Pacific Wheel, Santa Monica, a photo from California, West

Photographer's Note

A few years ago I took a group of Film and Media students to Hollywood (where else?) One evening we wandered along the ocean front from our hotel in Venice Beach to Santa Monica pier and visited the Pacific Park funfair. This is one of the results. Stupidly (as a teacher of photography!) I hadn't brought a tripod, so I rested the old T90 on a wall and hoped for the best. I think it worked OK.

The Pier was privately owned until it was acquired by the city council in 1974. During the 1960s and 1970s various plans were proposed that would entail removal of the pier. The strangest one called for the construction of an artificial island with a 1500-room hotel. It was approved by the City Council, but citizens formed "Save Santa Monica Bay" to preserve the pier. The outstanding order to raze the pier was revoked by the city council in 1973. That same year the Carousel and Hippodrome were memorable sets in the film "The Sting", although the story was set in Chicago.

The Pacific Wheel is the world’s only solar-powered Ferris wheel and gives visitors a panoramic view of the Southern California coastline from more than 130 feet above the Santa Monica Pier. Measuring 85 feet, the wheel moves at 2.5 revolutions per minute with intermittent stops to pick up passengers. It features more than 160,000 energy-efficient LED lights that display dynamic, eye-popping computer-generated lighting entertainment in the evenings. However I think when I took this image 14 years ago, it was probably conventionally-powered.

Neg scanned on a dedicated film scanner @ 2400 ppi.

gojo, timecapturer, siudzi, macondo, tyro, bj40, Kugart, rigoletto, Royaldevon, abmdsudi heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

gojo (1769) 2013-05-08 2:14

Hi Will,
Glad You went into the files and scanned this!
I love it!
Thanks also for a good note. I have heard that this is the oldest in its kind, in the world.
Goran

timecapturer (49288) 2013-05-08 2:24

Hi Will
we do seem to have swapped roles today! I like this kaleidoscope of colours you have captured superbly. The effect is both mesmerising and tantalising. Always appreciate your talent and commentary on my additions to TE. Thanks.

Regards - Brian.

m00n (2259) 2013-05-08 3:17

What a wonderful explosion of color,
Fantastically colorful, very lively scene.
Introduced me in a wonderful, optimistic mood.

What a pity that I have to being at work now ...

siudzi (34141) 2013-05-08 3:21

Hi Will,
The visual effect you have achieved here is spectacular! I love it! The outstanding vivid color combination created a superb view. Well done. TFS.

Best,
Gosia

macondo (20449) 2013-05-08 3:33

Hello Will
A well scanned piece of pre-digital nostalgia, which I always enjoy on TE. It's clear from the quality of this image that you have a very good scanner. The old brace-against-wall trick worked well in this case. Pity one couldn't preserve the exposure details in those days! I don't know if you have cropped this, but anyway the close-crop appearance is very effective in emphasising both the colours and the graphical aspects. And your note is superb. If only more members would write notes lie this one.
Regards,
Andrew

JFS (32459) 2013-05-08 3:36

Strikking and amazing shot! Full of energy and color, a good work Will!

tyro (30513) 2013-05-08 3:42

Hello Will,

An interesting note you have given us. But, looking at Wikipedia, it would appear that this wheel was actually driven by solar power right from the time it was built in 1996. But what a speed - 2.5 r.p.m. sounds very fast for a 85-foot wheel carrying pasengers!

Your picture is a vertitable kaleidoscope of colour - perhaps this is what photographers are referring to when they talk about the "colour wheel"? :o)

Fabulous colours in the rotating wheel and a fine backdrop of an indigo sky. Nice, too, that there are a couple of people in the forground to add some human interest as well as a sense of scale. Good composition and excellent sharpness considering your makeshift camera stabilising technique!

Brilliant!

Kind Regards,

John.

mjw364 (1466) 2013-05-08 8:46

Hello Will

Very colourful shot. I have been to LA and this place a couple of years ago. Don't know how it was when you were there 14 years ago but I was underwhelmed to say the least. It's all a bit run down and shabby - or it was when I was there. Anyways- motion blur and the line into the centre saying Dragon to contrast with it. Good POV.

TFS

Mike

ACL1978 (7511) 2013-05-08 15:15

Awesome, awesome shot, Will! Everything about this works, from the POV to the wheel that spills outside the frame of the shot to the silhouette of the head below. The colors are outstanding and bright, taken at a perfect speed to provide a sense of motion without losing detail. Love it!

Andrew

Kugart (1778) 2013-05-08 15:23

Hi Will,
Love the colours on this one and adding the blur gives it a kaleidoscope effect.Nice angle and good note.
Regards
Arthur

rigoletto (34279) 2013-05-08 15:23

Hahaha!
A photo that proves that quote right: "you start to lie as soon as you press the button".
Now that wheel looks like rotating at 30.000 rpm.s rather than 2,5. What a big "lie" :))
Of course this brings out lots of debates about the principles of photography but i have already excluded myself from that endless debate by already accepting that "there is no single truth in life and everything is dependent". You like and take whatever you want according to how you percieve things...
Best wishes,
Deniz

Nicou (193806) 2013-05-08 21:04

Hello

quelle belle roue de couleur qui tourne quel captage et effet cela fait tourner la tête tellement c'est beau.
Bravo et amitié
Nicou

Royaldevon (85932) 2013-05-09 2:12

Hello Will,

Well, I'm sure we have all used a wall as a substitute tripod on more than one occasion. It has worked really well here, giving an exciting, colourful wheel, completely dominating the frame, yet still with a good sense of context.

I love the idea of a solar powered wheel. Who could complain about that!!

Have a great day,
Bev :-)

delpeoples (60342) 2013-05-09 16:14

Hi Will

Jeez I'd never guess that this was a 14 year old photo, it looks straight off a big digital sensor! Fantastic colours, good tight cropping and sensational control of the exposure, giving us this wonderful kaleidoscope of colour and texture. I have two themes called Fun At The Funfair, mind if I pinch your lovely photo?

Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a nice evening
Lisa

lousat (139308) 2013-05-10 1:33

Hi Will,you caught very well this beautiful opportunity,a magnificent circular effect create by this colorful wheel,fantastic details and bright color in a magic perspective,i like it!Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

Urs (14082) 2013-05-10 1:39

Hi Will

Thas is very colourful, wow, vibrant hues and high sharpness. I like to look at it, but I would most probably not ride it. Fine photo job.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I just have tried one or two of these sausages in Vientiane. The taste is very different to what I really like. In the first place the plate full of these sausages and the light attracted me and made me shot it.

It is possible to survive in Laos as a vegetarian, however the diet will be very basic. I did not see any vegetarian restaurant, but the locals eat sticky rice with bird chillies. I eat the sticky rise but the bird chillies are too hot for me.

Warm regards
Urs

wolf38 (30) 2013-05-10 9:17

Hi Will. The ferris wheel is a work of art of movement, light and color. Nice that some people are visible in the lower picture area.
Rgds, Wolfgang.

No_One (4) 2013-05-14 7:18

Hi Will,
Its hard to beat a well lit Ferris wheel image, and to be honest, this is one of the nicest I've ever seen. I think the quality is excellent, and would never think this was a scan! Really great shot, and I really enjoyed the history in your note too.
All the best
Noel

abmdsudi (95869) 2013-05-14 8:34

Hi Will
A pleasure to view this burst of vibrant colors all around that add all important impact to the night shot. Indeed a visual feast for the senses but the eye is also naturally led to the silhoutted fig below. This is gorgeous with excellent sense of scale and motion effect. Very well done shot, TFS
Warm regards

kasianowak (17676) 2013-06-15 1:50

Hi Will
Amazing colours light and the sense of movement! I'm impressed with the quality of the scan.
Best wishes
Kasia

sevy (58) 2013-06-18 1:54

Hello Will,

A kind of shot I never succeeded to do up to now.
Very good exposure and scan. Without your note, I would have not noticed it was a scan.

Yves.