Receiving Hope

Here is a story of how I came about the above picture. The responses and feedback that i have received from this picture is greater than any other picture I have taken. What an awesome feeling to have a picture I have taken to be liked and admired by so many. It almost feels a little uncomfortable and for some odd reason, i feel slightly guilty for getting such attention. Very very odd.

Looks great in a larger size and on a black background-->Nature's Night Light

One of those rare crystal clear nights with the perfect big puffy clouds above my city San Francisco.

This picture was taken from my former backyard in Oakland. I since then moved but I never forgot how awesome the views were from that first purchased house. The house was really small, 900 sq ft. but the back yard was huge and had a great view
as you can see.

When I was driving home from work in the wee hours of the morning, i was mesmerized by the clouds and how bright it was. By the time I crossed the bridge I looked back at the city and could not believe how huge the clouds looked compared to the city. The only place I could quickly think of with a clear view towards the city to try and capture this shot was my old house. Fortunately I knew one of my old neighbors was selling her house and it was empty. I hope her fence to get to my old deck. Climbed up the joining fence to my old deck and started to shoot away. I never even thought of neighbors catching me do this and calling the police.

The negative thoughts of what could happen didn't even enter my mind until afterwards. None of my life worries mattered at that moment because the image in my head and what i was seeing completely possessed and mesmerized me. The only thought in my overly tired and stressed out head was a sense of awe at what nature was showing me and what she was expressing to me at that moment. She, Mother Nature, was showing me and anyone else up at that crazy time the prospective of how insignificant we all are compared to the universe we live in.

The picture went with what i was feeling and how i was looking at my life at that moment. It is not often I am able to speak through my photography in such a profound way. I am now convinced that i must be totally exhausted and worn down in order to see, compose and take better pictures. I think i will write up a series of theory books on, "How to let the photographer in you express itself through total exhaustion and mental burn out."

I am sure it would sell and become an Oprah Book Club must read or a New York's best seller. Anyone want to join in??? hehehehe

In all seriousness, I just lucked out all the way around that night. I didn't get caught for trespassing and I captured one of my best shots ever. Life just seems to throw us a bone every once in awhile to keep the only thing worth living for, Hope.