Alcatraz photos

concept

current concept

Here are several new wire frames to go along with some revised visual concepts. I had the opportunity to go to Alcatraz and meet some of the rangers. I was also lucky enough to have access to the top of the lighthouse where tourist are not allowed to go. The view was amazing! Too bad it was such a cloudy day. I still was able to get some interesting photos.

Concept 2

I decided to go for a clean, more traditional "Alcatraz" look and feel. Black and white photos are a reminder of the past, while color photos are a reminder of the present. I used an image of the island for my idea, but the image could potentially be of anything or anyone.

site map & wire frame

I chose to have a very simple and straightforward design. If the site requires, I can make it more complicated. I had a limited amount of feedback from last week, so hopefully I'm going in the right direction.

CSS

The training on CSS was new for me, so it was a little difficult to follow. It was good that the lesson provided files to follow along with. I'll probably have to go back and review some of the info because it was a lot to take in. I just wish the narrators were not so annoying.

the main idea

As a title to my site I was thinking:
Voices from the Rock
or
Unlocking the Past

Summary:
The living witnesses of Alcatraz Island have the opportunity to share their living history with others.

The living witnesses of Alcatraz Island are vanishing into the past, as the inhabitants grow older. The past can be alluring, especially if someone has an interesting story to share. The 75th Alcatraz Alumni Reunion is a chance for alumni to share their living histories and connect with younger generations, as well as with past neighbors. The alumni get to be heroes for a day and the public can ask the alumni about what it was like being an inmate, a prison guard, or perhaps what it was like growing up as a kid on the island. This is an opportunity for a first hand account of history to help preserve the past and celebrate future of Alcatraz Island.

direction idea

font and color options

Mood Board version 2

mood board

- a sense of mystery
- old and new together
- community
- sun and shade
- contradiction
- celebration
- connection
- remembering the past
- exploration

Experience Map

NPS Contact

This week, I received some info and photos from my contact. The National Park Service has commemorated the opening of the federal penitentiary on Alcatraz Island for 74 years. Next summer will mark the 75th anniversary. Every year former guards, their families that lived on the island and inmates are invited. These special guest/heroes for a day are asked either formally or informally present talks about their life stories on Alcatraz between 1934–1963. The internationally know park hold interest, mystery and intrigue for people of all ages. This day is an opportunity for people to get first hand information and ask the alumni questions about their life and the history of Alcatraz.

The 75th Alcatraz Alumni Reunion will happen Sunday, August 9, 2009 at 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on the Rock.

Alcatraz Alumni
Alcatraz Cruises
National Park Service: Alcatraz
Alcatraz Exhibit

Personas

Sharon
53 years old
Free-spirited philanthropist

Sharon is a 53 year old woman who spent the first 8 years of her life living on Alcatraz. Her father worked as a prison guard and moved his family into the island community of about 300. Her family was one of the last to live there when Alcatraz was a federal penitentiary and remembers watching the last inmates get on the boat to leave Alcatraz in 1963 when it was shut down.

Sharon would take the ferry back and forth to school in San Francisco everyday. Sometimes the waves were too ruff for the ferries to run and the kids would delight in a day off. She remembers the island as safe place to live with plenty of other kids as playmates. Sharon is interested in sharing her experiences with others while revisiting some of her roots and possibly reconnecting with some of the people she knew growing up on Alcatraz.



John
42 years old
Fun-time Dad







































John is a 42 year old divorced father with 1 kid, Luke aged 8. John works hard during the week as a financial consultant in the Bay Area. On weekends he likes to take Luke on outings to discover new things to keep him from being glued to TV and video games. John also enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and camping, biking, surfing and kayaking. Like everyone in the Bay Area, he’s heard of Alcatraz but has yet to go visit the island.

John is comfortable using the web for checking e-mail, playing fantasy sports and finding activities to do with his son. He’s mostly interested in up-to-date information about local events that are happening during weekends, but has a hard time locating this info on the web.



Haruko
34 years old
Tourist











































Haruko is a single 34 year old Japanese woman from Japan. She loves to travel and her favorite activities include sight-seeing, dining in fancy restaurants and shopping. She is interested in visiting the best, most popular places in California while she in the state, and San Francisco is on her list of places to go because it offers all three of her main interests.

Haruko is still planning her trip from online recommendations, as well as tour books and word of mouth. She loves American movies and has seen the Clint Eastwood movie, “Escape from Alcatraz,” so she is interested in exploring the island. She is specifically looking for a personal experience where she can have a knowledgeable guide explain what she is viewing.




Larry
70 years old
Retiree











































Larry is 70 year old ex-inmate from Alcatraz. He now lives in an assisted living community in Arizona. Although he can’t get around as well as he used to, Larry enjoys playing golf on the local course and wii bowling when he’s at home.

Larry was sent to Alcatraz when he was 20 years old for multiple armed robberies. He spent 4 years at Alcatraz before being transferred to another penitentiary when it was shut down. He’s received past invitations in the mail to previous alumni reunions, but he feels that Alcatraz is a shut chapter in his life and isn’t sure he wants to revisit his experiences on the island. Some of his family is not aware that Larry did time at Alcatraz.

There is a shared computer lab in the assisted living community, where Larry has his own computer set up. He mainly uses it to write e-mail to his grandchildren. Larry gets most his information in newspapers and magazines, and a few Web sites that have been recommended to him.