Point Fermin Lighthouse

[lomitamike]

http://www.pointferminlighthouse.org

[jjdog2]

Nice. Does the lighthouse still function?

[lomitamike]

Originally Posted by jjdog2

Nice. Does the lighthouse still function?

Well sort of. It was taken out of service at the start of WWII along with the all of the west coast lighthouses.

This one was never used again but there is still a small light that I see flash inside. I believe it is just for decorative purposes.

Here is a photo I took several years ago. You can see that there is no fresnel lens inside.

excellent composition
however
significant perspective distortion
either
keep camera level and plumb followed by cropping image
or
use a 'shift lens''
or
correct in 'photo shop' losing some image

(left juuuust a little distortion as removal would have compromised content)

[lomitamike]

Bermabeu;

I thank you for your constructive criticism. I will take note of correcting distortion.

best to level and plumb camera on tripod

then

no 'perspective' distortion can occur

the problem is

then you may not have all the subject in the frame

the theory:

recording medium (film or sensor) must be parallel to the subject

this is the whole point of a 'shift lens' system camera

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Originally Posted by bernabeu

significant perspective distortion

True, from a technical perspective. From a human perspective the buildings loom.

Looming is one of many technical flaws apparent in any representation of the physical world. We know we're looking at a representation, and thus respond to the whole. Minds experienced with a form of representation dismiss the artifacts of it's creation before they're consciously noticed - unless one is focusing on the artifacts. The exceptions are when the artifacts are intentionally exaggerated to be part of the whole, or in the middle ground between dismissed and intentionally exaggerated. This image does not fall into that middle ground, IMHO.

Originally Posted by bernabeu

(left juuuust a little distortion as removal would have compromised content)

My first reaction to architectural magazines and coffee table books decades ago is the same as my current reaction. The images were technically flawless, emotionally cold as ice, and despite any sign of past human interaction with the subject, they're devoid of life. The lack of technical flaws in the perspective creates flaws in the mind. Physical buildings comprised of straight lines, right angles and parallels appear to curve and loom. The Greeks new this. That's why they designed the Acropolis without parallel lines and right angles. It converges toward the top. The intentional distortion means the mind sees parallels and right angles that don't exist.

To my eye, your corrected version is over corrected because the buildings seem to diverge - the tops of buildings appear wider than the bases, the vertical walls appear to lean outward.