Tag: mysterious

A photographic adventure by the water.

I enjoyed a small photographic adventure yesterday evening.

Walking along the Embarcadero, camera in hand, I gazed out toward San Diego Bay and the descending sun. Occasionally I paused to frame long shadows, glowing clouds, silhouettes and bright reflections on the water.

These photographs represent a segment of my walk from Broadway Pier to the Greatest Generation Walk, just south of the USS Midway.

The exaggerated contrasts in these photos were produced by my camera’s automatic mode. When I shoot into the sun, many of the resulting images can appear very dramatic. And darkly mysterious!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

What’s that up there?

A dirty spot.
A dirty spot.

During a recent morning walk through downtown San Diego and the Gaslamp Quarter, my curious eyes kept turning upward.

What’s that up there?

New paint.
Fresh paint.
The sun about to rise.
The sun about to rise.
A baseball cap.
A baseball cap.
Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu.
Construction at the 1887 Grand Pacific Hotel.
Construction at the 1887 Grand Pacific Hotel.
A guy hanging from the roof of a hostel.
A guy hanging from the roof of a downtown hostel!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Mysterious reflections of ships on water.

Reflection on the water of HMS Surprise.
Reflection on the water of HMS Surprise.

Early this morning I walked from Cortez Hill down to San Diego Bay. I spent a few quiet minutes between the Maritime Museum of San Diego and the Grape Street Pier.

The sun was very bright. It wasn’t long before I noticed wavy reflections of ships on the water!

Without reading the photo captions, can you identify each ship by its mysterious reflection?

Reflection on the water of Steam Ferry Berkeley.
Reflection on the water of Steam Ferry Berkeley.
Reflection on the water of HMS Surprise and Steam Ferry Berkeley.
Reflection on the water of HMS Surprise and Steam Ferry Berkeley.
Reflection on the water near USS Dolphin of Steam Ferry Berkeley.
Reflection on the water near USS Dolphin of Steam Ferry Berkeley.
Reflection on the water of Medea, Pilot, America, San Salvador, and Californian.
Reflection on the water of Medea, Pilot, America, San Salvador, and Californian.
Reflection on the water of Admiral Hornblower.
Reflection on the water of Admiral Hornblower.
Reflection on the water of Star of India.
Reflection on the water of Star of India.
Reflection on the water of Star of India.
Reflection on the water of Star of India.
Reflection on the water of Star of India.
Reflection on the water of Star of India.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A short story about travelling hearts.

I was startled this morning during my walk through the Gaslamp Quarter.

Something peculiar was moving directly toward me along the sidewalk. For a split second I thought it was a person.

Then I did a double take.

A bundle of heart-shaped balloons was heading my way!

The cluster of balloons moved slowly down the sidewalk, propelled by a gentle breeze. Occasionally they’d float upward a foot or two, then quietly float back to Earth.

The travelling hearts came to a street corner. They seemed to hesitate. They turned decisively and began steadily down another sidewalk!

After venturing into a patio space in front of one building, they lifted with apparent delight and settled down. They leaned against the rail.

Perhaps they wanted to watch people–other travelling hearts–go by.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

To read a few honest-to-goodness short stories that I’ve written, click Short Stories by Richard.

Sunrise at Balboa Park’s Desert Garden.

This morning I spent a few minutes in Balboa Park’s Desert Garden, enjoying a beautiful sunrise.

I had hoped to take photos of new snow on the mountains east of San Diego, but they were too distant for my small camera. What I did discover as I walked down one path was completely unexpected, and indescribably powerful…

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A silvery, sparkling tree in Little Italy.

Stand in certain spots on the North Embarcadero, look east toward Little Italy, and your eyes might be dazzled by a sparkling tree on a large wall.

The glittery abstract tree decorates the west side of the Broadstone Little Italy building, near the corner of Grape Street and California Street. The branches of the mirror mosaic rise above train and trolley tracks. As the sun descends toward San Diego Bay, the silvery tree really shimmers and shines.

I’ve learned that the artist’s name is Stephanie Clair and that her piece is called The Shimmer Tree!

The Shimmer Tree, public art in San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood by Stephanie Clair.
The Shimmer Tree, public art in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood by Stephanie Clair.

UPDATE!

Here’s a pic I took a couple years later over the railroad tracks from a different angle…

IMG_7665z

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A shining mystery at San Diego City College.

On Sunday I took photos of some intriguing public art on the grounds of San Diego City College.

The stainless steel sculpture stands atop a small grassy hill among trees near the intersection of Park Boulevard and B Street. Reflecting sunlight, its angled lines form a shining mystery!

I’ve walked past this sculpture several times in the past but can find no information concerning it. There do seem to be indications that a plaque or sign was once bolted to concrete by the nearby walkway.

I can also find no clues by searching the internet, or the school’s website.

If I obtain any info regarding the artist and this very cool sculpture, I’ll post an update. If you know something, please leave a comment!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

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Lines, curves, contrasts and mysteries.

A mazelike X by artist Bob Matheny. His works of Almost Anonymous, mind-teasing art can now be absorbed at the San Diego History Museum.
A mazelike X by artist Bob Matheny. His works of Almost Anonymous, mind-teasing art can now be absorbed at the San Diego History Museum.

I took these unusual photographs yesterday during my afternoon walk through Balboa Park.

Each image seemed uniquely interesting to me for one reason or another. My eyes were drawn to lines, curves, contrasts and mysteries.

The passage of time glimpsed underfoot. Contrasted modes of decay.
The passage of time glimpsed underfoot. Contrasted modes of decay.
An elemental drama. Trees battle sky.
An elemental drama. Trees battle sky.
In one photo nature subdues architecture.
In one photo nature subdues architecture.
The iconic California Tower is swallowed by vertical distance.
The iconic California Tower is swallowed by vertical distance.
Looking through an arch of the California Quadrangle toward the original Administration Building, first building completed for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.
Looking through an arch of the California Quadrangle toward the original Administration Building, the first building completed for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition.
Simple lines and curves, a small place in the park to rest.
Simple lines and curves: a small place in the park to rest.
Eyes are drawn in every direction in a nook beside the San Diego Museum of Art.
Eyes are pulled in every direction in a nook beside the San Diego Museum of Art.
Wild beauty is aesthetically arranged at the Japanese Friendship Garden.
Wild beauty is aesthetically arranged at the Japanese Friendship Garden.
The Japanese Friendship Garden, where reflection becomes meditation.
The Japanese Friendship Garden, where reflection becomes meditation.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

More visual complexity downtown.

My camera was busy yesterday.

Not only did I take some magical photos of Balboa Park after work, but before work I snapped cool, complex images of downtown San Diego.

My eyes were searching everywhere as I walked from Eighth Avenue on Cortez Hill west down Ash and Beech Street.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Cool reflections and shadows by the water.

I had some fun early this morning!

As I walked along San Diego Bay in the Crescent area, just north of the Grape Street Pier, I noticed all sorts of wavy reflections and elongated shadows. Many photographs, when I cropped them, became weird and mysterious.

A mermaid might’ve crossed through one photograph, but I’ll let you decide…

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!