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Collection by Aaron Britt

Überblick by Thomas Heinser

Though the Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge are certainly the most famous, there are in fact seven bridges that span the wide waters of the San Francisco Bay. German photographer Thomas Heinser has spent the last few years photographing them and numerous other epic works of infrastructure in spots as far afield as Portugal and France for the series he calls Überblick. Überblick translates roughly as "over-view" and the show that goes up today, April 9th at Gallery 16 in San Francisco, is an accurate take on both the photographer's aerial vantage point and a greater notion of finding beauty in bridges, cloverleafs, wind turbines, and other bits of infrastructure that are usually passed over in the discussion of architectural aesthetics. Check out the slideshow, and be sure to stop into Gallery 16 between now and May 14th to see Überblick.

View 10 Photos
The graphic sweep of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge connects Staten Island to Brooklyn.
The graphic sweep of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge connects Staten Island to Brooklyn.
Titled "San Francisco," this aerial view of what is likely the Bay Bridge shows the kind of gritty, lonely weight our infrastructure has to pull.
Titled "San Francisco," this aerial view of what is likely the Bay Bridge shows the kind of gritty, lonely weight our infrastructure has to pull.
The far-less-celebrated Richmond Bridge is one of the seven that cross the San Francisco Bay.
The far-less-celebrated Richmond Bridge is one of the seven that cross the San Francisco Bay.
This photo, called "Oakland," is a clear nod the to the city's busy working waterfront: perhaps the Bay Area's most industrial port.
This photo, called "Oakland," is a clear nod the to the city's busy working waterfront: perhaps the Bay Area's most industrial port.
The Montezuma Hills of Solano Country in Northern California are home to wind farms.
The Montezuma Hills of Solano Country in Northern California are home to wind farms.
The Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed road bridge in southern France. It's the tallest vehicular bridge in the world (taller than the Eiffel Tower) and was designed by architect Norman Foster and structural engineer Michel Virlogeux.
The Millau Viaduct is a cable-stayed road bridge in southern France. It's the tallest vehicular bridge in the world (taller than the Eiffel Tower) and was designed by architect Norman Foster and structural engineer Michel Virlogeux.
The Carquinez Bridge spans the Carquinez Strait in the northern part of the San Francisco Bay.
The Carquinez Bridge spans the Carquinez Strait in the northern part of the San Francisco Bay.
The two spans of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge link the two towns on the 680 highway in the Bay Area.
The two spans of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge link the two towns on the 680 highway in the Bay Area.
This photo is called 3rd and 6th and graphically describes a variety of forms of transits, the freeway superimposed over the waterway.
This photo is called 3rd and 6th and graphically describes a variety of forms of transits, the freeway superimposed over the waterway.