Tag: rainbows

Morning light and rainbow from Cortez Hill!

As I started my day at the top of Cortez Hill, I was greeted by magical morning light reflected from downtown buildings to the west and south.

Then I saw the rainbow!

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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!

Fantastic morning clouds and a mystery!

Can you see it in the above photograph? There seems to be a rainbow painting the clouds around the sun!

This and the following photos were taken a couple mornings ago in Mission Valley perhaps an hour after sunrise. I was going through the images just now, wondering if I should use them, when I noticed the rainbow colors!

What’s odd is the sun was in front of me, not behind. Perhaps this mysterious “rainbow” was caused by an interesting combination of refraction and reflection within the layered clouds. Or was this ring of color merely produced by my camera’s lens? That’s probably the explanation. That seems to be the case in the second photo.

These clouds might also be tinted by the last remnants of smoke from a recent wildfire in Mexico, south of Tecate.

I’ve added a little contrast and sharpened most of these photos so you can see more fantastic cloud detail.

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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!

Inspiring street art in Golden Hill.

Many colorful butterflies seem to have landed atop an electrical box in Golden Hill, forming a heart.
Many colorful butterflies seem to have landed atop an electrical box in Golden Hill, forming a heart.

Walk down one particular sidewalk in Golden Hill and you might find this inspiring street art.

The messages painted on the electrical box are simple but powerful.

Inspiring street art reveals the sun's bright message . . . Still I rise.
Simple, inspiring street art reveals the sun’s bright message . . . Still I rise.

I am riding a rainbow with a bow and arrow. Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.
I am riding a rainbow with a bow and arrow. Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.

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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 rainbow for Christmas in San Diego!

San Diego received a magical Christmas present early this afternoon. A sudden rainbow!

I was at the Maritime Museum of San Diego after some showers ended, and like a Christmas miracle the rainbow appeared!

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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!

Undulating spheres of rainbow joy!

Here’s a treat for your eyes!

I spotted a bubble producing street performer by Tuna Harbor as the sun was setting today, and he was nice enough to let me take a bunch of photos. Sunlight refracting through the bubbles became joyful rainbow spheres, which undulated like living dreams into the tinted sky.

Pure magic!

UPDATE!

I met the cool guy again in Balboa Park and learned his name is King Bubble!

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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!

Light, Rock and Water create color downtown!

A cool prism wall sculpture, beneath reflections of nearby downtown buildings.
A cool prism wall sculpture, beneath reflections of nearby downtown buildings.

Walk or drive in downtown San Diego past the corner of Broadway and Front Street, and you might glimpse rainbow colors splashed every which way!

For more than thirty years, a very cool sculpture has added surprising color and life to the public plaza at the entrance to 101 West Broadway. Titled Light, Rock and Water, the prism wall and accompanying elements were created by renowned New York artist Charles Ross. According to a small plaque, Ross has described his work as “cinematic in nature, seen as a sequence of spectrum images, some muted, some bright, but not all visible from any single vantage.”

I recently approached this public artwork and walked slowly all around it.

Here are some photos…

Walking along the public plaza near the corner of Broadway and Front Street in San Diego.
Walking along the public plaza near the corner of Broadway and Front Street in San Diego.

This fantastic sculpture at 101 West Broadway attracts curious eyes with its changing prismatic colors.
This fantastic sculpture at 101 West Broadway attracts curious eyes with its changing prismatic colors.

Light, Rock and Water, by Charles Ross, 1985. This is a prism wall environment with elements of light, rock and water. The renowned New York artist's first outdoor sculpture.
Light, Rock and Water, by Charles Ross, 1985. This is a prism wall environment with elements of light, rock and water. The renowned New York artist’s first outdoor sculpture.

Light reflecting from and passing through the prism wall reflects from a basin of water.
Light reflecting from and passing through the prism wall reflects from a basin of water.

A cool optical sculpture which includes various natural physical elements.
A cool optical sculpture which includes various natural physical elements.

The colors of the visible spectrum appear like linear rainbows at one's feet near this surprising sculpture.
The colors of the visible spectrum appear like linear rainbows at one’s feet near this surprising sculpture.

A colorful work of public art in downtown San Diego!
A colorful work of public art in downtown San Diego!

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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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Sunset magic on the G Street Pier.

The sun is setting across San Diego Bay above Navy ships docked at North Island.
The sun sets across San Diego Bay.  The sky changes color above Navy ships docked at North Island.

I saw magic today. I was standing out on the G Street Pier as the sun began to set.

What a pleasant evening for a walk.

Please enjoy these photos…

Birds above one last burst of sunlight.
Birds soar above one last burst of sunlight.

A slight rainbow appears at sunset above Point Loma.
A slight rainbow appears at sunset, between clouds above Point Loma.

A beautiful evening on the tranquil G Street Pier.
A beautiful evening on the tranquil G Street Pier.

The sunset turns fiery, painting the rippled water of San Diego Bay red.
The sunset turns fiery, painting the rippled water of San Diego Bay red.

Aircraft condensation trails catch the sun high in the sky, as light fades around fishing vessels docked at the G Street Pier.
Condensation trails high in the sky reflect the sun, as light fades around fishing vessels docked at the G Street Pier.

People linger into the evening at the end of the pier near Seaport Village. A pedicab with colorful lights turns around near a docked ship.
People linger at the end of the pier near Seaport Village into the evening. A pedicab with colorful lights turns around near a docked ship.

The Manchester Grand Hyatt towers turn golden in the last rays of the sun. A nearly full moon rises above them.
The Manchester Grand Hyatt towers turn golden in the last rays of the sun. A nearly full moon rises above them.

A magical moment at sunset in Tuna Harbor.
A magical moment at sunset in Tuna Harbor.

Sunset's bright red and yellow reflects from the silvery Marriott Marquis, and onto the calm water of Tuna Harbor.
Sunset’s red and yellow reflects from the Marriott Marquis, and onto the calm water of Tuna Harbor.  Pure magic.

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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!

I finished writing a short story titled The Child and the Koi. Click to read it!

A rainbow and sunlight on St. Joseph Cathedral.

Early morning sunshine brightens the east side of St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown San Diego.
Early morning sunshine brightens the east side of St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown San Diego.

Yesterday morning, just before I walked down from the top of Cortez Hill, I saw an incredible sight.  My eyes discerned a very faint rainbow to the west–even though only a few wispy clouds were in the blue sky.

To my surprise, the rainbow arched downward to touch the gleaming cross atop St. Joseph Cathedral. Amazed by the sight, I walked along Beech Street to take photos of bright morning sunlight on the cathedral itself.

The rainbow is so faint in my zoomed, cropped photo that I must confess I changed the contrast and brightness a million different ways and debated whether it even merited a blog post. I’ve decided it does.

Cool San Diego Sights might be a tad philosophical at times, but it intentionally avoids supporting any particular religious (or political) view. Because a sense of wonder and a love for beauty are shared by many. And because there’s enough bitter debate in this old world.

Whatever one might believe, seeing the rainbow above the shining gold was something wonderful to behold.

Sunlight on the high cathedral tower.
Sunlight on the high cathedral tower.

A very faint rainbow ends at the golden cross atop St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown San Diego. Photo taken the morning of February 20, 2017 from Cortez Hill--the corner of Cedar Street and Seventh Avenue, to be exact.
A faint rainbow ends at the golden cross atop St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown San Diego. Photograph taken the morning of February 20, 2017 from Cortez Hill–the corner of Cedar Street and Seventh Avenue, to be exact.  Brightness and contrast were altered to bring out the rainbow.

A beautiful morning provides inspiration.
A beautiful morning and early sunlight provide inspiration.

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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!

Mermaid, binoculars, and a rainbow-making kite.

Mermaid with a megaphone on the bay side of the narrow Canyon Path.
Mermaid with a megaphone on the bay side of the narrow Canyon Path.

A mermaid emerges near the edge of beautiful San Diego Bay. She summons people from the bustling city with her megaphone…

Man with binoculars peers into dark alley between convention center and Marriott.
Man with binoculars peers into dark alley between convention center and Marriott.

A man with binoculars peers between the San Diego Convention Center and the Marriott Marquis hotel. He heard the mermaid’s siren call, and is trying to catch a glimpse.  She seems to be waiting at the end of a long, mysterious passageway…

Unique entrance to hidden walkway that provides bay access.
Unique entrance to partially hidden walkway that provides easy bay access.

Will these people walking along succeed in finding the elusive mermaid?  Turn left!  Turn left!

Walking through narrow Canyon Path between buildings.
Walking through narrow Canyon Path between buildings.

The mermaid seems to be somewhere ahead. The narrow Canyon Path between buildings is shadowy and filled with dark trees and bushes. It’s a bit scary. Where are we going? Are we lost?

Prismatic kite in blue sky above the Canyon Path.
Prismatic kite in blue sky above the Canyon Path.

Look up! It’s a shining kite in the blue sky!

Colorful light like a rainbow cast by prism kite onto building side.
Colorful light like a rainbow is cast by prism kite onto building side.

As we approach the mermaid on the opposite side, a beautiful rainbow-like splash of color appears on the Canyon Path’s vertical side! This secret place seems to be filled with magic!

The mermaid, man with binoculars and prismatic kite are all part of public art called The Benefit of Mr. Kite. This fun artwork was created to draw attention to an easily overlooked 925-foot long  pedestrian accessway between the convention center and Marriott Marquis hotel, leading from Harbor Drive to the Marriott Marina on San Diego Bay. The artists responsible for our magical journey are Mags Harries and Lajos Héder!

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