Golden Gate Bridge

I had business in San Francisco and was on the fence about bringing my camera gear, mainly because the weather called for two straight days of pouring rain.  Well, it did rain for two straight days, however, the day before showed the storm coming in just before dusk.  Since I was arriving in the afternoon, I took a chance and spent the late afternoon all around the Golden Gate Bridge.  Perfect timing I might add as the storm clouds rolled in but not before a great day hiking the beautiful park.  By dusk, it began to pour and I was drenched waiting for a taxi to pick me up.  Some of the best times for a photographer are just before and right after a big storm.  Of course, you have to expect to get a little wet.... People in Arizona don't live in the rain and typically run inside at the onset of any possible weather (if you did that in Portland, you would never go outside!)  I did this most of my life.... Not anymore....Live a little!

Sometimes the best locations for photographs are known to the locals... I asked a guy at the cafe near the bridge for any cool spots and he walked me past the public area to a restricted area away from the crowds....

These last two photos were tough to take as it was pouring rain and as much as I tried to shield my lens, there was so much water on it.  I would clean it and have time for one photo before it would be wet again...Ugh!

Lugging my 30+ pound camera gear on the plane for a chance to shoot for a couple hours paid off!  The joy of this almost-lost adventure carried me through the next two days of gloomy weather spent in a conference room.