The Vine Wall

Several properties in my San Diego neighborhood of University Heights are undergoing or have undergone major renovations lasting years. Some started before or during  SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2)/COVID-19 lockdowns. Post-pandemic, construction delays, increased building costs, and lingering supply shortages could explain why these projects take so long.

Today, I stopped to gawk at a magnificently striking overgrown wall that had previously gone unnoticed. The main house and front lawn area have been a noisy construction zone for so long that I either walked by briskly or on the other side of the street. What an overlooked visual treat! Neither the Featured Image, nor the companion photo, adequately capture the scene.

I used app Samsung Expert RAW on Galaxy S23 Ultra for the two shots. Warning: Should you consider shooting likewise, file sizes are monstrous. For these: 166MB and 175MB, respectively, straight from the smartphone. So if you want to shoot RAW, make sure to have plenty of storage on your phone.

Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 10, 1/280 sec, 23mm (film equivalent); 1:23 p.m. PST. The second is same but 1/160 sec, one-minute earlier. Gawkers can find the wall along Panorama Drive.