I’m apologizing yet again but I really am sorry I haven’t been able to blog more promptly about my San Francisco trip. My laptop decided to take a holiday itself just after I returned home. Lucky for me it decided to return and now I’m back in business. Now where was I?
We had stopped in Redding for the night and the next day we arrived in San Francisco in the early afternoon. Having some extra time on our hands we relaxed and enjoyed the view of the Golden Gate bridge from Cesar Chavez park. It was rather breezy at the park so we headed to Barnes and Snoble (that’s what I call it) to check out the photography books and grab a cup of coffee. More about that later. First I must share how some of the details of our trip to San Francisco came to be.
In September I received an email from one of the visitors to my blog, Dorothy Brown. She had read that I was heading down to San Francisco to see the Henri Cartier-Bresson exhibit again and she generously offered to let me stay with her and her husband at their home in Oakland. Wow. I was just blown away by her generosity. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the photography community is an amazing group of people and sometimes I have to pinch myself when I realize I’m a part of it. Dorothy’s heart is bigger than the state of Texas because when I mentioned to her that I’d be traveling with my friend and mentor, Ray Ketcham, she included him in the invitation! By the time we arrived at her home, Dorothy had dinner ready for us and her super-supportive husband, Todd didn’t even bat an eye as we hauled in all our camera gear and took over their living room and guest room. That evening while I spent time on work-related matters, Ray and Dorothy became fast friends over their lighting gear.
Our plans for the next day included another new friend, Jeff Fielding. I know Jeff through our mutual friends, Stuart Sipahigil and David duChemin. We have been corresponding for the past little while and I was very excited to finally meet him. After finishing up a 24-hour shift as a firefighter in San Jose, Jeff was kind enough to spend the day showing us his San Francisco. And man, does he know San Francisco. He took us to Fort Point just under the Golden Gate Bridge. Built between 1853 and 1861, Fort Point is now a National Historic Site. Unfortunately it’s only open Friday through Sunday and it was Wednesday so we were relegated to photographing around the exterior of the building. What we really wanted to do is get up on the roof (which you can do when the Fort is open) and photograph the Golden Gate Bridge from that vantage point. Instead I played with my newly acquired previously loved 70-200mm VRI f/2.8 lens and made this image of the trusses. It’s a challenge to photograph an iconic place in a new way and I’m sure this image is one you’ve probably seen before. Still it felt good to make something I hadn’t made before, in a place I’ve never visited, with a new lens. It’s the kind of stuff that brings a smile to my face. That and new friends 
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Matt Connors, Ray Ketcham. Ray Ketcham said: another Post from the road trip to SF by @SabrinaHenry http://tinyurl.com/2c3xdvx [...]
Sabrina-
I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed spending the day with you, Ray and Dorothy…aka “Sue” =) I wish that more of my days were spent wandering around with other photographers.
You are all welcome back anytime. In fact, I think we already made plans for our next visit, didn’t we?
We sure did Jeff! Maybe when Marco is next in town? Poor Dorothy won’t know what hit her when she meets him
This photograph is a perfect example of what it really is to see… not what we wish was there, but the beauty in what is actually there. (wonderful tones, btw)
Thanks Erin. You are my number 1 b&w fan!
I agree with Jeff. It was a wonderful experience, and the bonus for me was that conversations with Sabrina and Ray continued through and after dinners. We had so much to say! Jeff, I hope you and I can shoot together again soon. You are an amazing guide to San Francisco. And Sabrina and Ray, you know you are welcome here any time!
I think the next time we see you Dorothy, we’ll just pick up where we left off…sitting in your kitchen, pouring over images, and talking non-stop
And it won’t be a Wednesday 
This post makes me smile! Yes, I consider the community of photographers we encounter through the internet as a wonderful gift. I’ve had the privilege of meeting some of them with face-to-face and pulled out the camera for some photos. Glad you enjoyed yourself.
I think this image works well in black and white. Still smiling.
“Ray and Dorothy became fast friends over their lighting gear”
Heeeee. That brought a smile to my face. Yep, the photography community definitely kicks arse!
God I miss San Francisco. I’ve been there only 3 times, the last of which was a 2 week trip that became one wonderful, long, lone photowalk (the husband was there for work so I played tourist while he was at the office), but I think I’m suffering from the Tony Bennet heart syndrome…
In the interest of accuracy I must modify the statement to read “Ray and Dorothy became fast friends over *his* lighting gear.” I mostly coveted. Still . . . good times.
It’s such a small world! I spent ten days in Italy this year with Marco, Jeff, David, and Stuart. And Jeffrey Chapman of course.
Maybe I’ll pop out from behind a light pole or something next time you are in San Francisco, Sabrina. I like surprises
San Francisco is great, isn’t it? I have a good friend who lives there, and I’ve visited her a number of times over the years. There’s such character and a good vibe to the place.
Walking up and down those hills a couple of times a day would sure give you thighs of steel, wouldn’t they?