Week Nine - Home, Sweet (and sticky) Home

So, I went home for the short break, home to San Luis Obispo, California. One of our local landmarks is what is shown here in these images: Bubblegum Alley. A delightful place. As I was walking through, I noticed after I took these pictures that I did not need my flash. This urban alley, the mysterious darkness between buildings, is presented safely for tourists. Notice the streetlights and window angled to illuminate any shadowy areas.

I'm sure that if this were not such a tourist area, this alley would not have been given enough attention to make it safe and well-lit. I do not know if this illumination is on purpose, or if it just happened to happen, but I suppose these are the things that architectural lighting designers must think about. How do you most effectively showcase people's already-chewed gum, while still maintaing that urban feel? I'm not sure, but this seems to work.

Some parts of the wall actually look spotlighted, such as the top corners of the right image. If the entire alley was lit that way, I wouldn't be surprised if this became a popular hangout for beatniks or stand-up comedians, the "spotlight" gives me that kind of feeling.

On another note, I am fascinated with how the streetlights appear, with the cross shaped beams, like in the Transformers movies. It is only a lens thing, but I wonder why our eyes and cameras see things so differently.