San Francisco Skyline III Photo

Photographer’s Note

I stumbled on this photo as I was reviewing the ever-expanding collection of images I've prepared in Photoshop with the idea of posting them on TE. I took this shot the day I took what became an entry in this summer's scavenger hunt called Vanishing Point! It was taken on the road winding up toward the summit of Mount Tamalpais in Marin Country.

San Francisco in the distance, is perhaps ten to fifteen miles away. It is remarkable the detail one sees in the distant city. You see fog above San Francisco and in the distance, the hills beyond the cities that run along the east side of San Francisco Bay. To the right you see one of the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge. In fact, it is this tower.

Although this is part of my housecleaning, I hope you enjoy another view of the San Francisco skyline, number 3. If truth be told, I'm collecting images faster than I can post them. Perhaps you'd care to come over to my house and we can look at them all on my computer... ;-)

carper, orme, Nottinghill, Guenther, Rinie_Hoff, Jeppe, Tavo, timotey, jhm, ChrisJ, Liora, Proxilva, nwoehnl, elroyie, pamastro, kikvel, danbachmann, Endy, anney has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

carper (66132) 2004-08-20 1:55

Vey nice one Curtis,
Very good composition, I like the depth in it, very special colours very nice job.

orme (6746) 2004-08-20 1:57

A 'strangely' beautiful composition, Curtis. The more I look at it the more fascinating it becomes. It is as if you have carefully crafted four different images on top of each other - which I know you haven't. I've never seen San Francisco like this before. Well done - a very unique POV and a great addition to TE.

Nottinghill (1085) 2004-08-20 2:11

very unusual and because of this interesting view, Curtis. I like contrasting colors of each part ov the view. thanks for sharing

Guenther (6891) 2004-08-20 2:27

A very interesting view! The contrast between the lonesome (I'm not sure if this is the right word)nature in the foreground and the big city is very fascinating.

Rinie_Hoff (9334) 2004-08-20 2:31

First reaction? Wow, what a view! The very strong and clear green on the foreground, the bare dry hills, than just a bit of that beautiful bridge and then the skyline of SF, and even further on in the distance and the clouds, this is a stunning view, on a VERY clear day.
And although i keep being curious after your pics with the DR, if this is what's coming from because of the house cleaning, just go on.
That collecting goes for me, too.

Jeppe (18623) 2004-08-20 2:43

Wow - very fine and different skyline photo - its the combination of rough wild nature and polished glass and steel which makes this photo - thanks for sharing this very fine view from your homeland. I like it very much. - The sky looks as mountains as well.

timotey (1926) 2004-08-20 2:48

Amazing perspective taken here. A very good composition with this confrontation between the skyscrapers of San Fransisco and these little trees in the foreground. And this scene placed under a cloudy sky takes a dramatical aspect well rendered. So beautiful !

jhm (83786) 2004-08-20 3:28

Great composition Curtis, beautiful of colours excellent view of San Francisco, wonderful pattern.
Thanks for sharing.

ChrisJ (70521) 2004-08-20 3:48

Wonderful depth in this shot of SFO. Thanks for the offer, but CA is on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. A bit too far for me to swim. (Unfortunately.) Guess I'll have to save an airfare in several years time.

I like the 3 dark pine / fir trees.

SophieL (6030) 2004-08-20 4:00

Great view ! And you are lucky, there isn't too much fog. :)
Just what I like about the Bay Area : just cross the Golden Gate Bridge and you find yourself in beautiful wilderness. I like how the different levels of the landscape appear from bottom to top, like a theatre setting. Nice to have caught a bit of the bridge, like a friend waving a hello.
Thank you for this very original view.

spence (1554) 2004-08-20 6:09

This is very interesting Curtis. So often we're familiar with the classic views of a city's skyline, but this gives a perspective on San Francisco that I've never seen before. I like the different layers and the wonderful colours of the grass and trees.

merpb (1970) 2004-08-20 6:59

Nice layered shot Curtis, with a good contrast between the rural and urban elements that is intensified by the muted colours of the background juxtaposed wih the vibrant shades of the foreground.
The receeding mid distance although a tad to detailed (for me)creates a great transition and break between the fore and backgrounds.
A special shot.

paguru (1052) 2004-08-20 9:34

Great shot, this looks so unreal, like though a telescope. I like the bridge tower in the middle very much.

Liora (1857) 2004-08-20 11:36

What a fantastic point of view Curtis! Beautiful hills, and the detail in the distant city are just enough to indicate what beauty lies beyond the hill. I can almost hear the city roar all the way here...

Proxilva (2157) 2004-08-20 13:05

This is beautiful Curtis...
All theese layers and then the view over a mighty city... excellent...

... you make the coffee i'll bring the cookies :D....

sn00zie (2384) 2004-08-20 13:30

great composition with depth. like the contrasting colors in the picture

nwoehnl (120) 2004-08-20 14:42

If it weren't for the airfare and 11-hour flight to the west coast, I sure would come over and have a look at the images, Curtis ;-) I like this layered composition, where starting with the trees in the foreground, the view is gradually guided towards the SF skyline. I like how that one tower of the GGB is peaking into the frame, and at the upper left I think it's the Bay Bridge going over to Oakland? Good shot, with nice color contrast.

elroyie (2750) 2004-08-20 15:45

You created a great layers picture that includes nature and urbam layer as one, the combination is great, well done!

pamastro (7215) 2004-08-21 12:59

Excellent scene. The clarity is incredible. I also like this sort of semi-wild scenery with the city rising in the distance. It creates a nice relationship between the two. And the fall and rise of the terrain creates a nice visual path for the eye to sort of follow into the distance. But I still am so amazed at how clearly the city came out so far away. And that tower of the bridge rising up is really cool. Knowing the layout of the city it creates a nice zig zag path to downtown from here. Very nice capture.

kikvel (4772) 2004-08-24 9:16

Certainly Curtis I would love to go again to SF!!!

I can see the bridge is hiding to the right!

Very nice view!

K.

Endy (1025) 2004-08-25 20:46

Nice point of view Curtis and an excellent composition with three layers of elements (The city, the hills and the trees). The green of trees is very bright and contrasts with the pale colors in the background. The addition of the hill in foreground is a good choice. It adds an impresssion of proximity.

Hanssie (9133) 2004-08-26 14:39

This one is very nice chosesn, lines of nature, a line of the modern city and a line of the clouds and mountains in the background, nice combination, Curtis