Sunday, February 24, 2008

Best Friend


PZ in Minh Anh. I know, she's too dimly lit, but fill flash would have diminished the colored light behind her, and I had no small and subtle light source to set on the table. An occasion when compromise was the only option. Li'l pocket digital.

Don't forget to visit her blog! Linked at right.

Thrift Store Camera


Men fishing near the East 55th St. end of Gordon Park, Labor Day weekend, 2006. Test roll from Canon FTb with 28mm wide-angle lens marked "J. C. Penney." Onboard TTL meter operant and accurate. Light seals a wee bit gummy but no leaks. $15 from Salvation Army.

The FTb's test run took place on a Sunday afternoon with glowering banks of autumn clouds over the lake, and vintage planes overhead from the Cleveland Air Show.

Sincerely Interested in Your Problems


A recent drive down Lorain Rd. revealed that this signage, uncovered by adjacent demolition, has now been removed and replaced with new siding.

German Kodak Retinette 1A (1959/60).

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Friday, February 22, 2008

St. Theodosius


For some out-of-town friends who haven't seen this place before. I still find it completely startling whenever I approach it in its otherwise nondescript pre-Depression-era neighborhood. The eastern flank of the cathedral is now menaced by a massive development of stratospherically-priced cluster-condos for the haute bourgeois who think it's hip to live in funky old Tremont.

In the abysmal Cleveland economy, nothing is safe: a couple of years ago, thieves stole portions of the green copper that covers the domes, apparently to sell as scrap. Thankfully, they've been repaired.

The magic point-and-shoot again, the always reliable and surprising Canon AF35ML with the f:1.9 lens.

Cell Phone


Tower City Center, downtown Cleveland.

Bill Blasko's Adopt-a-Building Program


More signage from the exquisite ruin at 5613 Euclid Avenue.

Kodak Ektachrome.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Steve's Lunch


Edward Hopper pays a visit to Cleveland's near west side.

One of two hot dog diners on Lorain Road.

Thrift Store Camera

The bad news first: Polaroid is discontinuing all instant film. The good news is that they'll stop manufacturing it only when they've created enough stock to last through the end of 2009. I'm guessing there's going to be enough of a run on it to produce a perhaps unexpected sales spike, but still not enough to make them change their mind. The press release said Polaroid will concentrate instead on digital media and printers, which is already well covered by quite a few other companies. Seems at best a stopgap measure on the way to final closure.

The reliable old Polaroid Impulse here, with standard 600 film.

Thrift Store Camera

Plastic Bell and Howell with focus-free 28mm lens.

Backstreet Breuer

No word lately, at least in the mainstream media, about the fate of the Breuer tower, but asbestos removal proceeds apace. Prelude to a demolition?

The first image here has been reproduced in a few places.


A vantage point not often exploited when photographing this building, the alleyway between Euclid and Huron.

Canon AF35ML.