Amy Heiden Photography Blog

Golden Gate 75th Anniversary

2012-05-29T16:08:23Z

I have always been very proud to call San Francisco home, but on Sunday night, being a San Franciscan felt even better.

Standing up on the bluff in Marin, overlooking the bridge with friends, a hundred other photographers and on-lookers was quite an experience. The wind was blowing, the wine was flowing and good conversation was being had, while we waited for nearly 5 hours for the firework/light show.

Blur hour hit, the bridge lights started to come on, but the towers stayed dark. The traffic stopped and in one swift moment, the bridge went dark and my heart started beating faster. It was the most incredible rush though my veins as the blanket of sparklers fell from the bottom of the bridge towards the water and the feeling of euphoria continued for nearly 20 minutes.

Happy Birthday Golden Gate Bridge!

Photo: "Happy Birthday Golden Gate, Love USS Iowa"

2012-05-27T17:21:19Z

The timing was perfect. On May 26, 2012, the weekend of the Golden Gate Bridge anniversary, the USS Iowa passed beneath the bridge. She is the last battleship that will ever make this journey.

Photo: "USS Iowa with her tugs"

2012-05-27T00:59:46Z

On Saturday, May 26 at 10:30am, the USS Iowa left the pier in Richmond to begin her four-day journey to Long Beach where she will become a museum.

Photo: "Mooring Lines"

2012-05-25T16:26:15Z

USS Iowa (BB-61) at dawn, docked in Richmond, California.

USS Iowa Heads to Southern California

2012-05-25T16:17:04Z

On Saturday, the USS Iowa (BB-61) will be towed from Richmond to her new home in Long Beach. She is the last Iowa Class battleship in existence to become a museum, which will thankfully preserve the ship that served in WWII, carried Roosevelt across the Atlantic in 1943 and suffered a turret exploring in 1989, killing 47 crew members.

Much has changed since this image was taken of her in the Mothball Fleet in January 2010, but my feelings about her still remain the same. She is magnificent.

The first time I set foot on her deck, I was immersed in the history, tragedy and beauty of this ship and though I am sad to see her leave the Bay Area, I am incredibly happy to see such a big part of our history preserved.

Photo: "Earle"

2012-05-22T16:19:56Z

Hallway inside the Earle building at Norwich State Hospital, Connecticut.

Photo: "Blue Hour Corridor"

2012-05-21T16:17:02Z

Corridor, during blue hour, inside Building F at Mayview State Hospital in Pennsylvania.

Photo: "Into the Blue"

2012-05-18T14:14:36Z

Upstairs unit in the historic Waldo Hotel in West Virginia.

Photo: "Dusk to Dawn"

2012-05-17T16:07:34Z

Blue hour inside a day room of Building F, a former tuberculosis ward, at Mayview State Hospital.

Mayview State Hospital was constructed in 1892 and it wasn't until 7 years later that a first physician was assigned to the "insane" department. In 1909, a hospital was built on the grounds, stemming from the need to treat the patients there due to mental illness. The hospital's last building closed in 2008 and demolition began in the spring of 2012.

Photo: "Showered In Mauve"

2012-05-16T14:24:31Z

Shower tub inside a former Doctor's Quarters the Lippitt Building at Norwich State Hospital in Connecticut.