Story
This photograph marks a turning point in my life as a photographer.
In 2006, after more than a decade away from photography, I finally stepped into the digital era. My old film camera had broken around twelve years earlier, and at the time I couldn't afford to repair or replace it. Life moved on. I pursued other interests, built a career, and photography gradually slipped into the background.
Then digital cameras arrived.
After watching the technology mature, I purchased my first DSLR: a Nikon D70. It felt like being reunited with an old friend.
This photograph was taken on the very first day.
I spent the day wandering through San Francisco with my new camera, photographing anything that caught my attention. There was no plan, no destination, and no assignment. I was simply rediscovering the joy of looking at the world through a viewfinder.
Somewhere near Crissy Field, I came across this weathered section of a pier. A rusted bolt, streaked with years of exposure to salt air and weather, sat directly above a sign that read: "No Dumping — Drains to Bay."
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