Sunday, June 28, 2026

WelcomeSF: Rainbows of Lasers down Market Street

Four views of colorful lasers projected just above and on the streetcar wires on SF's Market Street; plus the projector in front of the R-evolution sculpture

I have good friends who remind me to go see light sculptures! I was out far past my bedtime for WelcomeSF's installation in honor of PRIDE.  The lasers shining down Market Street were glorious!  There was a festival atmosphere: people were thrilled and standing in the street to admire it with joy and awe.

Being who I am, I decided to try to photograph it with a Lomo Instax Wide Glass camera.  I hadn't realized how many objects would me removed from the parade route for public safety: I had hoped to use bus shelter glass and similar objects to brace my mini-tripod, but they were missing.  I also learned that the bollards at the end of Market Street are WOBBLY, which... did NOT help me!

A spread of more than a dozen Instax Wide long exposures of the lasers, plus abstract light painting

I wasted about ten frames on images with the camera braced against unstable objects, but I got a few successes.  Plus: light painting using the laser array is GREAT!  Too much for the film to manage, so it solarizes in a fun way.

Yaaay, lasers!