Tag Archives: Remember San Francisco

From the Upper Deck to Being on the Field during Fuji Photo Day at Candlestick Park

05 Thursday Dec 2019

Posted by in Baseball, Candlestick Park, Former Home of the San Francisco Giants, Lost Ballpark, Remembering Candlestick Park, San Francisco Giants, SF Giants

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Fuji Photo Day was one of my favorite promotions the SF Giants had at Candlestick Park. These pictures were taken back on Saturday, May 14, 1988, when the Giants played the Mets. This was back in the days when there were no digital cameras, and I shot with 35mm color film.

These pictures provide 3 levels of perspective of the field at Candlestick Park – looking from the top, overview behind home plate, and directly looking at the grass.

One of the things I loved about the Fuji Photo Days was being allowed to walk on the field. When we are allowed to be on the field at Oracle Park, I love to walk on a well groomed baseball field. I get really excited to be on the SF Giants playing field. Whenever I had an opportunity to walk on the field at Candlestick or Oracle Park, I touched the grass with my hands. It was also nice to sit on the grass to feel the softness of world class natural turf.

We can learn how to approach personal problems from the 3 levels as seen in these photos.

  1. View a problem from a broader perspective. Analyze the total effect of a problem.
  2. Narrow down to see various effects of a problem.
  3. Get up close to see one part of the problem

Let me translate this approach.

When I was mugged while shooting the demolition of Candlestick Park, I experienced anger, frustration, and bitterness.

  1. So I examined my past to see where my problem originated to get the broader perspective. These feelings originated from childhood bullying experiences.
  2. The effects of the problem continue to haunt me when I feel I am treated unjustly.
  3. Getting up close to find a solution revolves on my desire to replace the anger with peace via prayer and surrender.

Candlestick Park is not just a baseball stadium. It continues to show me life solutions are possible when we examine ourselves at all levels.

Find photos to inspire!

Twilight at Candlestick Park in 1989

23 Saturday Nov 2019

Posted by in Baseball, Candlestick Park, Former Home of the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco Giants, SF Giants

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I always enjoyed going early before a night game at Candlestick Park. It was relaxing to watch batting practice and watch as the stadium lights started to take their effect lighting the field. The winds were more calm that later in the night.

The Aspen glow from the sky along with the stadium lights created a nice even glow on the field and the stadium. My wife asked me what is the Aspen glow. It is defined as the glow on the mountaintop at dawn and dusk. But in my opinion, I also see this glow in Candlestick Park. This twilight made the colors on the field and in the chairs seem to be deeper and richer in tone.

What makes you glow? My photography experience at Candlestick Park made me glow. My photos from the Stick show my perspective of stadium art. Roaming around Candlestick Park allowed me to see the stadium differently. I appreciated the architecture of the structure. I loved the retired players discs on the fields. I loved the lights on the centerfield scoreboard. Candlestick Park brought out the artist in me.

It taught me how to look for the art in a place I loved – Candlestick Park.

Exploring the Outer Rim at Candlestick Park in the Upper Deck

16 Saturday Feb 2019

Posted by in Baseball, Candlestick Park, Former Home of the San Francisco Giants, Photography, San Francisco Giants, SF Giants

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  • The view from Section 59 in the Upper Deck which is the furthest away from home plate.
  • You get a nice view of San Bruno Mountain off in the distance behind Candlestick Park.
  • Dave Dravecky Day at Candlestick Park on 10/5/91. SF Giants defeated LA Dodgers 4-0 with Trevor Wilson getting the win and Mike Morgan taking the loss.
  • These seats are usually empty for most games as they are very far away from home plate.
  • Enjoying the sunset and view of the hill at Bayview Park from Section 60.
  • These seats are just below the Football Press Box down the Left Field line.
  • Welcome to Section 5 behind Home Plate in the Upper Deck.
  • These seats are behind Home Plate in the Upper Deck.
  • These seats are at the top of Candlestick and as far away from Home Plate as you can get.
  • A view from the outer rim way far away.
  • Welcome to Section 55 in the Upper Deck beyond Left Field.
  • Welcome to Section 15 down the 1st Base Line in the Upper Deck with the setting sun.
  • Welcome to Section 3 in the Upper Deck behind Home Plate.
  • These seats are at the top of Candlestick Park behind Home Plate in the upper deck.

These are various photographs of the upper rim of Candlestick Park. As I was browsing my various Candlestick Park photos, I realized I had some interesting perspectives of the top row.

I was roaming around the top row of seats at the stadium and took these pictures from different locations. I enjoyed my solitude as I moved quickly around the seats trying to shoot as many pictures as I could. I was limited, since this was before digital cameras, and I was using film.

I loved being on the top row since the view was fantastic. You could see San Bruno Mountain and the hill in Bay View Park behind the football press box. Also I enjoyed looking down to see the field and the lower rows of seats.

My one regret for these photos is that I did not have an ultra wide angle lens. I used a 28 mm wide angle lens. If I had an ultra wide angle lens, then I could have taken more of the stadium in one shot. In my first shot, I would have been able to get the full stadium with a wider angle lens. My shots above were cut off due to the limitation of my wide angle lens.

But I did not know that one day Candlestick Park would be demolished. The lesson I learned is to make sure to take lots of photographs of places and people you love. Life is like a vapor and people, things, and places change or are gone. So take lots of pictures to keep the important moments. I’m glad I preserved Candlestick Park in my photographs.

Fading Memories of Candlestick Park

21 Wednesday Nov 2018

Posted by in Baseball, Candlestick Park, Former Home of the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco Giants, SF Giants

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Late Afternoon at Candlestick Park in 1991

Gazing at the Home Plate area and experiencing the serene and quiet upper deck down the first base line before a SF Giants game in 1991. I am more relaxed now looking at the photograph than when I took the picture.  I remember I was rushing around Candlestick Park photographing the stadium before the fans came in. I waited by the gate and rushed in when the staff opened them up 2 hours before game time. When I took this photograph in 1991, I had no idea that the SF Giants and 49’ers would move to different locations and that The Stick would be torn down. 

Memories are not as vivid compared to the actual time of an event. We forget details and sequence of events. We do not anticipate how places and people will change over time. This is why it is a good idea to take photos to chronicle the important events, people, and places in our life. I’m so glad that we now can take photos so easily with our cell phones.

I’m really thankful I have my collection of Candlestick Park photographs. Candlestick Park represented a turning point in my life. It was not only the place where I enjoyed watching the SF Giants play baseball, but it was also the place where I found my love of art in photography. I still love to photograph other baseball stadiums in the same manner I did when I was at Candlestick Park. But Candlestick Park was my first love. Stay tuned – I still have a lot more of the old photographs to scan and share.