Exploring the Beauty of Lake Merced: A Personal Reflection

A female Mallard duck attending to her ducklings

Wildlife photography became my niche a few years ago, and from that moment, it felt like my true calling. I have a particular interest in birds and have mastered shooting in Manual mode as if it were second nature. The Tamron 150-600 f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 lens I bought last year from (http://usedphotopro.com) is one lens that is hardly ever taken off my camera. Using that lens makes me feel like a true professional. It has produced photos that only other professional photographers could create.

But, getting back to the point of this post, my favorite location is Lake Merced in San Francisco. It truly is a hidden gem in a city that is 49 square miles. The lake is fairly big but is split into several parts, and I am usually at the southern part looking for White-crowned sparrows or Mallard ducks displaying their natural behaviors. I frequently spot American Loons. One day, I had the privilege of watching their fighting behavior and captured some magnificent pictures. National Geographic, are you ready to hire me now?

Of course, there is Golden Gate Park its own locations where photographers can get lost for the day. But that is a blog post for another time. I can walk to Lake Merced from my house in about 20-30 minutes if I walk fairly fast. I love the exercise it provides, although I used to be scared to go by myself sometimes. Now, I walk over there with confidence. I have yet to actually walk around the whole lake because I think I would get tired easily. According to Wikipedia (link), Lake Merced has an area of 614 acres, which is nearly 1 square mile.

I feel incredibly fortunate to live near this wonderful area and all that it offers, as it’s not just about the birds. People ride their bikes, walk with their dogs, or just sit on a park bench reading a book. That’s all for now.