3,698 Comments Posted by Motts

To get cloud trails in the daytime, you'll need to slow down the exposure for a few seconds; the longer you can keep the shutter open the longer the trails will get (also depends on how fast the clouds are moving). This can be done with filters on the lens and a tripod.

I used an infrared filter on the lens in this shot to be able to get an exposure for abut 30 seconds, as it cuts out most of the visible light spectrum. As a result, it makes a long exposure for cloud trails; it also darkens the blue of the sky and makes foliage appear white.

For long exposure daytime photos in color, I use a very dark ND filter which will also give you cloud trails without the infrared effect.

Sure: Liu, P.T., et al. 2006. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1123933
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16497887

Makes sense, thanks Matthew!

I could be wrong, but from what I understand the Corcoran building housed adults only.

Although there's a perspective visual at play here, it does seem a bit larger on the bottom.

@Iceberg The light at that particular angle may have been blinding for patients laying in their beds out here, especially during the winter when the sun is quite low in the sky.

@Tony C. yep they sure look like anchors for a railing.

@autoguy I assume that is their purpose... snore blockers perhaps?

Yep there's a closely-kintted wire mesh over the arched openings that looks rather hastily added on. It could be for preventing pigeons from roosting in there, or a safety precaution for patients when it was open.

Actually it's a golf ball; there's a golf course that runs directly next to these buildings, and some make it inside!

Yeah those gas heaters were probably added after construction; it heated up metal fins and had a large fan that blew the hot air into the room. I lived in a building with one of those for a few years, and you were either freezing when it was off or sweating when it was on. It was pretty crappy.

@Claudia, yes those grates are from the original heating system, possibly a forced air system. Some rooms had retrofitted an additional ceiling mounted gas burner, often seen in industrial spaces. Not seeing a basement of any kind, there wouldn't be a place for a steam boiler.

@Binky it's possible the knee walls had separated sets of beds if this was a dormitory. They offered a tiny bit of privacy while allowing an nurse or attendant a view of the entire ward. They could have also been for partitioning some space for things like desks, medical equipment, etc.

Wow pretty neat, I never really looked into how those old hand cranks worked, thanks!

They have a smooth, tough surface that repels grime and mold, and are usually grouted in place which makes them very secure. The contrast between them and paint, which easily peels in unheated buildings, is often stark.

I believe they add support in these cast concrete structures, like a wooden beam would do in older construction. Instead of pouring a thicker and heavier floor, these "beams," full of rebar, give the extra support without all that additional weight. The fact that it's still standing is also a testament to its strength; if this hospital had an older wooden construction, these floors would probably be collapsed into the basement by now.