The second Cliff House, San Francisco - stormy sky
The second Cliff House (1896-1907) on the coast of San Francisco dramatically illuminated by lightning (actually, close observation reveals that the edge of the clouds/fog are being lit by the setting sun) during a coming storm. Photo taken in 1900 by Tsunekichi Imai, a San Francisco photographer who then sold prints of this photograph mounted in cardboard frames to tourists. On the back of the cardboard frame is a label which states: A Japanese boy, noticing the approach of lightning and thunder storm, took the last car for the Cliff House at 10:30pm. The night was dark. He took up his position with his camera on the beach, and patiently waiting until 2 o'clock am, was able by leaving his camera open to obtain this picture, the flashlight being Nature's own - the bright strokes of lightning at the moment. The patience of the Oriental, together with his keen perception of the opportunity, give us this photographic rarity, thunder storms and lightning being a rare occurrence in the glorious climate of California. Imai was the first Japanese commercial photographer in San Francisco. He operated a studio at 1303 Polk Street, near Bush, (cited in the Japanese Yearbook of 1905) and later at 1950 Bush Street, which also served for many years as the Imai family home
