Amazing Bird's-Eye Views of the New Bay Bridge Construction

Countless commuters have snapped Instagram shots of the new Bay Bridge span but very few people have seen it from this perspective. Photographer Joseph Blum has spent the better part of 20 years documenting every step of the Bay Bridge's construction. Workers would regularly dangle hundreds of feet over the water to secure bolts on pieces of steel weighing thousands of pounds and Blum was dangling right there next to them. Deep in the guts of the bridge, Blum wore a respirator while photographing a welder in a space too hot for unaided breathing.

Blum said in an interview with Culture Connect, "There will be hundreds of thousands of photos of the bridge, its setting, and the natural beauty of the structure. My project has always been to show the work and how the work is accomplished, from the perspective of the people actually building it." As you can see, his photos absolutely embody that idea.

The photos are on display at The Bay Model visitor center in Sausalito and the opening reception is Saturday, February 7th. The show is titled "The Bridge Builders," paying homage to the men and women who constructed this modern marvel. The show will be on display until March 7th and you can also view the photos on his website here.