California – Page 55

(Sub)Urban Decay

2012-Jan-102013-Aug-16 adohertyhLeave a comment

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

2012-Jan-09 emceehammrLeave a comment

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

2012-Jan-072016-Jul-15 adohertyhLeave a comment

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

2012-Jan-06 emceehammrLeave a comment

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

2012-Jan-052016-Jul-15 adohertyhLeave a comment

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

2012-Jan-04 emceehammrLeave a comment

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

2012-Jan-03 adohertyhLeave a comment

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.

Berkeley’s North Gate at Night (And Happy New Year!)

2012-Jan-022011-Dec-31 emceehammrLeave a comment

Here’s a shot where the power of HDR photography is really evident. We have regions, like the street lights and the lights on top of the gate, which are over-illuminated and other regions, like the trees and the texture of the gate pillars themselves, which are under-illuminated but when you apply some tone-mapping you get a great image where you bring out the cool lighting while still picking up the cool little details.

The ALS

2011-Dec-302011-Dec-30 emceehammrLeave a comment

Last post for today (making up for a lack of posts all week) is this shot of the Advanced Light Source (the domed building) at Berkeley Lab as seen from the Berkeley hills shortly before sunset. With the haze it sort of reminds me of some sort of mountain top compound used for nefarious purposes.

Sather Tower

2011-Dec-302013-Aug-16 emceehammr1 Comment

It may be a bit trite but any photo blog based in Berkeley should probably have a picture of one of the most prominent structures on campus. I’ve always admired the way the Campanile is illuminated at night, making it seem much less isolated than it is in fact.

Doe Memorial Library

2011-Dec-302011-Dec-30 emceehammr1 Comment

I really like this shot I took of Cal’s Doe library which makes the big north reading room seem so warm and inviting.

Bowles Hall, a.k.a. California Hogwarts

2011-Dec-292011-Dec-29 adohertyh3 Comments

UC Berkeley’s Bowles Hall holds the distinction of being the oldest dormitory on campus, and probably the most durable; despite a huge variety of attempts to dismantle it or convert it to other purposes, the hall and its fraternity-esque traditions remain.

Designed by George Kelham, it also happens to be one of the most beautiful buildings on Berkeley’s campus. I’m a particularly huge fan of California Gothic and the way concrete is used in place of stone to similar, but cleaner, effect. The ability of HDR tone mapping to capture that texture without losing the detail in the windows is a great demonstration of the technique for a practical, as well as artistic, purpose.

Pacifica Pier

2011-Dec-242016-Jul-15 adohertyhLeave a comment

On a chilly Christmas Eve, it can be nice to think back to warmer times. I thought I would continue from Brendan’s shot over Puget Sound and post a shot from the beach. A few months ago, I was lucky enough to go crabbing with some friends in Pacifica, CA. The pier was absolutely packed with fishermen and all of the contraptions used to get crabs. I was most struck, however, by the hexagonal cross section of the pier itself, and the great rust colors next to the water.

Sunset Over San Francisco, Round I

2011-Dec-222016-Jul-15 adohertyh1 Comment

Grizzly Peak, in the hills above Berkeley, is a great spot to get photos of San Francisco–if the weather cooperates. Though it was a bit foggy on this particular day, it afforded a great chance to see some interesting shadows. San Francisco itself is just visible beneath the sun.

This is also a great instance of just how useful HDR can be, as a technique; sunset images without tone mapping typically require the foreground to be completely silhouetted.

Strawberry Creek

2011-Dec-212011-Dec-30 emceehammr1 Comment

Getting any sort of reasonable image of Strawberry Creek has been difficult recently with the recent environmental calamity, but even with all of the activity, pontoons and petrochemicals it was still possible to capture this long-ish exposure image of one of the forks of the creek as it runs through UC’s campus.