San Francisco, A Love Affair

[bikeboynate]

Hey everyone I just finished my final Pre-College Art Experience class at the Academy of Art and I wanted to get some feedback on my portfolio "San Francisco, A Love Affair." The theme is my love affair with the city and I tried to put the photographs in an order such that it took you around San Francisco from morning to night. I printed out all these photos in 12x18 format in a 13x19 portfolio book. All comments are welcome =)


http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7174/6654299593_91262eb667_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6654299593/)
Under The Bridge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6654299593/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6095/7025151463_dc579bec1b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/7025151463/)
Up Nob Hill She Goes (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/7025151463/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7006/6557642841_803445f468_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6557642841/)
FilbertStreet (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6557642841/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6091/7025152333_7859e4cc8d_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/7025152333/)
North Beach (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/7025152333/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7202/6879071740_5385d173de_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6879071740/)
Flowing Fountain (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6879071740/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7163/6557651039_f24342f6c1_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6557651039/)
Low Tide Reflection (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6557651039/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr



http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7111/6858978368_4c1c7a995b_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6858978368/)
Full House? (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6858978368/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7163/6527851479_67d66e3954_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6527851479/)
Sunset Down California Street (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6527851479/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

[bikeboynate]

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6524517507_18b15ac812_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6524517507/)
The Pyramid (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6524517507/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7013/6547483569_0f04d51581_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6547483569/)
Pink Sunset (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6547483569/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7172/6536013363_46aa005d22_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6536013363/)
The Waterfront (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6536013363/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6536012375_71ee79e12e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6536012375/)
Bay Crossing (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6536012375/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6547481613_690636c3a0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6547481613/)
Pinnacle of Light (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6547481613/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6093/6879051542_84fb17096f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6879051542/)
Busy City (Revisited) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6879051542/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7035/6657499823_836c69e5d0_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6657499823/)
The Bay Area at Night (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6657499823/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

[meeko031]

...i like this one, seems like i've seen it before on a postcard !





http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7111/6858978368_4c1c7a995b_b.jpg

[bcd01]

Nate, Your pictures as very nicely done. In your picture The Bay Area at Night you can see a plane making a landing approach to the airport. I miss living in a large city, the photo opportunities are immense.

[msu_1972]

very beautiful images around SF. thanks for sharing.

[Canon_Matt]

Fantastic series of images.

[x_tan]

Looking good!
Keep up with the good work.

[CRobH]

What an excellent job in capturing San Francisco. Job well done!

[BigCol]

Excellent! I especially like #4

[rick_reno]

beautiful, brings back fond memories

[RGT168]

great set of the City!

[bikeboynate]

Thank you everyone! :) I'm glad you all enjoyed my photos. Any critique on this portfolio is also welcome :D

[SnoYteM3]

amazing Pics!!!!

[Chris Manchester]

Great shots of a beautiful city, you're lucky to live there ! Well done.

[rioni]

Shot #2 is amazing. Nice work

[TustinMike]

...i like this one, seems like i've seen it before on a postcard !

ya think ? ;)

This is an iconic viewpoint (from Alamo Square IIRC), it's a shot that pretty much every movie or TV show set in SF (and there are many many) uses at some point.

[TustinMike]

These are all gorgeous !

Nice work, and it is a beautiful city !

[Bianchi]

Enjoyed your set...Very nice

[bikeboynate]

Thanks everyone! It's awesome to hear all the positive feedback! I think I'm going to repost this in the Comment+Critique section as well.

[Ed Richert]

Bikeboy...you da man!
Very very nice!

[kelstar]

Beautiful series.

[steve535]

WoW those were great! I have a summer trip planned to the bay area this summer and I hope I do half as good as you.

[tao_kala]

nice work ^^

[bsmotril]

Outstanding. Makes me want to book a flight back there right now.

[huntersdad]

Alright - I'm gonna ask. Are any of these HDRs? More curious. If so, they are excellently executed. If not, they are all still excellently executed.

Phenominal range of colors caught in each one. Can't wait for my August visit.

[bikeboynate]

Thank you guys so much for the kind words! =)
@huntersdad I am not a big user of HDR and none of the photos in this portfolio were created using HDR. Thanks for the complements =)

[Euro852]

Nice shots, I have to make plans to take some shots of the newly remodel Palace of Fine Arts. SF is always stunning, even when I'm there all my life. :D

[bikeboynate]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! My final exhibition was yesterday and there was a ton of interest in my matte images on the wall and also in my portfolios. One of the building managers and a security guard particularly liked one of my matte prints of the Astro Orbiter at Disneyland. The admissions director of the Academy of Art actually wants to use my photos to demonstrate the evolution of my work over my PCAE year.

Here's the more popular of my matte prints. It's the Astro Orbiter at Disneyland's Tomorrowland. I actually didn't mean for the light streaks to come through, but the ride started moving in the last 5 seconds of the exposure. This images is one of those "happy accidents" as Bob Ross would say. =P
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6632478925_c9436d72c2_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6632478925/)
Tomorrowland Rockets (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/6632478925/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

[IShootThings]

Great photography. I love #1 especially. lol @ the Full House shot. Did you take one of two of those from a helicopter or something?

[digidiva]

These make such a beautiful set. You've made me want to go back to SF now so badly.
The shot of the painted ladies on Alamo is so very good. Far better than some I have seen on postcards and in guide books.

Is the "Busy City" shot taken from Twin Peaks?
Wow...I'm really nostalgic now.

[bikeboynate]

Great photography. I love #1 especially. lol @ the Full House shot. Did you take one of two of those from a helicopter or something?
Thank you very much! I get asked that question a lot. =P The last two shots were taken at Twin Peaks and Mount Tamalpias respectively.
These make such a beautiful set. You've made me want to go back to SF now so badly.
The shot of the painted ladies on Alamo is so very good. Far better than some I have seen on postcards and in guide books.

Is the "Busy City" shot taken from Twin Peaks?
Wow...I'm really nostalgic now.

Thanks Digi! Yes, Busy City was taken from Twin Peaks ;)

[IShootThings]

Thanks. Keep up the good work.

[jpl_1020]

Nice work, You must be really familiar with good photog locations of the city inorder to take good pictures like these. I was just there two weeks ago and I only had Nightscape pictures of GGB and Bay Bridge from the usual vantage points.

Your shot of the bay bridge (#1) would be my first pick... amazing set overall!

[Mnbruce]

I don't think I've ever seen the city looking better. Great job!

[bikeboynate]

Thanks everyone! :D

Nice work, You must be really familiar with good photog locations of the city inorder to take good pictures like these. I was just there two weeks ago and I only had Nightscape pictures of GGB and Bay Bridge from the usual vantage points.

You're shot of the bay bridge (#1) would be my first pick... amazing set overall!

Yeah some of the spots are tricky to get to, such as the location I used to get the first shot, which is actually Coast Guard property. Other vantages such as Mount Tamalpias need perfect conditions to get the shot. Lastly, there's the San Francisco weather to contend with, as most of the time it is either hazy, foggy, or raining so most of the shots were taken on different days, with about three exceptions.I'm glad you enjoyed my set :D

[Mrslinger85]

Wonderful work Nate. The painted ladies shot is the best one I've seen. Some nice takes on the bridge as well. Helps remind me of the trip I had there a few years ago. One of the few cities I like as much as my hometown.

[Stefan A]

These are all great. I too like the full house shot - even if it is a common shot. If I had to give any advise, the only thing that stuck out at me were the reflections in the street car windows. If you had used a polarizer, I think it would have been better.

Stefan

[bikeboynate]

Wonderful work Nate. The painted ladies shot is the best one I've seen. Some nice takes on the bridge as well. Helps remind me of the trip I had there a few years ago. One of the few cities I like as much as my hometown.
Thank you! San Francisco is just such a great city :P
These are all great. I too like the full house shot - even if it is a common shot. If I had to give any advise, the only thing that stuck out at me were the reflections in the street car windows. If you had used a polarizer, I think it would have been better.

Stefan
Thanks! There seems to be a lot of interest in that shot. I always have a CPL in my camera bag but I always forget to put it on >_>

[MidnightSun]

I'm no art critic, or instructor, but I'd give you an A+ for those.....Very cool.

[RustyHammer]

WOW ... awesome stuff!!!

[bikeboynate]

I'm no art critic, or instructor, but I'd give you an A+ for those.....Very cool.
Thanks for the kind words :D

WOW ... awesome stuff!!!

Thank you!!! :)

[bikeboynate]

I just wanted to get everyone's opinion on weather this photo would go well with my portfolio.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6116/7037353823_2bddc495bf_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/7037353823/)
The City Aglow (http://www.flickr.com/photos/bikeboynate/7037353823/) by NMB.Photography (http://www.flickr.com/people/bikeboynate/), on Flickr

[russ71satellite]

Very well done! Lots of talent on display here.

[mikey1967]

Reminds me of the film Mrs Doubtfire

Great Photos!!

...i like this one, seems like i've seen it before on a postcard !

[pbelarge]

Nate
You have done a nice job coming up with a theme and presenting it. Your images are well composed and asthetically appealing.

One nit I have is that #3 & #4 on the first page show whites clipping. I am wondering how much of the project is determined by the technical aspect of your portfolio.

[bikeboynate]

Thanks everyone!

@ pbelarge I'm trying to see where you see white clipping in those images but I can't seem to find any?
The class I was taking is a Pre-College class and it's a pretty laid back general photography curriculum with critique sessions every class. Basically since we're still in high-school we don't have access to all of the Academy's film or computer studios. As to technicality my professor was impressed with my photos since I'm still in high school and has encouraged me to find a way to sell them. She even commented on my photo of the Palace of Fine Art that she would "...hang that on my [her] wall." My grade has still not been put into my student profile so I just emailed my prof to see if I could find my grade out directly from her.

[bikeboynate]

If anyone cares, my prof finally gave me my grade :D