Dry Dock Detail, Night. Mare Island Naval Ship Yard, Vallejo, California. August 30, 2009. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
A portion of the wall of an old dry dock at the historic Mare Island Naval Ship Yard near Vallejoy, California is lit by garish artificial light.
Along the waterfront at historic Mare Island Naval Ship Yard in Vallejo, California runs Nimitz Street. This is the area where, if I understand correctly, ships were constructed for over a century until the closure of the facility in the 1990s. There are several large dry docks here and I’ve been trying to figure out the most effective way to photograph them at night. It isn’t easy; they are blocked off by chain link fences, there is little light down in the dry docks, and there are a number of fairly bright lights above that are difficult to control.
I don’t think I’m there yet, but I thought this photograph of the tremendously complex and busy inside wall of the dry dock, illuminated by artificial light, was interesting. (I think it might hold up better in a large print than in this small jpg since there is some much detail in the shot.)
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.
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