HDR Photography
There are some truly spectacular spots on UC Berkeley’s campus including this spot just outside Stephens hall, a quiet place beside a babbling brook to escape from all of the undergrads shuffling between classes. I took this shot around sun down and captured this shot which makes it look like the creek is on fire.
In keeping with my theme for the past week I’ve got a shot of a bright red flower. With their fantastic bright red color of the petals and the black markings in the center these flowers were just begging to be photographed. If anyone’s got any idea what kind of flowers these are I’d be interested to find out.
Berkeley is completely filled with lemon trees bearing fruit which largely goes to waste. But what is a shame for the tree owners is a great thing for photographers because the texture and color of the fruit really pops against a beautiful blue sky on a beautiful sunny afternoon.
Berkeley has a Student Machine Shop, and my scientific experiments would never get off the group without it. I’ve lost track of the number of times that I’ve needed a part that has never before been made–I can only imagine in my mind what I need. I make some preliminary drawings, and I head up to the shop to machine this fantasy part from aluminum or, more rarely, steel. To see that form from my imagination slowly becoming reality is one of the most exciting experiences I’ve ever had. (It’s probably worth noting that I started as a sculptor before transitioning to photography.)
This particular photograph is of a milling machine, used to make planes, grooves, and holes in metal. In many ways, it’s a lot more flexible than a lathe (the other ubiquitous machine shop tool), but also a bit more threatening looking.
A very popular plant in Berkeley, the Calla lily also makes a pretty respectable photography subject.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Decaseconds 