Climbing a Mountain on a Foggy Morning

Learning about AI has taken precedence over almost all creative activity during the past six months. Not only am I reading less fiction, but I’m also using my cameras infrequently. I’ve felt very guilty about being an absentee photographer, only making opportunistic images with my iPhone. 

Creator’s guilt is my kryptonite — so when Chris Michel messaged to ask if I wanted to go to Mount Davidson, I overcame my Sunday morning laziness and hoofed up the hill. Chris used the magic words: “It’s super foggy,” he said. I am doing my usual long-term review of the (new) Leica SL3. 

Lately, I’ve started walking around with Sigma f/2.8 45mm and Sigma f/2.8 90mm L-mount lenses. They give me the option to flick a switch to toggle between manual and autofocus modes. They’re sharp, have good contrast and good colors — three qualities I don’t care about as much. However, what I do care about is that they’re small and very light. 

It was so foggy that Mount Davidson was nearly shrouded. You could barely see the treetops from a distance. When I entered the forest, everything was soaking wet. The forest floor was muddy. The trails and stairs were slippery, and the vegetation glistened with moisture. I didn’t expect any of that. When you have a camera and are walking around with a photographer friend, time flies. 

I got busy with work but finally sat down to look at the images last night. I was quickly reminded that photography, like physical exercise, is indeed a practice that pays off if done frequently. Here is a curated selection from the very foggy morning adventure. 

July 24, 2024. San Francisco