Location:
Fort Point, San Francisco, California
Golden Gate Bridge – Winter 2021
37.8106° N, 122.4772° W
Story Behind the Shot:
This photo was taken at Fort Point, a unique surf spot tucked directly beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. While taking photos from up above on the bridge, I noticed surfers paddling out to catch some waves down below. At first glance, this image is all about the Golden Gate Bridge. But if you look closer, you’ll notice the real subject: a surfer riding a wave at the base of one of the world’s most iconic landmarks. I had no idea a surfable wave even existed here, and as someone just getting into surfing at the time, I knew I had to capture it.
This shot is also one of the luckiest I’ve ever taken. By this point, only a sliver of sunlight was passing through the bridge. Timing was everything, and I somehow managed to capture the surfer just as he passed through that shallow patch of light while carving across the wave. It’s a perfect mix of timing of swell conditions, the surfer’s athletic skill, and the fleeting lighting conditions, a moment of pure chance that came together perfectly.
