Somehow, Instagram just seemed inadequate, so I left my smartphone off.
After all, I was in the 29th floor apartment of Phil McGrew, the man who took the shot seen 'round the world. An amazing photograph of the Bay Bridge being pelted by lightning strikes.
By day, he's a currencies trader. By night, he takes awesome photographs. This particular one went viral in a hurry, making McGrew a social media star. "This was shared, this was shared..." said McGrew at his desk, staring slack-jawed at the tens of thousands of hits his photo got on Facebook and Twitter.
Having moved to San Francisco a couple of years ago, McGrew took up photography as a hobby. He's really good at it, checking apps like "Lightning Finder" (as cool as it sounds) while he uses mathematics to determine the best angles and timing for his shots.
He also steadfastly refuses to take payment for his photo, standing proudly by his amateur status. It's a cool story about someone in the right place at the right time - with a breathtaking view of the Bay Bridge.
Scott strikes on Twitter: @scottbudman
