The Official Smog-Free Photo Thread

vertex · #1 Posted **Dec 17, 2006, 7:35 PM**

This seems like a weird request, so I ask that the mods show a little patience with this thread.

It appears as though nearly every photo posted in this board shows a city with either smog or a decent amount of haze. I would like to know how often you encounter a smog-free and haze-free day in their city, suburb, or town.

To reply in this thread requires photos. Not someone else's images from the internet, or professionally-shot stock images. These must be your images, and taken within the last few days. The best images will be daytime shots that include a distant horizon, with some sky.

I encourage you to post multiple images of your city. In other words, if you have a week's worth of clear air, or even just 3 or 4 days a month, please post them. Also, if you are traveling, and encounter a smog-free day in the city you are visiting, feel free to post that image as well.

This thread isn't intended to be a written argument about whose city is cleaner, so please refrain from doing so. Let your images do the talking.

As for me, I'm typing this as Phoenix sits in its' 4th straight day of a smog alert, due to climate inversion. Fortunately a cold front will be sweeping thru here by tomorrow. If I have any time in the next couple of days, I'll take some pics myself.

Oh, and don't forget to mention the city you are showing, your location tag isn't enough (this is for search purposes). Thanks.

innov8 · #2 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 6:13 AM**

Okay, I'll bit.

Sacramento, CA

BTW, I have not noticed that nearly every photo posted on
this board showing haze... reaching a bit aren’t you?

vertex · #3 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 6:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by innov8

BTW, I have not noticed that nearly every photo posted on
this board showing haze... reaching a bit aren’t you?

Thanks for posting. Do you have a date for the photo?

For what it's worth, if you browse thru the most recent threads (in the City Photos section) about Shanghai, Japan, London, Seattle, Cleveland, Hong Kong, Houston, Bogota, Atlanta, Mexico City, Buffalo, Birmingham, and Las Vegas, there are at least a couple of photos of smog in each example; some of those cities showed smog in every picture.

Three recent threads contain images that were entirely smog-free, or with just a bit of haze (at least to me):

Carmel, Indiana, Austin (from an airplane), and Sydney.

Rusty van Reddick · #4 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 7:05 AM**

Look at every Calgary photo thread. Best air quality in the world.

Quixote · #5 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 7:45 AM**

While you may find it odd for Los Angeles to be even mentioned in this thread, here's a little something for you!

By DaveLdude:

By Upward:

westsider · #6 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 7:49 AM**

^ Doesnt really look crystal clear to me....

Quixote · #7 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 7:51 AM**

Um, you're joking right?

Buckeye Native 001 · #8 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 4:47 PM**

Best days to take photos in L.A. are right after a rain storm or after the Santa Anas clear out all the haze.

innov8 · #9 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 4:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vertex

Thanks for posting. Do you have a date for the photo?

For what it's worth, if you browse thru the most recent threads (in the City Photos section) about Shanghai, Japan, London, Seattle, Cleveland, Hong Kong, Houston, Bogota, Atlanta, Mexico City, Buffalo, Birmingham, and Las Vegas, there are at least a couple of photos of smog in each example; some of those cities showed smog in every picture.

Three recent threads contain images that were entirely smog-free, or with just a bit of haze (at least to me):

Carmel, Indiana, Austin (from an airplane), and Sydney.

The Sacramento shot was taken Dec. 17, 2006.

Los Angeles, Nov. 20, 2006

westsider · #10 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 9:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westsidelife

Um, you're joking right?

The 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th pictures still seem to have a slight yellow tint.

hauntedheadnc · #11 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 10:24 PM**

Here's a view of Charlotte taken from Grandfather Mountain, 110 miles away. Naturally, you'd only get this sort of view on the very clearest days of winter.

Here's the link: http://blueridgeblog.blogs.com/blue_...ain/index.html

innov8 · #12 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 10:46 PM**

Great shot hauntedheadnc

Just because there is a tint of color in the sky doe's not mean its smog.
There are natural particles of dust that float in the atmosphere all the time
whether humans are there to cause them or not.... and depending on the
geographic location can determine what level is normal. Arizona and the
south west has much higher level of particles of dust in the air than other
parts of the country because of dry landscape in the region.

Also, photos can be misleading; if you are shooting into the suns direction, a
shot like that can give the impression that it’s smoggy when it's really not.

Paintballer1708 · #13 Posted **Dec 18, 2006, 11:49 PM**

Its nice seeing the LA skyline against the mountains. Its a nice backdrop. Unfortunately, you dont see that too often.

ChrisLA · #14 Posted **Dec 19, 2006, 2:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paintballer1708

Its nice seeing the LA skyline against the mountains. Its a nice backdrop. Unfortunately, you dont see that too often.

Thats not true these days, back in the 70's that was the case. Even on days when its hazy, the mountains are visable. I can even see them from Long Beach which is at least 30 miles away.

edluva · #15 Posted **Dec 19, 2006, 2:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paintballer1708

Its nice seeing the LA skyline against the mountains. Its a nice backdrop. Unfortunately, you dont see that too often.

That's patently false (and probably speaking from pure surmisal, and based on popular belief rather than personal experience). You see the mountains virtually all days - just in varying degrees of clarity.

Maybe, just maybe, theres that one or two days in a year when it gets so bad the mountains are absolutely invisible. But that's always the exception.