San Francisco Promenade, a photo from California, West

Photographer's Note

When traveling to San Francisco, its a must to visit the Golden Gate Bridge, and no matter how many times its been photographed, you cannot leave without a few of your own.

The problem is trying to produce a photo thats original and never seen before. I hope i've done that here, but then again, maybe not!

When walking up to the Golden Gate, you'll find there's a long long stretch of beach, a long promenade where locals and tourists ride bikes, or slowly walk along to enjoy the views. This is where i took this photo.
The closer you get to the Bridge, and closer to the rocky shoreline, you'll find this chain-link to protect people from falling down into the water. So i thought i'd include it in the shot. Nothing spectacular, but hopefully a little bit different.

Enjoy your TE day!
Cheers
Craig

ikeharel, ikeharel, jjcordier, mkamionka, timecapturer, jhm, patdeph, s_lush, adores, gunbud, josepmarin, alabate, ricochet, jcpix oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

snunney (130967) 2011-07-21 6:18

Hello Craig,
I rather like this unusual composition and your creative use of depth of field to give emphasis to the rusty chain whilst still clearly showing the iconic bridge. Excellent rendering of the tones and textures.

lakshmip1949 (19081) 2011-07-21 6:22

Hello Craig,

Your main subject is the rusty chain links and every thing else is nicely blurred. A very creative image with great depth .

Lakshmi

JFS (32459) 2011-07-21 7:21

Hi Craig!
The result of this artistic shot is great! Your head never stop thinking...You surprise me everyday.

Hasta luego amigo!

Juan

bema (26591) 2011-07-21 7:37

Hi Craig,

for sure a bit different and i think it´s a real fine idea and a a very perfect art of capturing the motive..

thanks for sharing, see you around, kind regards Bernd

serp2000 (47063) 2011-07-21 7:37

Great close up and an excellent background, Craig. My compliments! I like your idea and so original realisation. Attractive colours and perfect sharpness on the FG.
Serghei

fisher (1773) 2011-07-21 7:45

This is good , thinking outside the box or chains in this case, well taken.
dessy

faletiz (10113) 2011-07-21 8:11

Hello Craig
a beautiful foreground, perfectly detailed and sharp, which gives way to beautiful gradient of the Golden Gate. Wonderful colors and fantastic composition. Congratulations, a beautiful and artistic photos!
Have a nice evening
Letizia

saxo042 (38078) 2011-07-21 13:16

Hi Craig,
There are indeed many pictures of this iconic bridge here on TE and you are definitely right to try to find a different angle. The rusty chain here looks indeed quite interesting as a piece of art in itself. The bridge is beautifully outlined in the blurry background.
Kind regards
Gunnar

npecanhuk (79329) 2011-07-21 13:47

Hi Craig!
Excellent idea for composition!
Truly beautiful picture!
I remember so well the detail of those rusty chains!
TFS - congrats,
Cheers,
Neyvan

mesutilgim (0) 2011-07-21 13:52

Hi Craig,
Nice deatil schot with great graphism. An unusual compostion but a good one !
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

lousat (138703) 2011-07-21 15:45

Hi Craig,this is a genial pic,what a intelligent way to use this spectacular background to create this magnificent catch-eye! No comment about the quality always at the top.Thanks for share,have a nice day,Luciano.

emka (157292) 2011-07-21 19:33

Hi Craig,

I am not so much creative as you are, so I didn't post any photo of GGBridge, although I have many, of course. It is slao my problem when I go to a famous place. What to post when there are so many photos already? You found original and very attractive way here. Great composition, super quality.

WArm regards

MAlgo

jjcordier (79299) 2011-07-21 22:16

Craig
Tu cherchais une image originale de ce célčbre pont et tu as réussi ŕ la faire! Trčs belle idée réalisée ŕ la perfection avec une totale maitrise de la mise au point et de la profondeur de champ.
Amicalement
JJ

samson (2250) 2011-07-21 22:49

Hi Craig

I find the chain more interesting than the bridge. A bit of artistic twitch to the image brings out wonders. I will try this too with some of my future shots

Best wishes

sam

mkamionka (73560) 2011-07-22 1:11

Hi Craig,
I remember being in this exact place with these chains and I took plenty of photos there but they were not as good as I hoped. Yours is surely very original. The shape of the bridge is so famous that blurring it makes sense to focus on the detail of the rusted chain.
Very creative especially with such a close up of the chain.
You have lied to us saying that you did not have a perfect weather at the Golden Gate!
Have a great weekend,
M

pablominto (53746) 2011-07-22 2:13

Hello Craig,

There are a few landmarks in the world that are so much photographed it is practically impossible to find a new angle..!
However this one I have not seen before...
Credit for a creative and artistic handling of the theme!

Greetings,
Pablo -
***

mauro61 (53411) 2011-07-22 2:16

ciao Craig,
mi piace il modo in cui hai visto e presenti l'immagine.
Perfetta la scelta di aprire la scena con la catena arrugginita e di legarla visivamente al ponte sullo sfondo.
Due elementi di mare uniti insieme da un buon taglio,
saluti
maurizio

dkmurphys (79209) 2011-07-22 2:36

Hi Craig,
Fine POV, an original idea to illustrate the bridge. Well done, great job!
Enjoy the weekend.

Graal (103040) 2011-07-22 2:42

Hi Craig,
unusual composition. Good idea and realization. Amazing effect. I like it.
Have a nice WE.
Aleksander

sevy (58) 2011-07-22 2:51

Hello Craig,

Good use of a narrow deep of field to provide an original view on the famous golden gate bridge.
Good idea.

Yves.

timecapturer (49288) 2011-07-22 3:38

Hi Craig
another original and quite superb composition. You have such a great eye for creative images. This is so compelling and effective. Excellent clarity and sharpness and such a unique view of this well known landmark. Outstanding!!

Have a peaceful weekend - regards Brian

jhm (211734) 2011-07-22 4:34

Hello Craig,

This is the first picture that I see with the chain in foreground with the rusty color.
Excellent with the bridge in blurred background
Sharpness and clarity are perfect.
Pleasant colors too.
Excellent compostion, good presentation too. TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

Nicou (193806) 2011-07-22 6:18

Hello

quel contraste entre la chaîjne roguille et le pont rouge, super compo et effet, amnggifique quelle réalsiati0n superbe, bravo. Espérons que le pont ne rouille aps comme la chaîne splendide.

Merci et amitié
Nicou

patdeph (35750) 2011-07-22 10:42

hello Craig
a nice view,very original with the chain of the foreground,and the focus on it.The colors are superb.
Regards
Pascale

s_lush (16602) 2011-07-22 22:06

Hello Craig,
It was a very clever idea to build composition in this original way, with the compositional focus shifted to the foreground. This idea has been realised perfectly, with creating a strong aesthetic effect. Excellent job!
Best regards,
Sergiy

Ricx (13495) 2011-07-22 23:22

Hi Craig, I always regard chains as symbolic of friendships and partenrships.. with the background of the famous SF bridge this depicts a strong image of the wonderful city. congrats and well posted.. most unusual well done Rich

MJR (3360) 2011-07-23 0:18

Craig
Just when you think there is nothing new to be added about this bridge, you spring this on us..

Words will not do justice to my view on this - its simply great !

VERY VERY good !

TFS

Martin

adores (46979) 2011-07-23 17:04

Hi Craig!
A really different photo of San Francisco! Good idea to put the focus on the chain, leaving the famous bridge in the blurred background.I like the composition, the textures of the chain and the colours!Very well done!

gunbud (34066) 2011-07-23 18:35

Hi Craig,
The muted iconic bridge makes the ideal back drop for this sturdy but rusted chain.
Sharp details and textures make for a very original look at the S.F. Bay.
Regards, Tom

peppe59 (14555) 2011-07-24 1:40

cioa Craig,
technical level and quality of great, beautiful image well designed and well built, very good!
greetings
peppe

Cricri (176) 2011-07-24 2:44

Hi Craig
Une compo original du célčbre du pont, belle idée de cadrage, netteté et couleurs sur un bon DOF, belle réalisation
Beau dimanche
cricri

alejandroguzman (4684) 2011-07-24 23:40

for sure insignificant details like this, it makes the entire composition just stunning!
great job, Craig

Cheers,
EA

josepmarin (59385) 2011-07-27 0:05

Hi Craig,
It is a very creative work and with a strong visual impact, because of the effect created by a blurred background, thanks to an excellent work with the field depth. It makes that the great chain that you have located in foreground is outlined with a great sharpness.
The three-dimensional sense is fantastic, you have obtained a spectacular result.
A great composition, well-considered, perfectly executed, and with an artistic very interesting touch.
Well done, my friend.
Best regards,
Josep

LOOOK13 (19046) 2011-07-27 1:08

Salut Craig.
Wonderfull composition.
Good good job, with an excellent result.
Great cheer.

alabate (1197) 2011-07-27 11:12

Hello Craig,

Quelle image créative et originale! Une composition recherchée et trčs bien réalisée. En plus, j'adore les images de rouille. Comme sur cette chaîne qui traverse la photo, ŕ l'image du pont en arričre-fond. Splendide.

Trčs bonne journée.
Amitiés,
Adriano

ricochet (9716) 2011-07-29 1:48

Bonjour Craig
An excellent look for this very original composition, perfect focus on the chain, very nice rendering of textures, great details and love on the blur background the golden gate bridge that you have perfectly framed.
Splendid photographic work Craig!
Have a nice day
Best regards
Eric

mafegan (8626) 2011-08-01 16:02

Hello Craig
Very creative and very distinctive - and yet still an instantly recognisable scene. Excellent. Cheers, Marlene

gmg (4202) 2011-08-02 6:34

Hi Craig!

Nice, original POV of a very much photographed landmark. It's difficult to find an original POV for subjects like these, but you succeeded!
TFS

gmg

Robert1969 (7160) 2011-08-11 13:46

Hello Craig,

Every day there will be made hundreds, maybe thousands of pictures of this famous bridge.
Very few can make an original picture from this bridge and you're one of them.

I like this point of view and I like this POV and composition (and the exposure).
That makes the picture (what I wrote before)original, but it's also artistic.

In short: my compliment, you have a new fan.

Friendly regards,
Robert

elkab (3780) 2011-09-06 8:44

Hi,
Amazing, extraordinary, orginal, creative and beautifull of aspects of the shot. Especialy amazing composition; moody light and colors. Superb!
Congratulations
eb

COSTANTINO (115673) 2011-10-11 11:36

Hello
the result of this shot is excellent
great sharpness and lightness
beautiful foreground
regards
Costantino

jcpix (14030) 2013-10-30 14:32

Hi Craig,

Why, what's this...it looks so familiar! :) Man, I had forgotten how many great pictures you have going back through your gallery, and this one just kind of stole the show for me this afternoon. As discussed, finding a new way to photograph such a landmark is damn near impossible...but I tell ya', this does it!

It's so hard to resist the urge to go for the gold and capture the bridge itself in all of its glory without any distractions...but what an original and clever take on it with this shot! I mean, it's there...there's no missing it, but the idea to use the rusted out old chain as the main focus gives it that fresh appeal and out of the box thinking...not to mention the awesome textures and deep tones. Hope you didn't actually touch that thing though, looks like a tetanus shot just waiting to happen!!

Great range of colors too, the red/green/blue with this "earthy" chain is harmony! Props on the clever approach, a really cool shot! Take it easy amigo.

Cheers from the lower 48,

Jason

Glad you liked the fish picture today, your notes gave another good laugh to the whole commentary! :)

seb1lopez (187) 2013-12-21 0:00

yeah... if u check my NY Liberty pic, u ll understand I appreciate this kind of unusual point of view on well known places... excellent short depth, excelllent object!