With my upcoming trip to Sydney and the subsequent holiday madness I decided to make a quick run down to the San Francisco Bay Area. Of course I have captured the city on many occasions over the years but there has been one vantage point I have always wanted to capture. I just could never find the time to plan this excursion and I didn’t have the right equipment until several years ago.

To capture the city from the Berkeley hills, here’s what you will need.

• Time – to research and explore the Grizzly Peak area and roads around the campus and hills. There are many great vantage points to choose from.
• Weather – you will need clear skies and good visibility. The bay area is usually hazy or foggy and not ideal for this long of a distance.
• A long lens – you will need a fairly long lens. In this case I used the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L lens. 200mm probably won’t cut it as your subject is just too far.
• Tripod – you will need a very sturdy, heavy duty tripod. I used a full size manfrotto with a gimbal mount. Even with that, I still had to contend with wind shake. Keep the tripod as low to the ground as possible.
• Patience – take your time. Something is bound to test your resolve or patience.

Overall it was a good outing. I got some good shots and will likely be going back again before year end to retake a couple of the shots.

Have you captured the city? What’s your favorite vantage point?