San Francisco – Page 4 – Circadianreflections Blog

Croque Monsieur w/Mixed Spring Greens

July 14, 2011July 14, 2011Posted in California, TravelTagged California, Food, Food-scapes, Photography, San Francisco2 Comments

Croque Monsieur w/Mixed Spring Greens, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

Via Flickr:
Copyright © 2010 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.
A photo from the archives.

T, DD, G, and I went to Brunch at Absinthe Brasserie, and Bar in San Francisco before heading to downtown to photograph Union Square, and then meet-up with our Night group for some Night photography.

I had the Croc Monsieur. It was delicious. Toasted levain bread, with thin sliced Black Forest ham, smothered in melted Gruyère, some Dijon mustard, béchamel, mixed greens.
The restaurant opened at 11:00am we there a few minutes after 11 and there was already a 30-40 minute wait for walk-ins. We ate at the bar.

Marina Blues

June 22, 2011June 22, 2011Posted in California, Nikon, PhotographyTagged California, Nikon, Nikon D300S, Photography, San Francisco, Treasure IslandLeave a comment

Marina Blues, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

Via Flickr:
Copyright © 2011 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

This looks better Large. Click the photo for a larger view.

Waiting for the Moon to get into a slightly better position I walked over to the Marina.
It was so quiet and peaceful. I didn’t hear any creaking boats, or bells softly ringing. The water was so still!

Treasure Island, California, Bay Bridge, Marina

Giving it the Ole College Try

Giving it the Ole College Try, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

Via Flickr:
Copyright © 2011 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

I wrote the date down for June’s full moon and it’s position to set over the San Francisco skyline back in Feb. I had hoped I would be able to photograph it, but you know what they say about, “The best laid plans…”
I had work scheduled early this particular week on the days of the full moon setting, so couldn’t make it up to the city. The first free morning I had to try it was Friday. The moon was 98% full, and a lot higher than I had wanted it to be, but I wanted to try it anyway. Practice! Had I waited for the Moon to be lower where I really wanted it, it would have been daylight and too bright. By 5:30a.m. it was too light. So light that the lights on the bridge went off then!
The belt of Venus is lovely isn’t it. The skyline was diffused by a light fog hanging over the city.
I love it when even the failures are fun, and the view is pretty, and friend Downhill Dali who is so NOT a morning person got up, met me, and went up to the city with me to shoot. Thanks Dali!

On the Edge of Romance

January 21, 2011January 21, 2011Posted in California, LandscapesTagged San FranciscoLeave a comment

On the Edge of Romance, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

To see this photo Larger click anywhere in the photo.

“Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.”
~ William Shakespeare Sonnet 116

Sutro Bath Ruins, San Francisco, California, Sunset, Heart Rock, Pacific Ocean.
Nikon D300s| Nikkor 17-35mm

Rhythm

January 20, 2011January 20, 2011Posted in NikonTagged Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco2 Comments

Rhythm, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-.

To see this photograph large “click” anywhere in the photo.

Alex a friend of mine is taking a photography course at a local college and missed a field trip, so needing to make up the assignment he asked several of us if we were free to spend some time in San Francisco shooting several venues with him. Fortunately, neither Dali or I had to work on this day and I eagerly jumped on the opportunity.
On the way up I asked Alex about the assignments for each venue.
At this venue the theme was “Rhythm”. Rhythm!?! If there is a concert I’ll see it. Having a “literal mind” I thought of music straight away, but there is Rhythm in patterns, and symmetry.

I found rhythm in the ceiling of the Palace Gazebo’s tall columns leading up to the dome, and geometric shapes leading the viewer to the center of the dome.

A fabulous exercise! One that certainly took my literal mind outside the box. Thank you Alex for inviting me to spend the day with you photographing several lovely venues, and for teaching me to “See” rhythm is in all things.

I absolutely abhor borrowing and lending. I’m anal that way…anyway I was going nowhere getting the entire dome in the frame with my 17-35mm and Dali was so kind, and generous by insisting I borrow his Fisheye lens to take this shot. Thank you a million times for that Dali! I appreciate it immensely.
It’s a pretty cool lens! ACK! A seed has been planted!

December Lights

December 12, 2010December 12, 2010Posted in CaliforniaTagged San FranciscoLeave a comment

December Lights, originally uploaded by dmzajac2004-working a lot-little time for flickr.

My night Meet-up group had a long awaited for Meet-up up at Coit Tower, so T, DD, G, and I headed up to the city for brunch, then spent some time in Union Square window shopping, and shopping, and photographing the decorations around the city before meeting the Group at Coit Tower. As soon as we got out of the parking garage T read a text from a group member that the Coit Tower elevator was closed for renovations until mid-January! The fog was low and we thought the visibility would be poor from the parking lot at Coit Tower so we made a mad dash for Treasure Island. While on the Bay Bridge and half way there the fog was covering all but the tops of the city buildings. We hoped it held long enough for us to get the sunset and blue period. Unfortunately, by the time we got Treasure Is. the fog covered all of the skyline. So we adapted and sought higher ground.
After shooting the sunset we headed back to town to get something to eat. After a lite diner we tried Treasure Island one more time. This is what I saw.
You never know how long the fog will stay in place in the city. I heard the group that stayed up at Coit Tower got some wonderful shots.

A Week-end on the Wild Side

September 20, 2010September 21, 2010Posted in California, hikes, Landscapes, Nikon, TravelTagged Abandonned, boats, Elkhorn Slough, Golden Gate Bridge, Otters, Point Reyes National Seashore, San Francisco, Tomales Point, Tule Elk8 Comments

A week-end full of wildlife photography that is.

I spent Sat. with a Meet up group out in Moss Landing, CA at Elkhorn Slough. We took a pontoon boat out in the slough and saw oodles of Otters, pups, seals, seal pups, and shore birds. The weather was warm, but overcast throughout most the day.

Here are Mom and pup. Mom trying to relax and the pup was as curious about us as we were about them.

These guys eat 25% of their body weight in clams a day! They are very cute.

Sunday morning myself and 2 friends headed back up North to Point Reyes National Seashore’s Tule Elk Reserve to hike out to Tomales Bay Point to photograph the Tule Elk again ,and some coastal scenics. We had rain in the forecast and were hoping for big dramatic clouds and nice moody scenes along the rocky coast line.

It drizzled the whole 2.5 hour drive up. As we headed out on the trail to Tomales Point it was still drizzling, and the sky was gray with no definition in the sky or clouds. Just overcast.

We reached the pond 3 miles out- there was an Alpha Male with about 25 females and 4 calves in his Harem.
Up on the hill was another male calling the females. He had about 5 females which deserted him for the Bigger Tule Elk down by the pond. He came down the hill and we hoped there would be a battle over the Harem.
The Bull on the hill didn’t put up a fight he let his females go. There was a lot of bugle calling and half hearted, and “I mean business ” charges from the Alpha Male which was enough to scare the Bull on the hill away.
He lost all his females to the Older Bull who had about 30 females in his Harem when we left them to continue out to Tomales Point.

The hike out to the point is 4.7 miles. On the way back my legs were tired. I carried with me the D300s, 17-35mm f2.8, and the 300mm f4 along with accessories and filters, lunch, water, tripod, and trail stool. I think my load was 20 pounds. Right now this is my current limit loaded with all this gear.

PP- Vibrance, clarity, a little fill light, some USM, and resized.

We were about to leave and continue our hike as we thought the action was over. There wouldn’t be a fight and the Alpha was herding the new females into the Harem, and giving them a thorough sniffing and sizing up. Sensing the Alpha was distracted the young bull took advantage and crept around the hill and down into the herd undetected…but only for a few minutes. Once the Alpha caught scent of the other bull, he called and charged! All the females moved out of the way as the Alpha charged the young bull. The youngster ran right by us and stopped just 6 feet away from us! Unfortunately, we had packed up all our gear to make the hike easier. Still, it was so thrilling to be that close to them!

As we headed down the trail the young bull took off and we didn’t see him until we were on the way back.

Out at Tomales Point the sky didn’t have the drama or definition we had hoped for in the sky, but the scenery was beautiful none the less.

Here at the point where the rain runs off were the most interesting and beautiful gullies, and patterns in the cliff.

We left the Point at 4PM knowing it would take us about 2.5 hours to hike back out. We saw a lot more Tule Elk at the pond. More of the unattached males were on the other side of the pond-away from the Alpha and his Harem. We didn’t stop to take photos but did pause a minute to look. Further up the trail the fog rolled in. I spent the whole day damp. Out of the fog we saw on the trail ahead of us 3 females and then we spied another Harem. We walked cautiously past them. Fortunately they were just as cautious about us and moved off the trail inland a little further.

We made it out to the parking lot in 2 hours 15 minutes. We were in dire need of dinner and I really wanted a pot of hot tea! We dined in Inverness at Priscilla’s Cafe. It was wonderful! I had a crab sandwich, mixed green salad, and mixed berry pie for dessert.

After dinner we walked across the street to where the Point Reyes is beached. I took a photos of her a few weeks ago when another friend and I came up. This time a night shot was what we were after. One of my companions had a big LED flash-light he used to light up the boat.

Using a technique called light painting he painted the boat, and foreground with light. I set up my cameras for a long exposure. This was a 67 second exposure.

On the way home I saw the Golden Gate bridge with the fog just starting to come in, and the city lights twinkling like jewels through it and wanted to stop to take one last shot before continuing southward home. My friend pulled over at the Marina Headlands where we spent a good half hour shooting the city and the bridge.

This was 59 second exposure . I was happy to see I captured some Moon beams and a star too!

This was a lovely last shot for my week-end on the Wildside. Life is good!

Nikon D300s, Nikkor 300mm f4, Nikkor 17-35mm f2.8, Sundisk Ultra SDHC Digital Film

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: