Welcome to the Oregon Atlas of Panoramic Aerial Images, one of a series of collections of photorealistic aerial views created by Dr. William A. Bowen, professor emeritus of the Department of Geography at California State University Northridge. The atlas contains 516 computer generated panoramas that portray every square foot of the state. Seeing the Earth from a high place allows us to grasp quickly the essential geography of vast regions that eludes those who are earth bound. Most of these panoramas were created from a virtual elevation of 40 kilometers (24.85 miles) above sea level with a virtual 35 mm camera equipped with a 22 mm lens. Normally the vistas encompass more than a thousand square miles (259,000 hectares) of the earth's surface.
Because of our lack of geographic experience and the unusual perspectives offered by this atlas, I recommend that users acquire a copy of a detailed state atlas such as those published by Benchmark Maps and DeLorme. These may be purchased from your local bookseller, Amazon.com, or any one of many other dealers. Equipped with such a reference, atlas users will be able to orient themselves better and identify all manner of detail.
One of the unfortunate realities of Web publications is that every user's computer screen will render the panoramas differently. Serious users may need to download the images and modify their color balance using their own software. The pictures are best viewed on a large monitor.
It is hoped that these unique aerial views will provide a new and valuable resource for those who seek to understand better the character of Oregon's many landscapes and the people who occupy them. Other atlases in the Survey's Electronic Map Library cover the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Oregon, Nevada, Montana, Utah, and Washington. Future publications will include Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. In addition, a general World Atlas is under development continuously.
The California Geographical Survey is a creation of Dr. William A. Bowen, and it is hosted by the Department of Geography and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at California State University, Northridge. The Survey operates for the benefit of the students and faculty of the California State University System, public and parochial school teachers and students, and the people of the State of California. It is the California Geographical Survey's intention to provide a variety of important geographic resources to the entire Internet community. Technical web site assistance is provided by Mr. Robert Provin and Mr. David Deis.
The materials of the California Geographical Survey are available without restrictions to the California State University Northridge campus community for non-profit, classroom use. All other persons should be aware that materials contained within this geographic archive are copyrighted and the sole property of Dr. William A. Bowen. Use of such copyrighted materials without the permission of the owner is strictly forbidden. In some cases, the author may extend additional legal rights to specific off-campus individuals and groups. Dr. Bowen's work is not funded by any government agency or private sponsor. His work is not in the public domain. Every item is copyrighted and is distributed with the clear understanding that its use for commercial and non-commercial purposes outside of public classrooms is forbidden without his expressed approval. Individual students and teachers are specifically granted the right to use all materials for class assignments and lectures. Please contact Dr. Bowen for additional information concerning copyright issues and the development of commercial projects.
California Geographical Survey People
Bill Bowen and his wife Marilyn live in Northridge, California, near the university he served for thirty-four years. Bill was educated as a geographer at U.C. Berkeley. He was privileged to have taken courses from Professors Clarence Glacken, John Kesseli, Ted Oberlander, James Parsons, Carl Sauer, Hilgard Sternberg, James Vance, Gunther Barth, Peter Birkeland, J. B. Jackson, and George Stewart. He joined the faculty at California State University, Northridge in 1970 and taught there until his retirement in 2004. Several years before his retirement, he decided to create the California Geographical Survey as a tool for better communicating his ideas and maps to students and other explorers who frequent the Web. He continues his work today at home, in a closet that contains two high-speed Macintosh computers.
Although educated as a cultural geographer and physical geographer in the Sauerian tradition, he has always been fascinated with maps. This evolving collection of photorealistic, panoramic maps of the earth's landscapes can be traced to an undergraduate map reading course taught by Professor John E. Kesseli in 1962 and a cartography course taught by Professor Ted Oberlander in the Spring of 1963. He is forever in the debt of these fine scholars and the many other teachers who touched his life.
Robert Provin has provided essential technical support to the California Geographical Survey since its beginnings. He is a true scholar and valued colleague whose patient good thoughts and intelligence have kept the web service alive during challenging times. Until his retirement in June 2005, Robert was the senior scientific technician of the Department of Geography. He remains a highly regarded instructor, and an internationally renown expert in astronomical photography.
He has made many contributions to that science and coauthored the influential Manual of Advanced Celestial Photography. This book has been called "the most comprehensive book on astrophotography ever published." He and his coauthor Brad Willis are currently completing another volume entitled From Silver to Silicon. His photography may be seen on the Web at http://voltaire.csun.edu/Default.html. Robert is a graduate of California State University Northridge, where he earned both his Baccalaureate and Masters degrees.
David Deis has recently begun providing technical support for the Survey's computer server. He is the chief cartographer for the Department of Geography, and in that capacity has become an expert in digital mapping, image processing, and graphic design. He teaches courses in cartography and geographic information systems. David is a graduate of California State University Northridge, where he earned both his Baccalaureate and Masters degrees. He lives with his wife Tina in the San Fernando Valley.