Bucolic bliss

Getting out of traffic by crossing the highway at San Antonio Road is a diversion I do quite often on my way home. Because it comes at the end of my commute, going that way affords me a little time to unwind from the frenetic traffic flow. It has also provided me with quite a few surprising photo opportunities over the past 9 months–especially when I’ve turned up the “I” Street extension. Today’s surprise was a large sow rooting by a big rock. The sow wasn’t much interested in posing for me so I took her picture as I saw her–then played with the scene in Nik Silver Efex Pro.

Sow on I Street

Canon G11 covering the barnyard animals.

Contrasting views

This time of year can be very contrasty. With the sun low in the sky and setting early, during the commute home it’s either in my eyes, beating against the side of my head, or disappearing behind hill–I’m constantly moving my sunglasses from my eyes to my head and back to my eyes. Here’s a “sunglasses off” view from Fort Baker just as the sun was dropping behind the hill.

Petaluma Bridge

And looking south from the same spot where I was standing to take the above photo, here’s an old timey postcard view of the Golden Gate Bridge (I’m obviously having fun with Nik Silver Efex Pro).

Petaluma Bridge

Canon G11 exposing the contrast.

Toning and vignette

Back to the commute today. I stopped near the end of the ride home and took several shots of a very bald green hill. The two oaks were the only trees for hundreds of yard in either direction, and there were several turkey vultures circling fairly low to the ground. When I got the images into my computer I decided to make a style in Niks Silver Efex Pro and apply it to the three images I chose. Here’s the series.

wide shot of oaks on a green hill in black and white

zoom shot of oaks on a green hill in black and white

vultures circling over a green hill in black and white

Canon G11 opening up to the space.