Category: Alcatraz

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Alcatraz Architecture Black and White California Canon 20D Photos San Francisco Sigma 10-20 United States

Look through the bars at Alcatraz


Look through the bars at Alcatraz

Looking down a closed off corridor or street in Alcatraz Prison, San Francisco. I watched a few minutes of “Escape From Alcatraz” last night and recognised a few locations – the canteen of course, and the ventilation shafts behind the cells are visible to anyone who looks.

I wonder how many feet plodded down this street and who was incarcerated there.

Thanks for the comments on my posts too, it’s encouragement to keep posting so if you feel like adding your two cents don’t be shy!

Aperture ƒ/4
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/13s
Categories
Alcatraz Architecture Black and White California Candid Canon 20D People Photos San Francisco Sigma 10-20 United States

The real prisoners of Alcatraz


The real prisoners of Alcatraz

Prisoners of Alcatraz mill about in a daze.

The special headsets they wear are mind controlling devices that cause people to stare listlessly into space. They control the actions of people, causing them to walk around the prison, peering into cells and to gaze at features of the streets.

I’ve felt the power of these devices myself and they’re seductive. A gravelly voice telling me to go to a particular cell, or along a corridor. Thankfully an official collected the device off each person at a certain point and we woke up and walked out into the sunshine with happy smiles on our faces.

Aperture ƒ/4
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/30s
Categories
Alcatraz Birds California Photos San Francisco Sigma 10-20 United States

The gulls of Alcatraz


The gulls of Alcatraz

Yet another curious seagull on the island of Alcatraz in San Francisco. I think he has a stern, angry look on his face, probably because I disturbed him by waving a camera in his face!

Aperture ƒ/14
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 20mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1/200s
Categories
Alcatraz Black and White California Candid People Photos San Francisco Sigma 10-20 United States

Checking the prisoner


Checking the prisoner

“I’m so tired. They’ve had me locked up here for years. I’m in solitary confinement for my sins. I was set up I tell you! It wasn’t me!”

A tourist looks in on a cell in Alcatraz in the solitary confinement wing. Luckily I was able to walk out immediately. Not a pleasant place.
Besides the main subject of this image, it’s the small details I like. That barely noticed feather on the far right grabs me by the shoulders and screams, “you don’t know the half of what I’ve seen!”

Aperture ƒ/5.6
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 20mm
ISO 200
Shutter speed 1s
Categories
Alcatraz California People Photos San Francisco Sigma 10-20 Signs United States

No walking stick


No walking stick

It’s a good thing nobody in this picture needs help walking or getting about! Is that sign really saying walking sticks aren’t allowed?
It could be one of the following too, what do you think?

  • No backpackers
  • No mountaineers or hikers
  • No round headed people
  • Or possibly even “people with bags on their back are not allowed to climb over this barrier.” Better leave the bags in town guys!

Picture taken on Alcatraz Island, San Francisco.

Aperture ƒ/16
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 10mm
ISO 400
Shutter speed 1/500s
Categories
Alcatraz Birds California Photos San Francisco Sigma 10-20 United States

A resident of Alcatraz


A resident of Alcatraz

Alcatraz Island is now inhabited by the birds and I presume security staff but I think the birds have a better life with all the tourists around hefting lunches and sandwiches from the mainland.

Imagine the scene, me and a few of the others scrambling to get a shot of this seagull. I had my wide angle lens fitted so I had to lean forward for the gull to fill the frame! It’s a sign of how tame they are that we got this shot even if he did eye me suspiciously.

Aperture ƒ/18
Camera Canon EOS 20D
Focal length 20mm
ISO 400
Shutter speed 1/320s