baet (32 months ago | reply)

      Excellent shot, as it always is with your San Francisco series. A beauty!

    6. Daniel Stark (32 months ago | reply)

      so beautiful--really awesome

    7. alter your reality (32 months ago | reply)

      great composition, foreground, background, the bridge!

    8. mrperry (32 months ago | reply)

      I SOOO envy you Rob

    9. jimgoldstein (32 months ago | reply)

      Great shot! I knew the conditions would be right, but spent too much time on other projects to get up early. I could kick myself in hindsight. Beautiful work as always.

    10. mm767cap (32 months ago | reply)

      That's a TREMENDOUS image. You got GREAT conditions with the sky blowing up like that and the fog licking at the bridge. Good knowledge and preparation for this. Really lovely

    11. davic (32 months ago | reply)

      fantastic!

    12. Dean Forbes (32 months ago | reply)

      fantastic capture!

    13. ondacaracola (32 months ago | reply)

      singular moment

    14. Robby Edwards (32 months ago | reply)

      Marvelous, the fog and the skyline behind it are tremendous.

    15. Gleb TARRO www.fotowalk.com (32 months ago | reply)

      WOW!!!!
      Do you know pattern to predict such a this fog?
      Really need to know!!!

    16. Pappu | Photography Love  :: NIKON (32 months ago | reply)

      wow wonderful shot smooth exposure...

    17. ρrakaz (32 months ago | reply)

      Awesome! Another one for the Front Page :) Congrats!
      The screenshot is here: clipyourphotos.com/FP/screenshot/14472.

      Your all FP are listed here.

    18. bernat... (32 months ago | reply)

      Congratulations!!! your photo reach Explore Front Page
      You can download the capture in lab.bernatcasero.com/flickr/frontpagecapture? user=4292493...

    19. louie imaging (32 months ago | reply)

      excellent san francisco ambiance rob! the light and scene from the spot doesn't get much better than that!

    20. JuttaMK (32 months ago | reply)

      Another BIG Fave. Congrats!!!

    21. ShawnGrenningerPhoto (s_h_a_w_n_g_13) (32 months ago | reply)

      Just saw this on explore front page, incredible photo!

    22. Myron Hensel (32 months ago | reply)

      The fog rolling at the vegetation is another beauty in itself, such a great photo.

    23. Photography By Tris (32 months ago | reply)

      wow amazingly beautiful shot

    24. E.C. Nature Photos (32 months ago | reply)

      Fantastic! Wonderful vantage point!

    25. Raj Hanchanahal Photography (32 months ago | reply)

      Absolutely Magical shot Rob!

    26. hey.pictrues (32 months ago | reply)

      interesting photo

    27. sarah.yusko (32 months ago | reply)

      this is outstanding!!

    28. boiworx (32 months ago | reply)

      more than heaven!

    29. caordon (32 months ago | reply)

      Great picture of the perfect light and fog. Simply awesome.

    30. Rob Kroenert (32 months ago | reply)

      @Gleb TARRO - wish I knew how to predict low fog with any certainty, but as I said in the post with the photo there seems to be a better chance when there's a sudden bump up in temperature and that's only an indication, not a certainty. Aside from that, I usually rely on Webcams to get a better idea of whether or not it's worth heading over to the bridge.

    31. SJMImages (32 months ago | reply)

      Fantastic shot

      Seen in explore

    32. Jill's Junk (32 months ago | reply)

      Gorgeous shot. Love that fog!

    33. Rodney © (32 months ago | reply)

      Outstanding view and processing. Those clouds are like a fairytale.

    34. Thad Roan - Bridgepix (32 months ago | reply)

      Wow! Stunning work!

    35. danoStL (32 months ago | reply)

      Definitely my favorite city for a reason. Jealous of those who get to see it every day. Great shot.

    36. przemko.stachowski (32 months ago | reply)

      Hi, I'm an admin for a group called FOTOCYFER - The Light's Hunters, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

    37. _amytong (32 months ago | reply)

      Those colours are gorgeous. Congrats on the explore.

    38. freedom ♥ [deleted] (32 months ago | reply)

      that's fog?? wow, amazing shot =D

    39. .-Domino-. (32 months ago | reply)

      Amazing, incredible..a master piece!
      That's a fav for me!
      Congratulations for the explore!

    40. Arild Heitmann Photography (32 months ago | reply)

      Golden gate must be shot to death and yet im still fascinated by images like this... Means you must be doing a lot of right things :-)

      --
      Seen in my contacts' photos. (?)

    41. stefano ciccocioppo (32 months ago | reply)

      there is only one words to describe this shot!!!! WOWWWWW


      see my gallery

    42. Gildas Paraiso (32 months ago | reply)

      Excellent shot!
      Congrats for the explore
      Have a great day!

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