It's wonderful to stand at the front of the ferry and watch as the famous Alcatraz looms into view. You've heard about it, read about it, seen the Burt Lanacaster movie about the 'Bird man', seen the Clint Eastwood movie about escaping from it, and the Nicolas Cage movie about lots of action sequences and things blowing up... and finally, here it is. The real thing. The Rock.

Above is the normal photo, pretty much straight from my camera card. Below is the same photo, except I took a second to click the Photoshop 'high pass' filter. Pretty dramatic, eh? I have no idea what a 'high pass' filter is or does. I just know it does stuff like this.

One cell, many cells. Perfectly preserved in the timeless, hardened amber of a highly profitable tourism franchise.

A picture of the first version of Alcatraz prison, or 'correctional facility'. The authorities felt that it was very well-designed and secure, but, at just a few feet across, they soon realised it was far too small to actually contain any human prisoners. That's when they decided it would have to be much bigger, so they started building the version we see today. 

Note that Alcatraz does not have 'famous' inmates, but 'infamous' ones. Nice touch. Al 'Scarface' Capone in the middle. I hate to be disparaging about appearances, and I don't condone crime, but frankly with that face what else was he going to do? Open a charm school? Become a male model? On the right is Robert Stroud, aka the 'Bird Man of Alcatraz', and on the left George 'Machine Gun' Kelly, of whom I know nothing.

View from Alcatraz island looking across to neighbouring Angel Island and Marin County.

View through the bars looking out across the Bay towards Angel Island.

The light was fading towards the end of my visit. When the light gets low, and I use my camera without the flash, it can produce weird effects... as on this, another view looking out towards Angel. I have not tweaked the photo, added any colour or enhanced the redness.

More of the 'instant oil painting' weirdness that my camera sometimes coughs up when used sans flash.

A view looking back towards the watch tower. Normally I would hate that wild orange flare into the lens, but on this particular shot I like it.

And finally, the star of the Alcatraz tour. I don't know who this man is, but I thought his appearance was just wonderful. He sits at his table all the day long day anwering any questions the tourists have. Even before he starts his shift, he knows every question that's going to come up, and of course every answer.