Point Boniat Lighthouse Bridge
Point Bonita lighthouse is one of three lighthouses marking the entrance to the Golden Gate, the most important trade route during the gold rush of the 19th century. The US coast guard still operates the lighthouse today and the National Park service gives visitors access. The lighthouse is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which boasts to be the largest urban National Park in the United States.
The lighthouse is unique in its construction on top of a small rock connected via a footbridge. The cold weather and the Pacific Ocean relentlessly pound the coast with the lighthouse suffering the full force of this beating. The lighthouse keeper’s misfortune is the photographer’s fortune, since the rocky cliffs add drama to the photographs of the lighthouse.
How to get there
The nps.gov website contains a very good description of how to get here directly from Highway 101, however I prefer Conzelman Road leading past Hawk Hill. It is much more dramatic and you will drive past what is arguably the most scenic view of the Golden Gate Bridge. The section of the road from Hawk Hill down is a one-way road.
GPS position
Point Bonita Lighthouse:
Marin Headlands Visitor Center:
Viewpoint:
How to photograph Point Bonita Lighthouse
Pt. Bonita Lighthouse from Viewpoint
The viewpoint is your only chance to see the lighthouse if you get here outside business hours. From this point, you have an excellent view of the Pacific and the lighthouse. You need a telephoto lens of 100mm or above to make sure the lighthouse is not too small in your picture.
From here, you can photograph the lighthouse and put it in perspective to the surrounding coast and the opening of the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Use a vertical composition to emphasize the rocky coastline. Include some of the rocks and the crashing waves.
Wait until dusk on foggy days. The fog will reflect the beam of the lighthouse and make a larger area glow when you shoot long exposures.
If you come during business hours, you can go through the tunnel and get a better view of the lighthouse (first picture in this article). In this picture, I used the bridge, leading to the lighthouse, to draw the viewer’s attention into the picture. The wide-angle perspective makes the bridge appear longer and even more treacherous. It only carries two persons at a time and sways dangerously when you walk too fast.
Point Bonita Lighthouse Framed
A park ranger ensures that only two people enter the bridge. You cannot spend much time on the bridge without angering your fellow visitors waiting their turn. Make sure you have everything ready (aperture priority, ISO-200 or above) to snap some quick shots. Give your partner a slight head start and shoot them from behind, walking over the bridge.
Two frames anchor the bridge at each side. You can take a shot with the two frames and the lighthouse perfectly lining up, framing the lighthouse accordingly. You will get only a few seconds to execute, namely when you are first in line before crossing the bridge toward the lighthouse. Get ready! Meter and set the exposure, take a few trial shots with people in them until you have everything right for the decisive moment.
Once on the other side, you can explore the tiny island with the lighthouse. I found the compositions from this distance much less appealing, but you can get some unique angles and shoot from inside the lighthouse or use it as a foreground for super-wide-angle photography. The view of the coast is unique and more rewarding than the lighthouse itself.
Best Time of the Day and Best Season
The best time to photograph the Lighthouse from the other side of the bridge would be mornings. However, at the time of this writing (April 2009), the Lighthouse opens only on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays between 12:30pm to 3:30pm. The administration closes the access tunnel and you cannot even get close to this area at all other times. Therefore, I recommend arriving early enough, so that you can be among the first people to visit. Otherwise, the afternoon will force you to shoot against the sun.
The park service also offers full moon sunset tours, but I do not know how well those cater to photographers’ needs.
Time required
It takes some time standing in line to cross the bridge and standing in line to cross it back (about 30 minutes). The short hike from the parking area to the lighthouse takes another 20 minutes round trip, if you are a brisk walker. If you add at least 40 minutes for photography, you need to plan for 90 minutes.
Equipment
- Wide-angle Lens (close)
- Telephoto Lens (viewpoint)
- Circular Polarizer
- Wind jacket (it gets very windy and cold out at the lighthouse, even in summer)
- Binoculars
Fees
A visit to the Point Bonita Lighthouse is free of charge.
Difficulty Getting There
The strange opening hours require luck or good planning. I have never been lucky enough to arrive “accidentally” at the correct time and finally did the research necessary.
Close Locations
- Golden Gate North Views
- Fort Baker (North Views Part 2)
- Marin Headlands Hike
- Kirby Cove Hike
- NIKE Missile Site
- Fort Cronkhite
- Sausalito and Tiburon
- Angel Island State Park
- Berkeley Bay Views
- Muir Woods
- Mt. Tamalpais
- Point Reyes Coastal Trail
- Tule Elk Reserve and Pierce Point Ranch
- Pt. Reyes Lighthouse and Chimney Rock
Useful Resources
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3 Comments
Great travel tips. I really like your first image. Well done!
Nice job as usual. Great tips. Great photos. And I love lighthouses. Just posted an IR version of one in New Jersey. Take care my friend!
Great article as usual Andre. I love first pic; the bridge seems so dangerous to cross. Must put this on my list during the next visit to San Francisco.