Ridgecrest Blvd view of Stinson Beach

This image was taken from Ridgecrest Boulevard, looking west toward Stinson Beach. My model walked with me near the road and then continued west along the path of the hill. Coming from the northern entrance of Mount Tamalpais, drive south along Ridgecrest Boulevard. While you're driving, be sure to keep a lookout on the left for a "no parking" gate next to the Mount Tamalpais Watershed sign. Park your car in the available pullout. From there, hike about 500 feet south until you see a hill that aligns with Stinson Beach in the distance. For the exact location of where I stood, refer to the GPS coordinates.

Mount Tamalpais is accessible any time of the year; however, I took this photo in June. During the spring months, the grassy hills will sprout into a vibrant green and appear slightly different than the amber-hued grass seen in my shot.

The sunset will cast a warm, mellow glow that'll light up the scenery and valley below the hills.

Watch behind you for oncoming cars, as they might drive closely behind you when you're next to the road.

It's a vast scene, so I think it's best to shoot with a telephoto lens. I used an 81mm focal length for this perspective.

Try to utilize the nearby grass as a foreground. In doing so, you'll create depth in your shot.

Have a model run down onto the small hill (shown in the photo above) for a sense of scale.

Head west toward the water and check out the various beaches of Marin County. Some of the closest are Stinson Beach, Red Rock Beach and Upton Beach.