Usually I keep my old camera on Auto mode then just aim and shoot. I take a million pics and hope a few come out okay.
This morning, during my walk to work through Mission Valley, I was fortunate to capture some weirdly artistic photographs. I paused a few times on the south side of the San Diego River as the sun rose. The slanting light illuminated patches of red algae, bright green reeds and tangles of dry branches.
Hundreds of colorful tiles encircle a large playground at Liberty Station. Each tile was carefully painted by a child. This one contains a special message.
One great thing about Little Italy, a lively neighborhood in downtown San Diego, is the abundance of public art. Should you ever walk down India Street past the many coffee shops, restaurants and art galleries, you’ll almost certainly find yourself lingering in front of a colorful mural. They seem to be everywhere.
I recently strolled down India Street and took these photos:
We’re back in Barrio Logan’s famous Chicano Park with more pics!
The mural featured here is a very long one. It’s painted behind the park’s fenced basketball court, on a low wall that borders Interstate 5. Like the other public murals in Chicano Park, it’s a colorful hodgepodge of figures and symbols that seem to share one general theme: Mexican American pride and empowerment.
The photos move along the mural from right to left.
Barrio Logan, just south of downtown San Diego, is bursting with huge, colorful street murals. Several great examples can be found around the intersection of Harbor Drive and Cesar Chavez Parkway. The one shown in these pics is immediately north of the intersection.
This mural is fairly large, so I’ve broken it up into several photos, moving from left to right. The first part depicts kids and playful, animated fruit. This gives way to a scene of a train moving through what appears to be an estuary full of birds. A narrow panel along the side of the train is made of a shiny, reflective material.
I believe this mural was painted by Salvador Roberto Torres, who was one of the founders of nearby Chicano Park.
A carefree walk with open eyes is a feast. One meanders into endless discoveries. Even cheap wares on the sidewalk or cart are worth a moment’s attention.
These photos of crafts, curios and colorful clutter were taken during an ordinary walk along San Diego’s Embarcadero.
The other day, while shuffling along what seemed to be an unremarkable sidewalk in downtown San Diego, my legs were suddenly arrested and my eyes transfixed by this awesome street art. A fun-loving, imaginative artist did a great job of enlivening this construction site fence, which can be found on 8th Avenue just north of Market Street.
Just some photos taken in Balboa Park of people enjoying life.
As I mentioned in my last blog post, I took a whole lot of photos during my walk through Chicano Park. Here are some images from the east side of the public park, right next to Interstate 5. A few picnic benches and unusual features can be found in this area.
Some of these photographs might cause a strong reaction. As I’ve mentioned before, this blog aims to be nonpolitical. I just aim my old camera at interesting things around San Diego…and you decide what to make of it all!
This polished memorial stands apart from the murals, by a small patch of green grass.
Chicano Park is located in Barrio Logan, a mostly Mexican American and immigrant community just south of downtown San Diego. The eight acre park features almost a hundred murals painted on concrete pillars that support the intersection of the Coronado Bay Bridge and Interstate 5. This colorful park, quickly glimpsed by motorists speeding down the freeway, contains the largest collection of outdoor murals in the United States. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places due to its unique history with the Chicano civil rights movement.
I recently took a leisurely walk through the park and captured hundreds of photographs. I’ve got so many pics, I’ve grouped them depending upon their location in the park. This blog post includes photos of murals I enjoyed while walking under the freeway ramps that connect the Coronado Bay Bridge to southbound I-5.
You’ll see a strange mixture of images in these murals: ancient Aztecs, indigenous peoples, workers, revolutionaries, school children, pop culture icons, scientists, politicians…and almost anything else you might imagine. The diverse and often weird combinations seem to include one overarching theme: Mexican American empowerment.
The first photograph shows what I saw as I entered the park, walking up National Avenue from the south. These artists were painting a pillar with an image of Mexico.
I’ve got a ton more pics, so stayed tuned in the days ahead!
Cool San Diego Sights! 