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San Francisco From A Rare Perspective
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San Francisco From A Rare Perspective

by Kevin McNeal

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted April 1, 20082,193 views39 comments
I know this is an icon but I had never seen it ever from here until I saw a similar image. I owe this image to Ed Nunez who I had visited to shoot the Big Sur Coastline with. I wanted to get to this location but he told me it is almost impossible as this is on government property and has pretty tight security due to obvious reasons of late. I told him I had to have it for myself and I would do whatever it took. So we drive there as the sun set and he asked me to jump out the car without stopping and make my way down the steepest embankment of my life all the way down to the water. He could not stop as the police were constantly patrolling the area and I only had a matter of seconds to get out of sight. Once I finally got to the spot I could not setup my tripod due to the steepness; I could not even put my bag down as it rolled down the hill. I know that a lot of NPN'ers will disagree with this but when you are desperate to get a rare perspective you will do anything !!! Thanks again to Ed Nunez who made this possible.

Thanks for looking !

Canon 5D 17-40L
f/11 25 seconds ISO 100

Comments

39 comments
Comment posted by Richard Olsen on April 1, 2008 at 7:36 PM
What a beautiful photograph Kevin....well worth the fun of getting the shot!
Registered on October 19, 2006, 306 Posts, 1571 Comments
Comment posted by Greg Cope on April 1, 2008 at 7:51 PM
An extremely fantastic perspective Kevin! I really love it! :toast: And congrats on not getting caught (or shot)
Registered on January 22, 2007, 212 Posts, 2737 Comments
Comment posted by Scott Reeves on April 1, 2008 at 7:54 PM
That is a very cool shot, Kevin. So, how did you end up with a steady setup for the long exposure? Also, how did you keep the lights on the bridge under control? It looks like the one in the URC was reeled in, in post. But the ones on the bridge didn't seem to 'grow' too much during the long exposure.
Registered on May 30, 2007, 28 Posts, 261 Comments
Comment posted by Kevin McNeal on April 1, 2008 at 8:03 PM
Scott, it was not easy to keep the tripod still but I ended up burying the legs into the hill quite deep and hanging the camera bag by the hook on the tripod.
Registered on May 19, 2006, 209 Posts, 3202 Comments
Comment posted by Larry Andreasen on April 1, 2008 at 8:25 PM
This is a real beauty Kevin! Thanks for the info on how you steadied the rig for 25 secs, :toast: :toast:

Now that you've got this shot are you ready for a road trip to the Groom Lake govt. property... I'll drive! :biggrin:
Registered on January 17, 2007, 220 Posts, 419 Comments
Comment posted by Kevin McNeal on April 1, 2008 at 8:27 PM
Sounds great Larry ! I guess it is hard to get to ! But I am up for any adventure !
Registered on May 19, 2006, 209 Posts, 3202 Comments
Comment posted by Edward Nunez on April 1, 2008 at 9:07 PM
Hey Kevin, this is a beauty. The view from down there is sweet, even though it is a scary scramble. Sorry for the "misinformation" about being not big of a deal and an easy hike down :biggrin:

Excellent job!
Registered on April 19, 2007, 65 Posts, 711 Comments
Comment posted by Bud Reed on April 1, 2008 at 10:22 PM
Cool perspective and great shot
Registered on July 15, 2007, 53 Posts, 618 Comments
Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on April 1, 2008 at 11:15 PM
Very cool Kevin, sounds like quite the adventure. It was well worth it for this unique perspective.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Chambers on April 1, 2008 at 11:19 PM
This is extraordinary Kevin - absolutely beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments
Comment posted by John Harrison on April 2, 2008 at 1:03 AM
Excellent image and glad I didn't go with you! It is great to get new perspectives of a beautiful city. It is also rare that the view is so clear - had it been any other time you would be looking at a fog bank! Enjoy!
John
Registered on March 16, 2008, 0 Posts, 1 Comments
Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on April 2, 2008 at 7:56 AM
AWESOME! Well worth the trouble.
Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments
Comment posted by Wade Hardy on April 2, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Sounds exciting! Incredible shot too.
Registered on May 2, 2006, 121 Posts, 1824 Comments
Comment posted by Tom Nevesely on April 2, 2008 at 12:17 PM
This is awesome Kevin!!! And great story too, really made me laugh.
Registered on June 14, 2005, 147 Posts, 1550 Comments
Comment posted by Reno DiTullio on April 2, 2008 at 4:56 PM
This is a WINNER, beautiful :toast:
Registered on November 14, 2003, 130 Posts, 1644 Comments
Comment posted by Darren White on April 2, 2008 at 10:15 PM
The only thing that would have made this shot better would have been if you would have got tossed in jail for a few hours....just to add to the story!!!!

well done......but I can see this as a slightly better image if you were to adjust the color balance just a hair!!!!
Registered on May 29, 2006, 193 Posts, 855 Comments
Comment posted by Kevin McNeal on April 2, 2008 at 10:21 PM
Hey Darren what kind of color balance changes were you thinking - cooler /warmer ? I have tried and if I go either way I start to get banding in the sky.
Registered on May 19, 2006, 209 Posts, 3202 Comments
Comment posted by Kent Staubus on April 3, 2008 at 12:23 AM
Yes, a very good shot. Probably worth the risk. I've been known to put on full camo to take a shot here and there. While that makes you less noticeable, if you're caught it's harder to play dumb. So, how did you get back home? Swim?


Kent in SD
Registered on November 11, 2003, 121 Posts, 2098 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Sinkovich on April 3, 2008 at 1:09 AM
Great shot! I have photographed the Bay Bridge but always from above. Never considered going down that enbankment...or should I say cliff? Unusualperspective. A winner of an image.
Registered on October 13, 2007, 29 Posts, 71 Comments
Comment posted by Ann Badjura on April 3, 2008 at 7:53 PM
Great shot with amazing light, beautiful contrast and excellent details. Great composition with perfect exposure and great depth! Excellent work!

Greetings,
Ann :smile:
Registered on April 3, 2008, 7 Posts, 58 Comments
Comment posted by Amy Hopp on April 3, 2008 at 8:40 PM
OMG Kevin - it just doesn't get any better than this! :toast:
Registered on October 18, 2007, 234 Posts, 655 Comments
Comment posted by Douglas Dietiker on April 5, 2008 at 11:01 AM
So this is hand held? Wow, very nice Kevin
Registered on December 31, 2006, 15 Posts, 115 Comments
Comment posted by John Williams on April 5, 2008 at 6:25 PM
Really, really beautiful Kevin! I agree with Darren, a few hour in jail would have been a great dénouement.

:toast: :toast:
Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments
Comment posted by Brad Kargus on April 5, 2008 at 8:46 PM
Hi Kevin,

The image and the description are awesome! There is fantastic clarity and I love the awash-in-orange look from the lights. Congrats on getting this great shot. Like Kent, I have to ask how this ended? Dive through the window of the moving car on Ed's return trip? :biggrin:
Registered on January 19, 2007, 47 Posts, 1051 Comments
Comment posted by Adrian Klein on April 5, 2008 at 11:17 PM
It's all already been said Kevin. Simply a fantastic image of this icon. This will remind me next time I am debating what lengths I need to go for a shot, that it will be worth it!
Registered on June 10, 2007, 112 Posts, 1506 Comments
Comment posted by John&Patty Benway on April 7, 2008 at 8:56 AM
Absolutely beautiful Kevin, after seeing this, I would say it was well worth it.
Registered on May 12, 2006, 626 Posts, 8700 Comments
Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on April 7, 2008 at 8:25 PM
Congrats on the EP buddy, you deserve it for this one. :toast:
Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments
Comment posted by Younes Bounhar on April 7, 2008 at 9:39 PM
Congrats on the EP...well worth the trouble...this is absolutely fantastic (not that I am surprised :D).
Registered on November 25, 2007, 81 Posts, 1234 Comments
Comment posted by Kevin McNeal on April 7, 2008 at 9:51 PM
Thanks everyone for their comments and suggestions. Like I mentioned before if anyone has some top secret places they would like to go, let me know !
Registered on May 19, 2006, 209 Posts, 3202 Comments
Comment posted by Kevin McNeal on April 7, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Scott, I took several attempts as I was losing the twilight colors. The reason I think the lights in the city are not blown is that there was a lot of ambient light still available. As it got darker it got near impossible to control the lights that got stronger as it got darker. In terms of tripod I buried the legs in the ground as this was the only way to get the tripod to stay steady.
Registered on May 19, 2006, 209 Posts, 3202 Comments
Comment posted by Cay-Uwe Kulzer on April 8, 2008 at 9:26 AM
Kevin,

it looks as if you made a "Mission Impossible" to "Mission Possible" :wink:
Registered on January 27, 2004, 494 Posts, 4021 Comments
Comment posted by Gabi Lach on April 8, 2008 at 10:32 AM
Perfect and beautiful!! Congratulations, Kevin. :toast:
Registered on May 1, 2007, 101 Posts, 3187 Comments
Comment posted by Edward Nunez on April 8, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Congrats Kevin!

Next time we'll do something even riskier :-) ... I already have a location in mind

Great job!
Registered on April 19, 2007, 65 Posts, 711 Comments
Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on April 8, 2008 at 10:25 PM
Perfect photograph in a very adventurous situation. Congrats on the EP!

I gotta know... How in the heck did you get back outa there?!
Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments
Comment posted by Mary Dempsey on April 9, 2008 at 9:44 AM
Awesome shot although your description of how you got it makes me giggle. the things we do to get a shot :eek: :biggrin:
Registered on February 1, 2008, 50 Posts, 411 Comments
Comment posted by Erik Stensland on April 9, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Beautiful image and terrific story. I have a few stories like that, but no photos to show for it. This is a real treat to look at! :toast:
Registered on September 27, 2004, 121 Posts, 718 Comments
Comment posted by Arnab Banerjee on April 9, 2008 at 11:30 AM
How did you avoid getting arrested after that? Or are you posting from the prison cell? :wink:

Great dedication and what an outcome! Yes..many of us probably do anything for this image - this almost looked like NYC - never seen SF like this before
Registered on January 3, 2007, 313 Posts, 2270 Comments
Comment posted by Winnie Ho on April 11, 2008 at 9:37 AM
Amazing shot Kevin, the story behind it immortalised forever in this image. Congratulations and thanks for sharing this rare perspective.
Registered on January 6, 2008, 93 Posts, 1788 Comments
Comment posted by Michael Anderson on April 17, 2008 at 8:47 PM
Kevin,

This is simply a SPECTACULAR image and a well deserved EP! I lived there for a year and know where you went to get this shot and am equally impressed with the effort to get the image. One of the very best images I've ever seen of the city! Wow is all I can say! Definitely worth at least a minor flesh wound to get this one.
Registered on January 31, 2006, 228 Posts, 3072 Comments