Tag: photography

Early morning light touches East Village.

Morning look toward East Village buildings from trolley station.
Morning look toward East Village buildings from trolley station.

These photos were taken a few weeks ago in the early morning.  I was on the way to work and feeling energized, so I walked about the 12th and Imperial trolley station to enjoy the views.

Buildings near Petco Park touched by early morning light.
Buildings near Petco Park touched by early morning light.
San Diego Central Library dome gilded by rising sun.
San Diego Central Library dome gilded by rising sun.
Early morning in San Diego.
Early morning in San Diego.

Delightful heaps of junk on a working pier.

Solitary float on a pile of rusted rebar.
Solitary float on a pile of rusted rebar.

Tuna Harbor’s G Street Pier is one of my favorite places in San Diego.  The views of downtown and the bay are magnificent.  There are birds for company and swaying boats on all sides.  There are lobster traps stacked, nets in huge mounds, and heaps of amazing junk.

Take a look!

Ropes and chains in a delightful tangle.
Ropes and rusted chains in a delightful tangle.
Just a bunch of junk on Tuna Harbor Pier.
Just a bunch of junk on the Tuna Harbor pier.
Looking beyond colorful garbage at boats in the harbor.
Looking beyond colorful garbage at boats in the harbor.
Broken pallets lean against mound of nets covered in plastic.
Broken pallets lean against mound of nets covered in plastic.
Detached boat structure on pier frames San Diego skyscrapers.
Detached boat structure on pier frames San Diego skyscrapers.
Colorful floats scattered on Tuna Harbor Pier.
Colorful floats scattered on the public pier.
Adopt a Beach garbage can overflows on a pier.
Adopt a Beach garbage can overflows on the G Street Pier.
A working pier can resemble a chaotic junkyard.
A working pier can resemble a chaotic junkyard.
A leaf rake lies atop a ball of nets and ropes.
A leaf rake lies atop a ball of nets and ropes.
A large weed grows out of old nets on a working pier.
A large weed grows out of a small hill of old nets.
A beautiful image of sinuous yellow floats.
A beautiful image of sinuous yellow floats on a seine net.

History at Horton Plaza Park construction site.

North part of the Horton Plaza Park construction site behind fence.
North part of the Horton Plaza Park construction site behind fence.

A large area between Broadway and the Horton Plaza shopping mall is fenced off for construction.  One end of the downtown mall has already been demolished and leveled to the bare ground.  The long-neglected Horton Plaza Park is being enlarged!

On the fence surrounding the construction site are a number of interesting old photographs showing the park’s history.

When real estate developer Alonzo Horton built the Horton House hotel (now the U.S. Grant Hotel) in his “New Town” in 1870, he included a small plaza on the hotel  grounds.  In 1895 he sold the half block plaza to the growing city of San Diego, stating his objective was “to provide a central, commodious and attractive place for public meetings, public announcements, public recreation and for any other proper public purposes, a place where all public questions might be discussed with comfort, where public open-air concerts might be given, where the people might rest, and where children might play in safety.”  In 1909 the first fountain in the United States to feature electric lights was installed in the park.

Over the years, the small park has seen a whole lot of history, as the following photographs at today’s construction site demonstrate.  Horton Plaza Park was designated a historical landmark by the City of San Diego in 1971.

Horton Plaza Park during 1935 California Pacific International Exposition.
Horton Plaza Park during 1935 California Pacific International Exposition.
Horton Plaza Park crowded for V-J Day celebration.
Horton Plaza Park crowded for V-J Day celebration.

The streets were crowded with a spontaneous celebration when World War II finally ended.

Thousands attend rally for John F. Kennedy in Horton Plaza Park.
Thousands attend rally for John F. Kennedy in Horton Plaza Park.

On November 2, 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy spoke at Horton Plaza Park, seeking votes in the upcoming presidential election.  A huge crowd turned out.

How the new Horton Plaza Park will look at completion.
Sign shows how the new Horton Plaza Park will look at completion.

The beautifully renovated park will include lots of space for public events, including outdoor concerts!

A huge area has been cleared to make way for the new park.
A huge area has been cleared to make way for the new park.

Here’s a pic I took on January 31, 2015…

Construction of the new Horton Plaza Park is well underway in early 2015.
Construction of the new Horton Plaza Park is well underway in early 2015.

Cool pedestrian bridge over Harbor Drive.

Cool pedestrian bridge over Harbor Drive.
Cool pedestrian bridge over Harbor Drive.

This cool new pedestrian bridge spans Harbor Drive between the San Diego Convention Center and Petco Park.

The unique suspension bridge took longer to build than anticipated.  According to media reports I saw, the firm that designed it originally miscalculated how much weight it could hold!

Here are a few more pics!

Moon rising over the cool Harbor Drive bridge.
Moon rising over the cool Harbor Drive bridge.
Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge, Omni Hotel and Petco Park.
Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge, Omni Hotel and Petco Park.
Pedestrian crosses Harbor Drive on a fantastic bridge.
Pedestrian crosses Harbor Drive on a fantastic bridge.
People cross the beautiful Harbor Drive bridge.
People cross the beautiful bridge in downtown San Diego.

Clock tower at 12th and Imperial trolley station.

Clock tower at 12th and Imperial trolley station reflected in windows.
Clock tower at 12th and Imperial reflected in windows.

I got some unusual photos of the clock tower that stands next to the transit center at the 12th and Imperial trolley station downtown.  The clock is one cool San Diego sight that can be seen from many points in the city.

Looking up the interior of the clock tower structure.
Looking up the interior of the clock tower structure.

You can stand inside the base of the tower and look outward!

Clock tower above musician on Harbor Drive bridge.
Clock tower above musician on Harbor Drive bridge.

Stunning sunrise over downtown San Diego.

Blazing sunrise seen from Tweet Street park in San Diego.
Blazing sunrise seen from Tweet Street park in San Diego.

Check out these photographs!  I captured these three amazing images early this morning.  Sunrises over San Diego are often beautiful, but today the brightly painted clouds were absolutely stunning!

Fiery sunrise over Cortez Hill in downtown San Diego.
Fiery sunrise over Cortez Hill in downtown San Diego.
Beautiful sunrise colors clouds above El Cortez Hotel.
Beautiful sunrise colors clouds above El Cortez Hotel.

Just for fun, here are a couple more photos! I took these in March of 2015…

El Cortez seen from a couple blocks away early one morning at sunrise.
El Cortez seen from a couple blocks away early one morning at sunrise.
The sun begins to rise as I take a picture on Cortez Hill.
The sun begins to rise as I take a picture on Cortez Hill.

Sailboats race on shining San Diego Bay.

Sailboats on shining San Diego Bay.
Sailboats on shining San Diego Bay.

I snapped these photos almost directly into the sun.  I assumed they’d turn out lousy.  But the effect is actually pretty cool!  To me it looks like white sails winging through a brightly shining heavenly space!

Sailboats race in a bright silvery space.
Sailboats race in a bright silvery space.

UFO spotted above Rotary clock at Liberty Station.

UFO spotted above Rotary clock at Liberty Station.
UFO spotted above Rotary clock at Liberty Station.

I was going through some of the photos I took while walking along the boat channel at Liberty Station.  This elegant clock donated by the Rotary Club has always struck me as odd–it stands for no reason on what is essentially a nature path among palm trees.

But something else seemed a bit weird in this pic.  There seemed to be a small dot directly above the clock.  I magnified the image and discovered a UFO!  Looks to me like a distant flying saucer!

I thought the strange dot might be an aircraft taking off from nearby Lindbergh Field, but it’s way too small and doesn’t look like any airplane.  What is it???

It looks like a flying saucer to me!
It looks like a flying saucer to me!

Beautiful color and art at Broadway Pier.

Roof of Broadway Pier Port Pavilion and clouds in blue sky.
Roof of Broadway Pier’s beautiful Port Pavilion and clouds in blue sky.

I really like the above photo.  That’s the rooftop of the relatively new Port Pavilion at San Diego’s Broadway Pier.  I got this colorful pic while standing to the south on nearby Navy Pier.

Until recently the Broadway Pier was a bit barren.  Years ago I remember a small two-level observation structure in the middle, with some potted trees arranged about it.

The pier itself was built in 1919.  It has been used by the Navy, the local fishing fleet, and even the royal yacht Britannia during a visit in 1983 by Queen Elizabeth.  Today the pavilion accommodates special events and cruise ships.

Broadway Pier and downtown San Diego skyscrapers.
Broadway Pier and downtown San Diego skyscrapers.

This second photo puts that rooftop in context.  What a gorgeous December day!

Here comes a third pic taken on a summer day. The silvery stainless steel artwork on the building’s facade was created by internationally renowned artist and lighting designer Leni Schwendinger. It’s called Tidal Radiance.

The shining public art appears like sunlight reflected from rippling water. It also lights up at night.

Front of Broadway Pier structure faces Harbor Drive.
Tidal Radiance on front of Port Pavilion, facing Harbor Drive.

Here’s another pic taken on a later day just for fun…

Pier pilings, harbor cruise boat and the beautiful pavilion.
Water, pier piles, harbor cruise boat and the beautiful pavilion.

And, finally, two more! The last photo, taken in early October 2014, shows colorful umbrellas and tables recently added near the foot of the Broadway Pier.

Very nice!

Altered photo of the glittering Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier.
Altered photo of the glittering Tidal Radiance.
Tables and umbrellas have been added near the foot of the Broadway Pier.
Tables and umbrellas have been added near the foot of the Broadway Pier.

…

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The Headquarters opens by Seaport Village.

The Headquarters shops by Seaport Village.
The Headquarters shops by Seaport Village.

Several weeks ago a cool new small shopping center opened up adjacent to Seaport Village on downtown San Diego’s waterfront.  It’s called The Headquarters at Seaport District, and it’s located in the old police headquarters.

I remember visiting the San Diego Police headquarters here back in the early eighties, before it moved.   For a couple decades these historic and beautiful buildings sat empty and unused.  I’m glad that they’ve finally been restored!

Looking through festive arch at The Headquarters.
Looking through festive arch at The Headquarters.
This was the location of the old police headquarters.
This was the location of the old police headquarters.
Historical sign shows location of old San Diego barracks.
Historical sign shows location of old San Diego barracks.

Across Harbor Drive to the north you can find an interesting historical marker. First established as an Army supply depot, this was the location of the San Diego Barracks from 1850 to 1921.

A farmers market is held on Sundays at The Headquarters.
A farmers market is held on Sundays at The Headquarters.

I took the above photo on a sunny Sunday afternoon!