GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE SOLAR BEACON PROJECT 9/30/2012
THERE WERE SEVERAL ART PROJECTS DONE AROUND THE BAY AREA, AS PART OF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE 75TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. THE BERKELEY SPACE AND SCIENCE LAB INSTALLED TWO SOLAR REFLECTORS ON THE TOP OF EACH TOWER OF THE BRIDGE. THESE REFLECTORS WERE REMOTE CONTROLLED BY THE LAB, AND WERE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC VIA AN INTERACTIVE WEB SITE. ANYONE COULD ACCESS THE SITE, MAKE A RESERVATION FOR A DATE AND TIME, DIAL IN YOUR GPS GRID COORDINATES, AND THE TWO REFLECTORS WOULD ROTATE TO DIRECT BRIGHT BEAMS OF SUNLIGHT IN YOUR DIRECTION. THIS OF COURSE IF THE FOG COOPERATED.
THE ART PROJECT HAD A TIME LIMIT, AND WAS SCHEDULED TO BE TAKEN DOWN ON SEPTEMBER 30. IN LATE AUGUST, I WAS COMMISSIONED TO PHOTOGRAPH THE BEACONS FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE BAY, SUCH AS TREASURE ISLAND, CRISSY FIELD, BAKER BEACH, THE HEADLANDS, AND TIBURON. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FOG LAID IN THICK ON THE BRIDGE FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, ONLY TO BREAK WITH THE HEAT WAVE ON SEPTEMBER 30, THE LAST DAY OF THE PROJECT. WITH ONE EXTRA DAY GRANTED, ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHS NOW HAD TO BE TAKEN IN A TWO DAY PERIOD, ALLOWING FOR BOTH MORNING SUN ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BRIDGE LOCATIONS, AND AFTERNOON SUN FOR BAKER BEACH AND THE HEADLANDS. IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT AND THE LAST MINUTE CRAM. I'VE INCLUDED A FEW EARLY MORNING DAWN SHOTS OF THE CITY, TAKEN FROM TREASURE ISLAND WHILE WAITING FOR THE SUN TO RISE. THE QUINTESSENTIAL VIEW OF THE BAY BRIDGE IS SOON TO BE A FLEETING MEMORY, AS THE NEW SPAN ENCROACHES, ULTIMATELY BECOMING THE POSTCARD FOR THE NEXT MILLENNIA.
ENJOY... E.
Read MoreTHE ART PROJECT HAD A TIME LIMIT, AND WAS SCHEDULED TO BE TAKEN DOWN ON SEPTEMBER 30. IN LATE AUGUST, I WAS COMMISSIONED TO PHOTOGRAPH THE BEACONS FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AROUND THE BAY, SUCH AS TREASURE ISLAND, CRISSY FIELD, BAKER BEACH, THE HEADLANDS, AND TIBURON. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FOG LAID IN THICK ON THE BRIDGE FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, ONLY TO BREAK WITH THE HEAT WAVE ON SEPTEMBER 30, THE LAST DAY OF THE PROJECT. WITH ONE EXTRA DAY GRANTED, ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHS NOW HAD TO BE TAKEN IN A TWO DAY PERIOD, ALLOWING FOR BOTH MORNING SUN ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BRIDGE LOCATIONS, AND AFTERNOON SUN FOR BAKER BEACH AND THE HEADLANDS. IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT AND THE LAST MINUTE CRAM. I'VE INCLUDED A FEW EARLY MORNING DAWN SHOTS OF THE CITY, TAKEN FROM TREASURE ISLAND WHILE WAITING FOR THE SUN TO RISE. THE QUINTESSENTIAL VIEW OF THE BAY BRIDGE IS SOON TO BE A FLEETING MEMORY, AS THE NEW SPAN ENCROACHES, ULTIMATELY BECOMING THE POSTCARD FOR THE NEXT MILLENNIA.
ENJOY... E.
