Uploads from Michael Layefsky, tagged heliumballoon

Vertigo!

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:20:12 -0800

View Large

Aerial view of a tall apartment building on Lake Merritt, Oakland, California.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 10:27:20 -0800

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

Novartis, a Swiss-based company, is a global leader in the field of healthcare-related biotechnology.

They are also known for their interest in bold architecture.

This striking building, in Emeryville, California, is Novartis' headquarters for vaccines and diagnostic products.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

The Rose Bowl, under construction

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:57:04 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

The Rose Bowl, built in 1922 in Pasadena, California, is the home of the oldest college football bowl game, and the home of the UCLA Bruins football team. The stadium has previously hosted 5 NFL Super Bowls, 2 FIFA World Cup finals, and events during the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games.

The stadium is currently undergoing renovation of its press box, premium seating, and other assorted features at an estimated cost of $160 million.

Many thanks to my friend, the talented photographer Aaron Kiely, for showing me around Pasadena, and assisting with the balloon aerial photography gear.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

On-ramps, off-ramps

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:16:57 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

The sweeping, oddly beautiful on- and off-ramps of the Ventura Freeway as it winds its way through Pasadena, California.

Many thanks to my friend, the talented photographer Aaron Kiely, for showing me around Pasadena, and assisting with the balloon aerial photography gear.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

Grapefruit orchards, San Jacinto Valley

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:53:57 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

Another view of these citrus orchards, this time showing them in a more hedge-like configuration.

The San Jacinto Mountains are seen in the background.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

Coit Tower and the zeppelin Eureka

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:07:27 -0800

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

As I was lofting my camera with my 5-foot diameter helium balloon, it was fun to capture a shot of the huge helium-filled zeppelin Eureka in the frame with one of San Francisco's iconic destinations.

My balloon holds somewhere between 65 and 80 cubic ft. of helium. By comparison, the Eureka's volume is 296,643 cubic ft.!

As if this helium-related coincidence wasn't enough, while I was shooting Coit Tower, Thomas Nourse, who works for Google, came up to chat when he spotted me. It turns out that he has undertaken a large number of stratospheric helium balloon launches, including at least one with a Canon 5D aboard!

So, this was some sort of cosmic helium TRIFECTA!

© All rights reserved

Irrigation Flume, Hemet, California

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:25:15 -0800

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

This irrigation flume carries water from sources in the San Jacinto Mountains, primarily Lake Hemet and the San Jacinto River, to the agricultural fields in the San Jacinto Valley.

In the foreground are grapefruit orchards, which soon give way to the residential and commercial development of Hemet.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

Grapefruit orchard

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:29:47 -0800

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

I like the patterns converging in this small section of a huge expanse of grapefruit orchards in the San Jacinto Valley, east of Los Angeles.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

Grapefruit orchards, Hemet, California

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:06:20 -0800

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

Many square miles of this extremely arid valley are planted with grapefruits and oranges.

I can't speak about the oranges, but the grapefruits were sweet, tart, juicy and absolutely delicious.

The San Jacinto Mountains, whose snow and rain runoff provides water to this valley, are seen in the background.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

Aerial view of San Francisco looking north

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:42:31 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

This aerial view of San Francisco shows North Beach, Coit Tower, Alcatraz, and Fisherman's Wharf, with San Francisco Bay and Marin County in the distance.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon above Portsmouth Square Park in Chinatown.

© All rights reserved

San Francisco skyline

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 08:46:52 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

Backlit aerial view of the Transamerica Pyramid and many of San Francisco's taller buildings.

I was flying my helium balloon-cam from Chinatown's Portsmouth Square Park, just a block from the Transamerica Pyramid. For some reason I thought that the building, San Francisco's tallest, was in the 550 to 650 foot range. Looking it up, I now find that it's 850 feet tall. Impressive!

The Bay Bridge and San Francisco Bay are seen in the upper left of the photograph.

Thanks to Alan Grinberg for his company and assistance with the balloon-cam.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

Downtown ballpark

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:05:02 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

The San Francisco skyline, the Embarcadero, and the Bay Bridge are visible above AT&T Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team since 2000.

The faint lines of a football field are visible because the ballpark is currently being used by the California Golden Bears for their 2011 college football season while their stadium in Berkeley is under construction.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

Golden Gate Fields racetrack and stables

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 08:47:06 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

Aerial view of Golden Gate Fields, the only remaining major horse racing track in Northern California.

I've ridden my bicycle by here for years, but never realized till now how extensive the area of stables is.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

Eastshore State Park and the Berkeley Marina

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Fri, 20 May 2011 09:16:11 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

The Eastshore State Park comprises an 8.5 mile stretch of shoreline running from the Bay Bridge to the Richmond Marina. This photograph shows most of the southern portion of the park, as well as some City of Berkeley Open Space, part of the Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex, and the Berkeley Marina.

San Francisco can be seen on the horizon in the upper right.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

My favorite wind guage

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Thu, 19 May 2011 09:59:18 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

The smoke and/or steam emitted by this smokestack, at Pacific Steel Casting Co., is even better for determining wind speed and direction than a large flag. It is visible from the terrace outside my office in downtown Berkeley, and also from Cesar Chavez Park on San Francisco Bay, which is the place I go walking most frequently.

I view the emissions from this smokestack almost every day, always thinking about whether the wind is more appropriate at that moment to fly a kite or a helium balloon.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

Harvesting photons in San Francisco

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 08:51:12 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

Early morning backlit San Francisco

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:20:17 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

Pacific Steel Casting Company

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 10:21:39 -0700

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

An impressive specimen of industrial design, it almost appears as if the designers have made the duct work such a vibrant blue specifically to be photographed from above.

I still remember the first time I wandered by here on my bicycle more than 30 years ago. The hot red glow of the furnaces was amazing, and the violent pounding of the steam hammers shook the whole street.

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved

Oakland Museum and the downtown Oakland skyline

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:59:40 -0800

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

Oakland Museum of California

nobody@flickr.com (Michael Layefsky) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:47:05 -0800

Michael Layefsky posted a photo:

View Large

The Oakland Museum of California is dedicated to showcasing California's past and present richness in art, history, and natural science.

The museum regularly hosts community cultural celebrations reflecting Oaklands incredible diversity which include Lunar New Year, Day of the Dead, and Black History events.

Visible here are the museum's beautiful, peaceful grounds and sculpture garden. The museum has three levels of galleries not visible in this aerial view.

museumca.org/collections

Taken by a camera lofted by a helium balloon.

© All rights reserved