San Diego in One Hour

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I came to San Diego to attend SIGGRAPH, the most important conference for computer graphics and digital content creation. The opportunity to explore the locations that I visit on business (and write blogs about them) comes only rarely and typically only during longer business trips; this particular trip became the exception. The reason? One of my objectives for this visit was the evaluation of technologies (and partners) to add to my business portfolio. One of the companies participating in the show specializes in training services and was offering an Adobe Photoshop advanced techniques session. I signed up as a participant and when I showed up for the session along with 24 other people we all received a brand new loaner digital SLR and the assignment to go out around the convention center for about one hour and photograph the town. The images captured were going to be used during the class that followed the shoot assignment.

Large industry show organizers select attractive locations as a way to lure attendees and corporate sponsors to their events. SIGGRAPH selection of San Diego is the classic case in point. The area around the city’s convention center is very attractive to both visitors and locals and you often find people with cameras shooting away, but anybody in the area on this particular day probably found it curious that so many people were out taking photos with exactly the same kind of camera.

In my search for images, I followed the water line from the convention center towards the place where the USS Midway (housing the Aircraft Carrier Museum) is permanently anchored. This area includes a village with quaint shops and eateries. Right before you reach the USS Midway, there is a larger-than-life (about 4X) statue of the most famous scene from the end of II World War: the sailor kissing the unknown nurse in New York City. I found it an attractive subject but had to wait for a while before I could take a photo of the scene without other people taking pictures of themselves in front of the large sculpture. Once I got a good sample of images and just before my hour for the shoot was to lapse, I returned to the convention center and enjoyed the rest of the Photoshop class.

The short tour of this area of San Diego awoke my appetite for visiting other city locations, so taking advantage of a delayed departure out of town at the end of SIGGRAPH, I was able to visit another famous landmark. San Diego’s Zoo really deserves a lot more time than what I was able to dedicate to it before my departure, but this brief tour certainly gave me a good reason to return.

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Photos

Sculpture
In the back of the San Diego Convention Center

Comments

[lonelybiker]

I like the kissing sculpture
I like the kissing sculpture!I have never know there is on in California!