How to take original photos of the Salk Institute

Yes, even me... Photo ©Darren Bradley

OK, that title is meant as a bit of a joke (photographer humor?), because there's probably no such thing as an original photo of this building - and certainly not the one above. In fact, it's the most obvious shot and the one everyone takes. C'mon... if you've been there, you've taken this shot, too. You can't help yourself. And since no series on the Salk Institute is complete without this shot, I thought I'd get it out of the way first thing.

Deliberately NOT standing on the center line of the courtyard. Photo ©Darren Bradley

Having the good fortune to live just a few miles away from one of the greatest icons of modern architecture in the world is a lucky break. It gives me a ready-made place to practice my photography whenever I like, and I never get tired of watching how the light plays off the various textures and creates shadows from the different angles. 

Photo ©Darren Bradley

But it's also a challenging place to shoot, because it's so well known and everyone already has their own fixed ideas about the place and what it looks like. It's hard to challenge those ideas but it's worth a try. 

Photo ©Darren Bradley

Usually (but not always), I try to avoid using my tripod and shoot more spontaneously here. I just wander around and shoot what I see, from the hip. And I try to show parts of this building that are not often photographed, since I'm lucky enough to be familiar with it. 

Nobody ever photographs the exterior for some reason. Photo ©Darren Bradley

I won't get into the history of this place or its significance, except to remind everyone that it was designed by the architect Louis Kahn and built in 1965. You can read all about from more informed people than me in plenty of other places. 

So instead, I'm just going to shut up and show you some of my photos (originality not guaranteed, but I tried). 

I've never actually seen anyone sit in those travertine seats. Photo ©Darren Bradley

Nice of him to walk into my frame like that. Photo ©Darren Bradley

This girl was there photographing the building, as well. She had her little tripod and a point & shoot. She kept looking at me warily. When she realized that I was behind her here taking a photo of her taking a photo, she ran away. Photo ©Darren Bradley

This place takes on a darker mood on a cloudy day. The processing may have helped that, too.
Photo ©Darren Bradley

Photo ©Darren Bradley

Photo ©Darren Bradley

A parting shot of the exterior elevations... The famous courtyard is on the other side. Photo ©Darren Bradley