location

For the New Year, San Francisco always has fireworks at midnight on December 31st. The fireworks are launched from barges located 1,000 feet out in the bay just South of the Ferry Building near Pier 14 (Mission Street and The Embarcadero). One of the best places to take pictures of these fireworks is Yerba Buena Island. Yerba Buena is a natural island (versus the connected Treasure Island which is man-made). You will not be alone, this is a very popular spot but if you come early, it’s fine. The place I like is a private residence, so as always be aware of any noise you could make, where you park and try not to disturb the neighbors. It only takes one problem to get this area closed off for everybody. View New Year Fireworks photo location in a larger map...

About a year ago, my wife and I joined David duChemin and Jeffrey Chapman’s workshop “Within The Frame” and went to Kenya to explore the Maasai Mara. It was my second organized trip where someone else was doing all the planning for me. The first one in Spitzbergen was not a success so I was unsure about what to expect. This time we were looking for an organized photo safari with a lot of freedom to take pictures of the wildlife, especially not being timed and be able to go early in the morning and late in the evening where most wildlife is visible. We were a bit overwhelmed by all the options available to visit the Maasai Mara and relying on guides like David and Jeffrey who have traveled to Kenya on numerous occasions seemed a smart...

I have been enjoying the Winter break with family and friends in Tahoe. We have always been very lucky as each time we’ve been spending a week in Tahoe, we always ended up with at least one major storm, and sometimes more. This year after the storm, we got between 12 and 18 inches of fresh snow. Even with snowshoes, it was a workout to get through deep powder snow. Houses were buried and the only way out was snowshoes or nordic ski. This image was taken two years ago, when the Lake Tahoe area got a record amount of snow. I wish you the best for 2013 and if you like to set your sail, a lot of exciting travel for 2013! As for me, 2013 already looks good on the keep-exploring-the-world side, although I will be focusing on North America and a little bit on the...

Another installment of my San Francisco Photo spot series; this time it is about Treasure Island. I love Treasure Island because it has one of the nicest views of the Financial District. That’s from where I get some of my favorite images of the city at night. Especially at this time of the year where all of the Embarcadero buildings are illuminated for the Holidays. In addition on Treasure Island (TI), there is the gigantesque statue Bliss Dance made of lights and also the spot called forbidden access. Now, I personally like taking photographs where you can see the city lights. But for your camera to see these lights (and the sky), the city lights need to be at least as bright as the sky. In order to get those images, timing is crucial. First, where is...

After reading the book Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil by Tom Mueller, I became fascinated by the production of olive oil. I met Paul Piccirillo (from Athena’s gift) who is an olive grower in Gustine, CA. Each year, he organizes the “first day of harvest” where friends come and help him to start the harvest of his trees. After a quick training, we went to the grove to pick olives. I stopped for a couple of minutes to capture the process. Olive trees seem to mature at very different times. In some trees the olives are mostly black (or ripe), in some other trees, the olives are mostly green (or not ripe yet). But interestingly enough, to make good olive oil, you need both, so it does not matter that you pick all...

Angel Island is one of the largest islands in the San Francisco Bay. It used to be an immigration center from 1910 to 1940 and a missile base from 1950 to 1962. The immigration center was modeled after Ellis Island in New York. Angel Island is now a California State Park and the buildings of the old army bases and the immigration station (more info) can be visited. My interest in Angel Island, beside the historical significance, is the incredible views of San Francisco. The best way to explore the island is to use a bike. You can bring your own bike or rent one at the Ferry Pier (Ayala Cove). If you are not up for the workout, you can even go on a Segway tour (more info). If you come by regular ferry from Tiburon (Angel Island Ferry), you will arrive at Ayala...