Digital Makeover

[calr]

Your first challenge is to figure out what this is and then do something creative with it.



Cal

[Bynx]

My guess is its the spiral staircase to a lighthouse. Now guess what I made it into?

[calr]

Bynx wrote:

My guess is its the spiral staircase to a lighthouse. Now guess what I made it into?

Close, but no cigar.

Cal

[Walter C]

An old fire station?

[Bynx]

Are you more crafty than I think Cal. You gave the file name away as Lighthouse. When I first looked at the photo I see it as a spiral staircase, but thought it was the one in the Statue of Liberty then seeing the file name I chose lighthouse.

[calr]

Lighthouse is correct but it is not a spiral staircase.

Cal

[Bynx]

Then it must be the pole that holds the light. The 'fence' keeps hands off the glass. If Im wrong this time I give up.

[calr]

Bynx, your manipulation gives the best impression of what it is. This is a view looking down to the inside of the lens assembly at the Cape Meares Lighthouse on the Oregon Coast. This lighthouse was retired several years ago and replaced with an electronic strobe light.

The Fresnell lens structure is about 5-6 ft in diameter and about 8 ft high. It is surrounded by segments of clear and red lens elements. One of the clear elements has been removed to allow viewing the inside. In this photo, you see the bottom of the structure from the missing lens element. The red coloring is from the sun shining through one of the red sections. Just beyond the opening you see is the spiral staircase. I assume the opening is to allow access to the inside for servicing. Originally, an oil lamp was used which had to be serviced daily. Later, the oil lamp was replaced with a large electric lamp.

The entire lens assembly which weighs about two tons, rotates on bronze bearings under the assembly. Originally a clock mechanism with large weights was used to rotate the lens but that was replaced with an electric motor when electricity became available.

That is what I learned on a visit a month or so back. I don't guarantee the accuracy of my numbers!

Cal

[Bynx]

Since I am missing Alan T's anecdotes concerning his posts I read your explanation and find it interesting. Id like another photo to help clarify what I am looking at. The round gray rough surface looks like the roof of the spiral staircase. The Pipe holds something up. But Im having difficulty trying to imagine the actual setup. But thats ok, its me.

[calr]

The pipe is the base of the lamp socket. Originally, the oil lamp was in that location. The spiral staircase winds up behind the opposite side and up to a circular platform that surrounds the lens assembly.

The photo below gives you a better idea. The lens assembly sits inside the clear windows of the building. A circular platform surrounds the lens. You can see some people standing inside the windows. They are on the circular platform between the lens and clear windows. The staircase winds up the inner wall of the tower and terminates on the circular platform. The location where I shot the first photo is on the opposite side of the lens from this viewpoint.

The platform in the first shot containing the "pipe" is stationary as far as I know. The lens revolves around it. I'll see if I can find and post a link showing details of operation.



Cal

Here's a link:
http://www.capemeareslighthouse.org/index.html