The other night I was so excited for my husband and I to meet up with my photo buddy Dan Shehan to shoot the fireworks being displayed in San Francisco. We had it all planned to meet up at a little pub by the dock on Treasure Island (Treasure Island connects the eastern and the western portion of the bay bridge). It’s a great place to see the fireworks and thousands of people show up to enjoy the spectacle.
We got there early and were all wide-eyed and bushy-tailed for the event until…..yes…..(insert dramatic music here)….the FOG! It was creeping over the bay and the city and by the time we got our cameras set up about an hour before the show was going to start, we knew we were doomed for photographing fireworks.
So what do you do when given lemons, eh? That’s right..make lemonade! How many times have I gone somewhere expecting to photograph one thing and ended up with another. Here’s another example.
I’m really loving going in the artsy direction of photographs these days…I think I’ve said that one or two times. 😉 These are some images I took from Treasure Island looking out onto the bay and toward Alcatraz. Hope you enjoy!
Laura Macky Photography 
July 6, 2014 at 6:59 am
The colors came out really beautifully.
July 6, 2014 at 7:04 am
alcatraz never looked
more alluring 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 7:54 am
Thank you :)))
July 6, 2014 at 7:05 am
Very lovely intriguing pictures! 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 7:54 am
I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 7:05 am
I love your “lemon-aid” Laura. I also like that you follow your heart and have become more “artsy”. Thanks again to you and your husband on what really turned out to be a terrific photo shooting adventure 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 7:55 am
We had fun, Dan. We’ll have to do it again! And thanks for liking my lemonade or lemon-aid for sure! 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 8:58 am
🙂
July 6, 2014 at 7:06 am
Beautiful post Laura
July 6, 2014 at 7:55 am
Thank you so much, Irene 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 7:11 am
Lovely ethereal look!
July 6, 2014 at 7:55 am
Thank you Victor!
July 6, 2014 at 7:23 am
Dreamy photos.
July 6, 2014 at 7:56 am
Thank you…I like to dream. 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 7:39 am
Smooth sailing… love the way you did these.
July 6, 2014 at 7:56 am
hehe thank you!
July 6, 2014 at 7:51 am
Those are very special photos, Laura. Lemons and lemonade.
July 6, 2014 at 7:57 am
Thank you Norm. I appreciate it very much. 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 7:54 am
A very nice batch of lemonade.
July 6, 2014 at 7:57 am
ha! Thank you 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 8:04 am
I think these are great captures in that the colours are magnificent and the fog effect is just unbelievable…
July 6, 2014 at 8:04 am
Thanks so much! I was kind of bummed when I realized there would be no fireworks to take, so at least something came out of all that fog! 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 8:06 am
The bottom photo, again, is very “painterly”. Looking at it I can even imagine myself in other locals..in other countries..at other times. The three smaller boats in the distance really add to the composition. Very beautiful Laura.
July 6, 2014 at 11:00 am
Thank you so much…I really appreciate you enjoying what I do.
July 6, 2014 at 8:10 am
I guess I’ll take fog images over fireworks any day…! Three great photos, Laura — the blur came out really well, and I particularly love love love the last one! The light is beautiful and I like what you did with it overall. Did I say I liked the last one? Oh yeah!
July 6, 2014 at 11:01 am
Oh yeah??? LOL Thank you! It makes me so happy when someone loves something I do. Yay! *happy dance*
July 6, 2014 at 8:18 am
Both of you did an amazing job! These are absolutely mystical. It’s funny, I was in San Francisco for an appointment the other day and I was so excited there was fog as I’ve been wanting to do a shoot for an illustrated book I’m writing and I always seem to catch The City on clear bright days. Maybe I can join you and Dan some day!
July 6, 2014 at 11:01 am
I’d love it!! Just email me at info@lauramacky.com next time you know you’re coming. 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 11:18 am
Okay, got it! Thanks! It will be many months, but then I will.
July 6, 2014 at 11:20 am
😀
July 6, 2014 at 8:30 am
Gorgeous shots Laura, just goes to show under every clud/fog their is a silver lining 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 11:03 am
Thank you Eddie. 🙂 I live my life by that saying.
July 6, 2014 at 12:53 pm
Sometimes we just have too and hope for the best 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 12:54 pm
YES 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 8:45 am
I love your lemonade!
July 6, 2014 at 11:03 am
haha Thank you!!
July 6, 2014 at 8:55 am
Wow – your shots are amazing! Just keep you camera out and take what like presents to you. Good eye to recognize an opportunity!
July 6, 2014 at 11:04 am
Thank you Marie 🙂 I appreciate it so much.
July 6, 2014 at 9:27 am
These are just beautiful, love the last one, it is so dream like. No need to get fireworks…this is it.
July 6, 2014 at 11:05 am
Thank you so much Ritva. Seems like the last one is the favorite! Yeah I kinda don’t even miss the fireworks now lol.
July 6, 2014 at 9:28 am
That’s some beautiful lemonade, Laura!
July 6, 2014 at 11:05 am
Thank you Priya! I’m realizing that I don’t even miss those fireworks. 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 11:46 am
Yes, funny how it works out that way! We are still dealing with drunk people setting off fireworks at 3 am in my neck of the woods…sigh…
July 6, 2014 at 11:50 am
Oh dear. I think they should be illegal in all of California. I mean, the big professional displays are fine but they shouldn’t be sold anywhere. I think they’re obnoxious and useless personally lol.
July 6, 2014 at 9:59 am
These photos are absolutely gorgeous, Laura! Cher xo
July 6, 2014 at 11:05 am
Thank you so much Cher. 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 11:07 am
Beautiful photos!!
July 6, 2014 at 11:17 am
Thank you John 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 12:04 pm
Beautiful shots!
July 6, 2014 at 12:33 pm
Thank you so much James!
July 6, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Well done! 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 12:52 pm
Thank you Fabio 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 1:44 pm
Beautiful images Laura….great light 😊
July 6, 2014 at 1:54 pm
Thank you so much Mark. It was worth frrreeeeezzzzing out there lol.
July 6, 2014 at 2:08 pm
Yep… fireworks shots are a dime a dozen. You captured something unique and utterly exquisite. I think a previous comment said it: Alcatraz never looked so good!
July 6, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Thank you very much Gunta. Everything happens for a reason!
July 6, 2014 at 2:10 pm
Looking good Laura! 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Thanks Julie!
July 6, 2014 at 2:14 pm
Love your processing Laura, you have created beautiful images
July 6, 2014 at 2:22 pm
Ethereal.
July 6, 2014 at 2:29 pm
I like that, thank you 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 2:34 pm
A real beauty Laura. Hope ot was a fun weekend.
July 6, 2014 at 2:38 pm
Thank you Robert. We had fun. Hope your parents are ok….enjoy your visit. 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 2:36 pm
They look great Laura, I especially like the last one, it does have an artsy quality to it.
July 6, 2014 at 2:40 pm
Thank you! And here I wanted fireworks… that wouldn’t have been nearly as exciting. 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 2:44 pm
The fireworks would have hohum, and the same as everyone else’s, you got something so much better. 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 2:46 pm
😀 😀
July 6, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Reblogged this on B.E.S.T. Arts Gallery and commented:
These are absolutely stunning Laura! I so want to be there….
July 6, 2014 at 3:30 pm
Beautiful images, the light through the fog is wonderful 🙂
July 6, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Thank you Lisa 🙂 It really was beautiful.
July 6, 2014 at 3:54 pm
It’s an interesting set of images Laura. You have the literal image, an beautiful abstract and a nice painterly textured photograph. IMHO you have a far better, and unique, glass of lemonade then you would have gotten if there was no fog and you concentrated on creating a set of fireworks photos which would have been fun, but in reality has been done a million times before.
July 6, 2014 at 4:22 pm
Rich, thank you…thank you for those thoughtful comments and noticing I have done three different types of images. I was trying to see which way they looked best and it seems people are drawn to the painterly one. I was even wondering about going back and doing them all the same so I’d have a set. Thank you again!
July 6, 2014 at 10:18 pm
Wonderful. Like especially the use of texture !
July 6, 2014 at 10:29 pm
Thank you so much. I’ve been having fun with them lately.
July 6, 2014 at 11:44 pm
I’ve got plenty (mainly self created) textures but hardly uses them. Have to work on it. Sometimes people overdue the use of textures but you applied it the way I really love!!! Thank you!
😉
The ‘Cool Guy’ (remember?)
July 7, 2014 at 6:57 am
Ya you’re the cool guy! I use Adobe Paper Texture Pro which is part of the Adobe Extension Manager. The only one that seems to be working with the new photoshop since they rolled out PSCC14. Anyway, thank you. I hope to use them tastefully and I”m so glad you like the result!!
July 7, 2014 at 7:27 am
😉
July 6, 2014 at 11:17 pm
Very nice indeed Laura.
July 7, 2014 at 6:55 am
Thank you Laurie 🙂
July 7, 2014 at 2:28 am
The fog worked in your favour, in a way. Love how you made a shadowy effect in the second photo, that looks like a ghost boat. And the last photo looks so much like a painting. Works of art. Well done, Laura. Your photos are always a joy to look at 🙂
July 7, 2014 at 6:54 am
Thank you Mabel! I appreciate your comments as always. The ghost boat…what a nice way of putting it. It is in a way ghost-like. Thank you again. 🙂
July 7, 2014 at 4:37 am
Your improvisation amid foggy conditions turned out to be excellent work, Laura!
July 7, 2014 at 6:54 am
Thank you Ravi….I really appreciate your support. And it seems I do best when I’m rolling with the punches for some reason. Must be my scrappy personality lol.
July 7, 2014 at 5:00 pm
When the going gets tough, the tough get going!
July 7, 2014 at 7:55 pm
So true!
July 7, 2014 at 4:59 am
I adore the last photograph Laura. It;s mesmerizing and the light is just magical. Ypu’ve done a great job making it look like a painting 🙂
July 7, 2014 at 6:53 am
Thank you so much! I’m really glad you liked it. 🙂
July 7, 2014 at 6:10 am
Love these photos Laura! At least you were giving the opportunity to photograph something. 😀
July 7, 2014 at 6:52 am
Thank you Justin! Yes, I feel it was not a total bust. Plus it was FFREEEZZZINGGGG!!!! lol
July 7, 2014 at 6:56 am
I was hoping to get some photos of fireworks but didn’t go anywhere. I did enjoy having fun with the kids though.
Freezing in July? lol. I’m surprised that it’s actually been in the 50’s and 60’s for lows this year here. It’s been nice. Although without the dry heat during the day it keeps making the mosquitoes quite bad.
July 7, 2014 at 6:59 am
I live about 35 miles away from SF now (we just moved) and there can easily be a 35 degree swing in temperature from where I live to where SF is. I left the house and it was 95 degrees…hotttttt….got to SF and it was breezy and cold and by the time 3 hours later rolled around I had a vest, a sweater and a jacket on! After the photos, I got back home and it was hot again lol.
July 7, 2014 at 7:08 am
I’d still consider that shorts and t-shirt weather. 😛
But I’m a bit more acclimatized to colder weather as the winters here lately have been in the teens and single digits for weeks on end. I very much enjoy the 50’s and 60’s and don’t pull out the light spring jacket until it hits the 40’s. I was very happy when I mowed the other morning and it was in the mid 50’s. And yes, even though I was using a riding mower, I still mowed in shorts and a t-shirt. 🙂
July 7, 2014 at 7:11 am
O-M-G! That is freezing! I’m used to foggy SF as I used to live there and go there a lot anyway but I like living inland a bit where I can see the sun. I remember months going by when I lived down by the beach and I never saw the sun.
July 7, 2014 at 7:14 am
Not freezing. Just slightly cool. Freezing is when your spit hits the ground and shatters.
July 7, 2014 at 7:17 am
Yeah that’s me in 50 degrees loool. jk 😉
July 7, 2014 at 8:07 am
You’ve really made the absolute best of that fog! One might even suggest it turned out ideally ‘with’ the fog as opposed to without it!
Beautifully captured.
ML
Xx
July 7, 2014 at 9:04 am
Thank you so much ML! 🙂
July 7, 2014 at 10:02 am
Gorgeous captures!
July 7, 2014 at 12:47 pm
Thank you Jackie 🙂
July 7, 2014 at 11:14 am
these are among your best Laura!! I love the subtlety of colour and the light!! They truly are like paintings!!
July 7, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Thank you! I’m happy to hear I’m progressing. There is so much to learn and I’m having fun doing it!
July 8, 2014 at 6:55 am
Incredibly beautiful Laura!!! Gotta love how we expect one thing and something completely different is shown to us!!! Blessitude ❤
July 8, 2014 at 7:09 am
Thank you Lorrie :))) ☀
July 9, 2014 at 5:40 pm
I came in from North Carolina and was in Sausalito that day staying at a friend’s place overlooking the water. What a day (and night with the fireworks). These shots are wonderful, Laura. Great work.
July 10, 2014 at 5:37 pm
Oh I love Sausalito. Great to have friends there. 😉 Thank you for your comments on my shots. I was just across the bay from you.
July 9, 2014 at 10:48 pm
Just gorgeous Laura. Almost like a painting 🙂
July 10, 2014 at 5:38 pm
Thank you Sue! I tried to make it painting like…I’m loving making artsy photos out of my images. Or at least trying to. 😉
July 10, 2014 at 6:25 pm
It’s so much fun to do that’s for sure
July 10, 2014 at 8:38 pm
:)))
July 16, 2014 at 4:10 am
simply stunning
July 16, 2014 at 6:57 am
Thank you so much. I love doing this kind of thing.
July 16, 2014 at 2:19 pm
Love all of your photos Laura, but man this one just has it all, the blues in the skies transitioning over to deep golden hues and the sail boat in the foreground or fore sea well forefront perhaps. It is simply STRIKING!
July 16, 2014 at 5:03 pm
I’m glad you like it Mitch. Thank you so much for your comments!