A very popular plant in Berkeley, the Calla lily also makes a pretty respectable photography subject.
Category: Berkeley
Oxford Research
Today, I’m posting another photograph of UC Berkeley’s greenhouses at their Oxford Research station. This area has a bizarre mix of well-maintained, modern facilities along with others that look as though they haven’t been touched since the 1960’s. The vibe reminds me a bit of certain levels in Portal 2. More than anything, it’s amazing that I was able to stand around in the parking lot of this fascinating place for 20 minutes taking photos.
The Neighbors
I’ve always loved the little details of a gorgeous house–the tiny trim pieces, or the leaded glass windows. This particular shot reminded me of playing in the yard as a child. In the winter time, the sun set before dinner, so when the time came to head in, the house had this unearthly blue glow that made the warm light from inside so much more inviting.
Golden Gate Bridge in the Haze
Normally I’d have thrown a shot like this away as its no good for HDR (there are no details to enhance, only shadows) but looking at it and playing with the white balance and composition a bit I think I like the effect. There’s a sense of grand scale here with the top of the bridge emerging from the haze and with the infamous Alcatraz in the foreground.
Arnaldo Pomodoro’s Rotante dal Foro Centrale
This sculpture is frequently photographed (as a quick search of Flickr will reveal) but with all of the recesses and light and dark it’s a natural subject for some HDR photography. There will almost certainly be more to come of this one in future posts.
The Glowing Greenhouse
UC Berkeley has an enormous number of greenhouses just to the west of their main campus. The glow from inside them at night fit nicely with the streetlights reflecting off the low cloud cover on this particular night.
Double feature part 1, Hearst Mining Building Skylight
Hearst Mining Building is one of the prettier buildings on UC Berkeley’s campus, so you can expect it will probably show up a few more times. This is a picture of one of the skylights in the main hall. The mixture of textured brick and painted steel has always appealed to me.
Another shot of Berkeley Lab
Here is another shot of the advanced light source, previously featured here. This time we have a wider shot which includes part of the San Francisco skyline, the bay bridge, Treasure Island, the Golden Gate bridge, and the city of Berkeley. The lighting on the hill makes the ALS look particularly science-fiction-y.
(Sub)Urban Decay
I took a walk through suburban Berkeley at dusk. There’s a great moment, right as the sun sets, and the scattered light from the sky lights up every window. Try clicking on this photo and viewing the full size–there’s a different interesting reflection in almost every window of the house. The Edwardian architecture that influenced many of Berkeley’s older homes is on display in this photo, though it’s a shame to see such a beautiful house a bit run-down.
While I was walking, I also met these young gentlemen. They wanted me to take their picture, and I agreed to post it on the blog for them.
Stanley Hall at Night
This is another shot from the same night as the previously referenced environmental calamity (read: massive diesel spill) this time of ground zero. The iridescent facade looks interesting in the low light.
Trellis Shelter
These little alcoves on Berkeley’s campus are apparently great places to study. At night, in particular, their lighting makes for some fairly spectacular effects. This is the same area where Brendan found that great shot of the chessboard yesterday, and I thought it might be nice to show a broader view, too.
Chess Board at Night
My favorite part of this shot has got to be the contrast between the stone wall in the background and the brightly illuminated foliage just behind the table, providing an interesting backdrop for the aging wooden chairs and table.
Rear Window
Different types of lighting (e.g. incandescent, fluorescent, sodium vapor, mercury vapor…) produce light of different colors. Though that’s pretty common knowledge, mixing lighting types in one picture can have striking effects and add color to scenes that might be drab in daylight. I say, “scene,” because this picture strikes me as a bit cinematographic–or perhaps even like the set of a play. I can just imagine Sharks and Jets preparing to rumble around the corner…
The Bay Bridge Near Dusk
Another in our set of shots of San Francisco Bay in the evening, this shot features prominently the Bay Bridge as well as Yerba Buena island and the San Francisco skyline including the silhouette of Sutro Tower appearing to rise above the cloud cover rolling in over the city.
Brick and Steel
Berkeley isn’t particularly urban, and, as such, doesn’t have much of a skyline to speak of. Still, its taller buildings offer an interesting contrast in construction techniques and styles. I like the reflection that can be parsed out from the sum of the windows.
Decaseconds 