On the Road to 1600

Mother Jones magazine

2009-01-26T09:56:00.002-05:00

My 1600 piece is in the current issue of Mother Jones magazine. There's also a much larger web piece here - http://www.motherjones.com/photos/photos-the-other-1600-pennsylv/ .

Please check it out and spread the word.

Thanks

Election Day

2008-11-11T11:52:00.002-05:00

I was looking for a way to cover election day a little differently. In Philadelphia we have these great blue tarp like voting booths and I thought a great way to document the day would be by visiting as many polling places as humanly possible in the 13 hours the polls were open in Pennsylvania. I probably hit about 50 and photographed 26. Here's one, but follow the link for the rest.

http://www.mimages.com/polls/

1600 update

2008-09-11T12:48:00.001-04:00

Here is a link to a working portfolio of the project. I would love your feedback.

http://www.mimages.com/1600Penn/

That's It

2008-08-22T16:05:00.002-04:00

Well, I'm home. There are still several 1600's I have to re-photograph, but about half I can do in a day and the other half I'm hoping to string together a few days maybe next month. Here are some totals:

11,001 miles
34 days
30 states
22 1600 Pennsylvania St/Ave

Thanks everyone for reading and commenting. I'll still keep this blog up and running and use it to update the rest of the 1600 and future projects. I have a couple of ideas in the works that are much closer to home.

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Tyrone, PA

2008-08-22T15:49:00.002-04:00

The last one of the trip. Like these last several, it was a return visit and not quite as exciting, but good to photograph it none the less. This is probably the busiest of the 1600's. It's a paper plant and takes up several blocks, but the view from the street is somewhat limited. I really liked this composition from before and I think it looks great in color.

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Irwin, PA

2008-08-21T13:52:00.001-04:00

Wow, what a difference 12 miles make. After my experience with the woman in West Mifflin, I was a little rattled as I arrived to the house in Irwin. After 5 weeks on the road I’m tired and another encounter like the one earlier in the day would have just sent me packing. Talk about a 180. After setting up, the homeowner came out an introduced himself and we chatted for a bit. He was interested in the project and my trip, which was a huge relief. Then after about 25 minutes he came back out and handed me a small pamphlet out Jesus and a $20 bill insisting I take it to help me out with gas or food. I repeatedly tried to give it back, but at some point you have to simply accept a stranger’s generosity. I gave him a Polaroid and thanked him. Two houses in two days and two very different experiences.

View from the room

2008-08-21T13:50:00.003-04:00

Econo Lodge, Altoona, PA

The last one! I’ll be home tomorrow after almost 5 weeks and 11,000 miles.

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, West Mifflin, PA

2008-08-20T20:14:00.003-04:00

Wait, where's the picture? No Polaroid you ask? Well... I got there at about 2pm. I had no intention of photographing the house until later this evening. Upon seeing me, the woman who owns the house asked me f I needed help and I politely introduced myself and told her about my project. She was not impressed and went on to simply say to no, no she didn't want her house photographed. I tried to explain to her how I really wasn't asking, but rather informing, but she didn't want to hear it. I told her to call the police if she liked, but instead she called her attorney and started threatening to sue me for violating her privacy. At this point I had two choices, walk away and leave it unphotographed, or go ahead. I decided to move fast. I quickly setup my tripod and had my camera set in about 45 sec. With my hands shaking just a bit, I lined everything as best as I could as the woman came over and demanded my name, address and phone number. Um no. She wrote down my license plate, but that's OK. I was getting a little nervous that she would assault me or try to damage my gear so I skipped the Polaroids and just went right to film. 8 sheets exposed and I just threw everything in the backseat and I was off. Who knows what will come of it.

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Charleston, West Virginia

2008-08-20T20:09:00.002-04:00

This one is a lot busier than most. Due to the size of the building I had to back up half way down the street, but it's nice since you get the Pennsylvania Ave sign just above the stop sign. I would have liked to setup a bit more to the right, but as it was, the c-roll was parked about two feet off the curb and then I was setup to the right of the car. I can deal with it. This one shows much more atmosphere of the place as opposed to the tighter house pictures.

View from the room

2008-08-20T15:37:00.002-04:00

Quality Inn, New Stanton, Pennsylvania

View from the room

2008-08-19T17:31:00.002-04:00

Charleston Plaza Hotel, Charleston, West Virginia

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Salem, Ohio

2008-08-19T17:25:00.002-04:00

This is a huge, sprawling complex, so narrowing down what to focus on was difficult, even with the previous visit. I really like the simplicity of the silo, but then after talking to one of the guys who works here, I decided to ask to photograph the main building as well. I made another view of the silo, but I was down to two sheets of film, so I'm not sure what will come of it.

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Lorain, Ohio

2008-08-19T09:13:00.003-04:00

I really like this one from my first visit. It was a soft rainy morning in April and the picture really worked. I think this one works too. I waited for a while, but the shadow wasn’t moving much. I didn’t wait until the shadow was totally gone, it would have taken hours and b that time the light would be pretty harsh, but I guess the way it throws off the composition a bit. Just about every 1600 picture on this trip has been taken early morning or late evening, classic times for photography since the light is so nice. This one though, I don’t know, I sort of prefer the first picture, the softer, open light, than this crisp morning light, but we’ll see once the film comes back.

I was talking to a good friend tonight about the light in this project. I think when you’re doing a series of pictures like this, similar subject over a long period of time, you either have o go with all the same light or a variety to keep the body of work diverse. I’ve obviously gone for the latter.

C-Roll

2008-08-19T09:07:00.002-04:00

Yes. There’s the ride, that sweet purple/gray Toyota Corolla that’s been barreling across this great country. Those are bugs splattered across the bumper. Note how I turned the tires, real professional car photography style. Apparently my digital tripometer doesn’t go to five digits, so it now reads about 4 miles. That’s really 10,004 miles.

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Newton Falls, Ohio

2008-08-19T09:00:00.003-04:00

This one is soo close. If it weren’t for that tree, I think this could a perfect composition. I struggled with the frame the first time I was here using the square frame and I did again with the 4x5. I love the 1600 address spelled out, Sixteen Hundred (it’s hard to see on the Polaroid), really great. But with that tree in the middle of the yard, I had to move to right or the left to have it in the frame and I think both compositions are a little awkward. The one without the flag looks a little better to me since the eye can assume the house ends just behind the tree, whereas the one with the flag, the eye knows the house continues on, but just can’t see it.

View from the room

2008-08-19T08:59:00.002-04:00

Timberlanes Motor Inn, Salem, Ohio

1600 S Pennsylvania Ave, Lansing, MI

2008-08-17T16:16:00.002-04:00

I think it was this picture from the first time around that really made feel like I was rushing this project. I was with Chris and we were headed to Milwaukee a Brewer's game and didn't have much time. I was there nice and early, but this huge tree was blocking the sun and would be for at least 45 minutes, 45 minutes we didn't have. So I settled for what I had and we were off, but I didn't feel good about it. I feel redeemed now and the earlier experience came in handy. I was basically setup in the left turning lane, car and all since being there under a dark cloth was making me feel a little vulnerable. I purposefully photographed on a Sunday, figuring things would be quiet on a rather busy road. Things went smoothly. Thick clouds rolled in and gave me a scare, but they moved on and I had pleasant light to work with. Spoke to the homeowner for a while, who had an interesting story that might make into some sort of extended caption if I ever publish/show this work. Seems like a lot of the 1600's are dominated by tree cover.

1600 Pennsylvania St, Gary, Indiana

2008-08-17T16:12:00.003-04:00

So this is the first one I've returned to. This came out better than before, although when I there in June there was great "Bingo" sign stuffed into the grate in front of the door. I was gently warned by the bar owner where I was setup to watch myself once it got dark, then his buddy told me the same thing. I think I might have packed it up a little early, but I didn't dare ignore some friendly local advice for an out of towner like me.

View from the room

2008-08-17T14:41:00.001-04:00

Days Inn, Amherst, Ohio

View from the room

2008-08-17T14:39:00.001-04:00

Econo Lodge, Lansing, Michigan

Catching up

2008-08-17T14:31:00.000-04:00

It’s been a few days without blogging, my bad. A lot of driving and I spent a night with my friend/art patron Chris in Chicago. It was a great little respite from the day-to-day traveling in solitude.

1600 Pennsylvania Ave S, St Louis Park, MN

2008-08-17T14:28:00.002-04:00

A lot of the houses sort of look the same, right? I still don’t like cars in the picture, but they do sort of give it a Stephen Shore thing. Maybe these will look extra interesting in 20 years.Chris likes the aspect of knowing whether or not the homeowner is in there, like staring into the windows of the white house, trying to catch a glimpse of the president.

This is the last one of the 1600’s I haven’t been to yet. It’s a little sad as I feel the trip has taken a turn towards the end. I still have to re-do all the other ones, but the excitement of the unknown just won’t be there. I can go after them in a much more calculated way, which will mean faster work, but less excitement.

Iowa moonrise

2008-08-14T16:02:00.002-04:00

View from the room

2008-08-14T15:52:00.003-04:00

Super 8 Motel, Golden Valley, MN

1600 S Pennsylvania St, Pine Bluff, Arkansas

2008-08-13T20:56:00.001-04:00

This the Household Hazardous Collection Site. Well, at least it's different. I like the openess for the picture in contrast to most of the other 1600's.

View from the room

2008-08-13T20:52:00.002-04:00

America's Value Best Inn, Osceola, Iowa

Does anyone else like these?

Back on the backroads

2008-08-13T20:28:00.004-04:00

Wow, I forgot how good it feels to travel off the interstate. You see the country, life, all along the way. Yeah, it takes a little longer and I do feel like I'm pushing into the home stretch here, but man, heading north up US 65 was great. Rolling through the Ozarks in Arkansas and southern Missouri, then blasting through farm after farm into Iowa. Now that the trip is wrapping up, I feel like I have less time to linger, to stop and make pictures along the way. It's a little disappointing, but it's reality. I'm already squeezing almost double the number of 1600's I had originally planned, but I can't do this forever, unless someone wants to be my patron. Anyone? I was talking to my good friend Dan and he said he was looking forward to seeing the other work beside the 1600. I felt a little guilty that I haven't been doing enough, but my project has been first and foremost on my plate. And after checking out of a motel, driving 8-10 hours a day, checking into a motel, getting gas, finding dinner, loading/unloading film holders and all the other mundane day-today stuff, it can be tough. So there's not a lot of other work. Most of it I've shared here, but I feel good, great even. It feel great to make a project like this come together. Who knows what will happen with it, but doing the work feels great.

Rainy days

2008-08-12T13:53:00.002-04:00

It's been raining for two days here in Arkansas. Not good for pictures. Keeping busy though, doing laundry, got an oil change a new tire for my car, but I really hope this rain lets up by the evening.

One dud, one dump

2008-08-11T20:18:00.002-04:00

I'll use this post to put up the random pictures from two days of driving and to get some random thoughts out of my notebook. Before that though, another my "new" addresses", this time in Wichita, Kansas, was a dud. After a long day from Denver to Wichita, I found what I thought was the address. I was a little iffy on it, and to make a long story short, no 1600 Pennsylvania in Wichita. That's OK since Wichita was right along the way to Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

I landed in Pine Bluff and found the hazardous waste dump, sitting at the corner of 16th and Pennsylvania. I was pretty sure I found my address, but it wasn't marked and after about 20 minutes at the city's street department, I was still unsure. I called 411 and confirmed the address as 1600. Solid. Trouble is it's dark and raining. The complex faces west so it might be an extra day in Arkansas.

Some random notes...

- Listening to a traffic report in an unknown city sounds like a foreign language.

- A lot of self-storage places also hold regular flea markets. Curious.

- I find myself answering the hypothetical questions posed by ads on talk radio.

1600 S Pennsylvania St, Denver, CO

2008-08-11T19:59:00.005-04:00

Well, obviously the Polaroid didn't quite come out, but you get the idea. I was frustrated by this one. I think it was due in part to the overwhelming feeling of having a bunch of addresses added to my project. I drove past this house a ton of times and the light was never right, but even if it was, I just wasn't feeling it. I couldn't see the picture. The main side faces north, so on Saturday night I drove back, but just as I got there, so did the clouds. Thick, Rocky Mountain clouds. do I stay another night? Another day waiting to make a picture I really wasn't feeling inspired for at all?

So with clouds rolling in I decided to drive the hour and a half south to Woodland Park, CO to scope out that address. I figured best case, I'd get there and photograph it, gaining a day on the trip. Worst case, it wouldn't be there and I could "spend" the day I would have spent in Woodland Park in Denver waiting on the above. Medium case, at least I did something with my downtime and scouted for my project. It wasn't there. I drove up the side of a mountain, drove down a dirt road named Pennsylvania Avenue and nothing. In the pouring rain I flagged down a woman driving and asked hr about 1600. Nope. Another dud. Back to Denver.

I really couldn't decide about whether or not to stay another night. I even booked a room, but in the end, I decided to move on, leave 1600 S Pennsylvania Ave, Denver unphotographed since I didn't like it. As I was headed north on my way to Kansas, I decided to give it one more look, what the hell right? Then I saw it. The back of the house, a smiling face, almost taunting me like a Cheshire cat, the picture was right there. Most of the address I focused on the front of house, but I never intended to make a series of real estate pictures, my intention has always been to document the structure, but to make an interesting picture somehow. Often, I'm limited to one view. Most of the 1600's are on the corner, so I have two choices, but one side usually prevails. With this address, for some reason, I never noticed, or should I say, failed to notice, the small alley and the rear of the building.

The light is not perfect, like the way the shadow touches the left window. The shadow was really on the window by the time I got to film, but I feel good about it. Maybe the shadow works in breaking up the uniformity of the structure. Maybe.

View from the room (updated)

2008-08-11T19:53:00.003-04:00

Comfort Inn, Pine Bluff, Arkansas (note the purple c-roll)

Idaho sunset, Wyoming skies

2008-08-09T14:43:00.002-04:00

1600 Pennsylvania St, Denver, CO

2008-08-09T14:11:00.002-04:00

This was a little bit of a disappointment. That car just wasn't moving and I battled, almost literally, with the cars on the other side of the street. Cars just kill pictures like this for me. Maybe they'll look good in 2o years, but today, not so much. I stayed until the light was gone and the car was there. Drove past it this morning and it was gone, but replaced by two more. There's another 1600 her in Denver, S. Pennsylvania St and it looks OK. Site on the corner, the door faces north, but the address faces west. I'm just not feeling either one to be honest. Not sure if it's because they were added on after the fact and now I'm a little worried about the length of this trip, or if it's I'm getting a little road weary. For example, when I check-out, I have a hard time remembering which room I'm in, a side affect of three weeks in and out of motels.

View from the room

2008-08-09T14:10:00.001-04:00

Sleep Inn, Englewood, Colorado

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, West Sacramento, CA

2008-08-09T00:41:00.002-04:00

This one was little tough. A lot of contrast. Either almost full shadow or low direct sun light. Should make an interesting print. Spoke with the home owner for a while, very nice man, retired for about 10 years there. The Polaroid doesn't show it but there's a small American flag on the house as well as 1600 numbers. Since the sun never hit it directly it might just be come out black, but that's okay, a little mystery. The tree in the front yard kept the light from hitting the house until about midday, then the light looked just terrible, so this is what I'm left with. It could work. We'll see.

View from the room

2008-08-09T00:35:00.004-04:00

America's Best Value Inn, Evanston, Wyoming

Even more 1600's

2008-08-09T00:17:00.003-04:00

Doing a re-search for 1600's and I found five more. Yeah, five. Two are both in Denver, which is okay since I was already planning on stopping in Woodland Park, CO. One in Wichita, KS, not too far off route, one in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, a town I could have easily stopped by on my way west, but wasn't aware of it, and another in Fruitland, Idaho. All of this has me a little rattled in not fully knowing how many addresses I've missed. The two in Denver are Streets, not Avenues, but I think that's close enough, what do you think?

Long story short, there isn't one in Fruitland, Idaho. I found out the hard way, by driving there. So my 1100 mile trip from West Sacramento, CA to Colorado turned into a 1400 mile one via 50 miles north of Boise, ID. Ugh. I ended up driving until about midnight to make up the time, spending the night in Wyoming and making it to Denver. 1400 miles in two days, that's a lot of gas. Here are the pretty pictures.

I wonder what Bliss, Idaho looks like. Potatos of all kinds perhaps.

This is sand in the beaufitul deserts of Nevada.

View from the room

2008-08-06T14:08:00.001-04:00

Rodeway Inn, West Sacramento, CA

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Richmond, CA

2008-08-06T13:58:00.002-04:00

I think this came out nice. I got there pretty early as the light was a little iffy and I wasn't sure if it was going to happen. I setup and there were two cars parked in front, which would have been OK, but I also knew I'd probably have to come back the next day and see if the street was clear. And then like magic, a construction truck pulled up to the house next door and 4 guys piled out and into the cars blocking my house. Beautiful. I then spent the next hour pleading with people not to park in front and everyone was very kind about it. The light never got perfect, but the house faces north, maybe a little northeast so the setting sun just barely hit the front of the house. I think it works though.

Yosemite

2008-08-05T17:10:00.003-04:00

Seemed a little silly to have to pay a $20 entry fee just to blast right through the park without even stopping. But, I guess I'll file that receipt away as a toll.

Pretty pictures

2008-08-05T17:02:00.004-04:00

Pretty pictures aren't really my thing, but how can you possibly ignore this?

Death Valley

2008-08-05T16:19:00.003-04:00

This a place I've always wanted to see and given more time I would have at least stayed overnight. As it is, I took a little detour to see it, making what would have been an 8 drive from New Mexico to San Fran into about an 11 one, but well worth it. It was incredible. 4000 feet, down to sea level, back up to 5000 feet in just a few miles. The landscape was surreal, I don't think the pictures do it justice. Tons more pictures from the rest of the drive, along the Sierra Nevada mountains and through Yosemite. California is beautiful.

Rhyolite, Nevada

2008-08-05T15:46:00.003-04:00

Something about a ghost town, that's what it's called on the map, that really peaks my interest. I think ever since I was a kid the mystery of a ghost town has always spoken to me. This place was pretty interesting. Not a whole there, but seeing that sign about rattlesnakes did freak me out and made me watch my step.

View from the room

2008-08-05T12:16:00.002-04:00

Motel 6, Pinol, California

View from the room

2008-08-04T11:22:00.000-04:00

Motel 6, Beatty, Nevada

Nevada

2008-08-04T11:19:00.000-04:00

Arizona

2008-08-04T11:13:00.004-04:00

2008-08-02T21:52:00.002-04:00

Long day driving today. Not sure how many miles, but I was on the third tank of gas by the time I landed for the night. It was cool to cross the continental divide. I drove across this once before when I was 16, driving cross-country through Montana ( I believe) with my best friend Mars. It was one of the classic summer trips you can only do in high school. New Mexico is really beautiful, but it is desolate. Driving along the back roads of Oklahoma and Texas, you'd go for 15 miles or so, then slow down to go through a little town of a couple hundred then back to the ope road. In New Mexico, you go 70 miles a stretch without seeing anything but grazing cattle. There's a lot of open road in this country and wonderful to see just a sliver of it.

New Mexico back roads

2008-08-02T21:47:00.001-04:00

Texas back roads

2008-08-02T21:29:00.003-04:00

Texas selfy

2008-08-02T21:24:00.002-04:00

Oklahoma back roads

2008-08-02T21:16:00.001-04:00

View from the room

2008-08-02T20:50:00.004-04:00

Econo Lodge, Gallup, New Mexico

1600 N Pennsylvania Ave, Mangum, OK

2008-08-01T21:21:00.002-04:00

Some of these are starting to look alike. Sometimes when I get to a town I see a few houses that I hope will turn out be mine. Like this one, a lot of the houses around it were, let's just say, not as nice. Plus, this has to be only fancy car in town, of course parked right in the driveway. It would nice to have some dilapidated house for the series, but it wasn't meant to be.

Tommorrow starts the long journey west. Next stop is Richmond, CA, 1500 miles away. I'm a little sad that I only have a few more 1600's left.

View from the room, Mangum, OK

2008-08-01T21:15:00.002-04:00

I thought about doing a series of pictures of the view from my motel/hotel room. I thought of it in Dallas, but then decided against it since I hadn't started it from the beginning. But the hell, here it is.

The Duffer Motel, Mangum, OK

Mangum, Oklahoma

2008-08-01T19:17:00.001-04:00

Mangum, Oklahoma. What great little town. Arrived pretty early in the day after a nice leisurely 3 hour drive through the scenic back road, OK 9. After checking in to the only motel in town, but the room was still being cleaned, I stopped for an oil change, I'm at about 3500 miles on the trip, then scoped out downtown Mangum. Well, it's a few blocks, but it's the county seat. A 5 story hotel called the Hotel Franklin caught my eye and I peeked in and loved what I saw. Old lobby, peeling paint, banquet room. This is right up my alley as a photographer. I wandered across the street to the Mangum museum and asked the woman about the hotel. She told me at one time it was the largest building west of the Mississippi and east of the Colorado rivers. Pretty impressive. I told her how I was a photographer and told her about my project that brought me to Mangum. I said I would love to see inside the old hotel and she quickly called someone. Nope, since the mayor and city council weren't in yet. Then magically, her honor walked in. I told her about my project and my interest in the hotel and she quickly handed me the key. Just like that, it was beautiful. No PR people to suck up to, no red tape, just an earnest photographer connecting with a proud small town mayor. I spent the next two hours exploring and documenting the remains. Not too much is left inside and a group recently replaced the windows to prevent further deterioration, but that left cardboard boxes strewn about, but there were still pictures to be made. A lot of nice little details, which I always love. The only drawback of the aside is that by the time I got settled in the motel, it’s pretty late in the day, so I might add another day here. I think it’s a good tradeoff though.

OK

2008-08-01T18:53:00.004-04:00

I stopped at the bombing memorial site in Oklahoma City before I left town this morning, the first real tourist thing I've done so far. It's a really beauiful place. Chris and I were there in 2000 before it was completed so it was interesting to see the finished memorial.

1600 N Pennsylvania Ave, Oklahoma City, OK

2008-08-01T18:34:00.002-04:00

It's too bad the way the tree sort of obscured the 1600 sign and kept the light off the one side of the house, but oh well. I was camped out in the median of the street which was a little awkward and really, really hot.

When I'm doing these pictures, I was thinking to myself yesterday as I waited for sun to sink lower in the sky, I sort of feel like some sort of modernist architect. I still have to really work out the best language, but I quickly scribbled some notes. From my Chicago architecture tour with Chris earlier this summer, the modernists weren't the most creative people. Their goal was to celebrate the material, the steel mostly, and the space it created. For this project it's sort of similar, I'm celebrating the material, in my case the building I'm photographing. I'm not really exercising much creativity, making simple straight forward documents of the structure. It's about the formality of the subject and no the creativity or vision of the photographer. The vision and creativity lie in the concept.

Oklahoma

2008-07-31T16:13:00.002-04:00

Some scenes from Texas and southern Oklahoma. Found my 1600, but it's still early in the day, so I'm hanging tight, waiting for the light. Clouds are rolling in, so hopefully it will be clear enough for pictures. The front of the house faces due West, which is just perfect for the end of the day.

By the way, gas here is $3.39! Too bad I filled up for $3.59 along the way.

Mississippi Part Two

2008-07-30T21:57:00.001-04:00

Some pictures and thoughts from driving through Mississippi. I love back roads. And when I say back, I basically mean anything that's not an interstate, those blue highways on the atlas. You can almost as fast in them, the speed limit in Florida, Mississippi and Texas for the most part is either 64 or 70. 70 mph on a single land country road! It's fun. The scenery is soo much better, or rather, there actually is scenery. Beautiful rolling landscapes, lake, seas, rivers. Every once a and a while you slow through some small town and see life that's just hanging on with vacant store fronts, couple of gas stations and maybe a Wal-Mart. It's the way to see the road, the country, through some winding US highway or a county road away from the overly commercialized interstate corridors. You can sort of squint and see how this country once looked like, not the marred landscape of strip malls and fast food.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast was just fascinating. Beautiful for all the wrong reasons. Hurricane Katrina just obliterated the place. It's hard now to say how much damage was from "The Storm" as the motel clerk called it, or how much has now just been demolished and cleared away. Casinos dot the coast and just about every vacant lot is up for sale. Not long before it's Atlantic City.

Mississippi Part 1

2008-07-30T21:33:00.004-04:00

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Dallas, TX

2008-07-30T21:13:00.003-04:00

And just like that, Texas is done. Spent the morning and early afternoon wandering through Texas' back roads en route to Austin, a city I was sort of excited to visit since Rob spoke so highly of it. Followed gps to 1600 and didn't see it at first. So I parked, checked the addresses of few houses along the block, 1612, 1608, 1512. Hmm. A woman was out with her sons, picking up stray litter and chatting, I asked them where 1600 was and they were a little unsure. Apparently there used to be a vacant lot that the woman would tend to, but a few years back a distant relative of the original owner showed up and built a house on it. So according to mom, 1512 should have technically been 1600, but the new homeowners chose 1512 so keep the sequence with there neighbors. So no 1600 Pennsylvania Ave in Austin, TX, despite my great web source. Not big deal for me since I had to go through Dallas.

Arrived in Dallas at about 4pm and unloaded then reloaded my film holders in the bathroom. I was starving, but decided I should t least make sure 1600 was here in Texas. After landing in a decidedly dicey part of town, I found it. The sun was getting nice and low, and despite the property facing thee sides of open street, two sides would work for a picture, and this one I think is the most interesting. Not the most interesting picture so far on this trip or prior ones, but after a long day through Texas and a few days since my address in Florida, it was good to get back under the view camera.

Somewhere, Florida

2008-07-29T20:53:00.000-04:00

US 19 Florida

2008-07-29T20:52:00.000-04:00

1600 Pennsylvania Ave NE, Saint Petersburg, FL

2008-07-29T20:25:00.003-04:00

Where am I?

2008-07-29T20:23:00.000-04:00

US 19, Florida. Wild, right?

Just a quick one

2008-07-29T10:33:00.003-04:00

I could have spent several days meandering along US 19 north through Florida. All sorts of interesting buildings along the way through the swamp, but alas, no, onward. I have a bunch more pictures to share, but I spent the morning swimming, first in the Gulf of Mexico, then a little dip in the motel pool. More pictures later when I land in Texas.

Yes!

2008-07-27T20:25:00.003-04:00

Well don't let the big door of Florida hit you on the ass on the way out. I'm out! Finally. After a questionable weather day, the clouds cleared enough for on and off light that worked. I got the front of the house with the 1600 sign and a nice American flag. I even got the original composition without a car in the driveway, but I think the front view will be my picture. I'll post the Polaroid tomorrow, I left them in my trunk. So I'm on the road again. I felt like I was collecting dust here in scenic St. Pete. Now the only thing that stands between me and my next 1600 is 1200 miles. Brutal, right? That's at least two days, but there are four pretty close together so a few days of hard travel will be followed up with a few short days. And I'm looking forward to moving on.

Stuck in Florida

2008-07-26T18:15:00.003-04:00

I'm still here. And it looks like thunderstorms and dense clouds will keep me here until at least Monday. What to do? The light is just so blah. Here is a Polaroid from yesterday's abbreviated shoot.

In hindsight, maybe yesterday's light wasn't that bad. I only got off eight exposures, which when you're doing a little bracketing, eight's not that many. Plus, I didn't feel like I got it. I certainly didn't figure on an extra two days, provided tomorrow works out, but I guess if I'm in, then I'm in.

Still here

2008-07-26T09:09:00.002-04:00

Well, I had to put my money where my mouth was yesterday. Going into this trip it was intention to way until I felt I got the picture I was truly happy with before leaving. Until St. Pete, I was 3 for 3. But yesterday at my 1600, where I met the homeowner and had a very chat, storm clouds rolled in and poof, there goes my light. I waited, hoping that cloud would just blow on by, not alas, with thunder and lightning in the distance over Tampa Bay, I packed it in to photograph another day. So that means an extra day here and hopefully this evening will be clear.

"Florida is a long state."

2008-07-25T14:03:00.005-04:00

Spending two nights in St. Petersburg. Had a long day yesterday, waiting, driving, spending half an hour looking for my wedding ring that flew off at an Indian reservation rest stop ( great, right?).

The 1600 here looks like it will work later in the day and I just arrived too late last night to get it. The house sits on a corner, like several of the addresses, and one side faces west, which will yield good evening light, and the other side faces south. Ugh, south. This is three in a row that has a southern facing side and you just never get light from the south. The sun comes up in the east and moves across the sky west and except for maybe a few times a year, as a rule, you never get direct light from the south. Which is a bummer for me, but something you obviously just have to deal with. I took this picture of gps showing that sweet little flag of destination. Nothing better than hearing that "bong, turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue. Arriving at address 1600 on left." Just beautiful.

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida

2008-07-24T12:39:00.002-04:00

I like this one. I think it came out nice. In the color Polaroid, I love that line of shadow cutting across the building. Coming down to Florida was a good call. I dropped off a couple sheets of film at a lab just to check in with the work, make sure everything is on the up and up. The owner of the lab really liked the project idea, even questioning if was my idea. Now I’m sitting tight in Miami Beach until 3pm.

I love those looks from people as they see me working. They see me with the goofy camera, then they look across the way to what my camera is pointed at, then back at me with a bit of that “What the hell are doing?” look. One girl driving by asked if she could have my camera. I told her I’d trade it for her car. No deal.

It was nice seeing David and Gretchen. They have a really nice little home in Miami. Of was pleasantly surprised with Miami and Miami Beach. Much nicer than the TV show.

Welcome to Miami

2008-07-23T14:41:00.002-04:00

Miami. Some serious rain down here, like India monsoon rain. Didn't do more pictures at 1600 in Winter Park. When I got there I noticed on the gps that the front of the house faced south and with the way sun travels would probably never hit the front of the house. Plus it was raining and is supposed to be raining for the next few days, so I feel confident that I got something good yesterday and moved on to Miami. Thank you David and Gretchen for the hospitality. Such a nice sanctuary here. I'm hoping to get some film processed just to check on myself and make sure I'm using the crazy camera correctly. Fingers crossed. Ah, the magic of film. That small 1% chance that you might have totally screwed it up, and that feeling of total relief when you spread out your success across the light table.

1600 S Pennsylvania Avenue, Winter Park, FL

2008-07-22T19:42:00.004-04:00

My light cleared for a moment, so I headed back out. Here's the Ploaroid. The house sits on the corner and it looks like morning light will work for the front of the house.

Waiting

2008-07-22T16:58:00.002-04:00

Landed in Winter Park, FL. Found my 1600, but the light is terrible, raining on and off. These are some random pics from the car. I feel like I have a little too much floating in my head photographically. The most important pictures to make are obviously of the 1600's. Most important. But after that my mind gets a little muddled. I like posting pics here to show people my way, little things that catch my eye, but mostly, what's a blog without pictures after all, especially from a photographer. So I take these. They don't take a lot of time, just leave the digital next to me on full auto. But then I have this other set of pictures I feel I should be making, those of the road, more deliberate and thought out, not just random things from the car window at 70 mph, but the ones where I stop, get out, look. I've done a few like that, but juggling all three sets in my head feels like a lot. Maybe I'm just asking too much on day 3.

1600 Pennsylvania Ave, McDonough, GA

2008-07-22T16:45:00.004-04:00

Does it ruin it for you if I post a quick digital pic of the 1600? I was going to photograph the Polaroid, but they're in my glove compartment 4 floors down. I think this one will come out well. A little different looking building from the rest. Working with the view camera is a totally experience. I got up at 7am and just hit it. Got to the address and the light wasn't quite up yet, but with the view camera I could set up and get ready, unlike the Hasselblad where you're pretty much ready to go at all times. Did some tests and felt good. Then the light just dramatically changed. I quickly exposed a piece of film then the light went back to the way it was. You have to more fast to capture fleeting light with the view camera. By the time you expose a Polaroid and process it everything could be different. Still feeling like a fish out of the water with the Toyo, but it will come. Popped off a few with Hasselblad just in case.

I want to write a little bit about the feeling when I get close to the address. I'm using a GPS navigation thing, without it I'm not sure how the project could be done, and when I get close and can see the final destination on the screen of the GPS I get that pang in my stomach. It's so exciting making that final turn onto Pennsylvania Avenue, not knowing what I'll find, that small possibility that it won't be there at all. It's just so exhilarating once I finally come upon it.

On the road

2008-07-21T16:49:00.004-04:00

Kept heading south today, from North Carolina, through South Carolina and into Georgia, a little south of Atlanta. Found a "cozy" motel for just $39 and had a brief but interesting conversation with the inn keeper who is from India. Told him Jill was there and rattled off our two different adventures. Not impressed. Tomorrow I'll be in Florida, leaving the original 13 colonies, which feels significant somehow.

I found my 1600 here in McDonough, GA, but the light is pretty brutal. I'll check back in a few hours, but it looks like the sun is setting right behind the building. Hopefully tomorrow morning will work.

Stopped in Athens, GA for lunch. Tried to find a spot per Joy's recommendation, but it was closed. Found a nice little sandwich shop where I got this tasty chicken sandwich with cashews and provolone, chips and a homemade cookie for just $5.75. Nice. But the parking meter made me laugh, $.25 for an hour, $3 for an expired meter? Really? For $3 seems you should just take your chances.

New Route!

2008-07-21T16:43:00.001-04:00

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So I'm adding Florida to the trip. There are three 1600's down there and I'm not sure when I could make it back down here, so what the heck. Plus, thanks to David, I have a place to stay in Miami. I hear it's just like the TV show.

It Begins

2008-07-20T18:28:00.004-04:00

Hit the road today. Covered about 550 miles before stopping just outside of Charlotte, NC, where I'm having dinner with my good friend Pat. Feels good to be going. So I took the picture of the odometer reading 110,143, which is the number of miles on Corolla, but I can't help but miss the old analog odometers where 0-9 numbers would tumble higher and higher as you went. Something about the digital display doesn't feel earned like getting those old number wheels to spin around. Maybe that's why I bought a 4x5 view camera, film is still better, in my opinion.

The Route

2008-07-19T08:29:00.000-04:00

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Getting Ready

2008-07-18T13:03:00.001-04:00

So, as some of you know, I've been photographing the address 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue throughout the Northeast. Now I'm hitting the road to see the eight more, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texan, California and Colorado. Jill is leaving for India for two months and I didn't get my grant so I'm trying to make lemonade here. I got a new camera, a Toyo 4x5, which is a pretty big change for me format wise. I actually bought a Speed Graphic initially, but quickly realised it wasn't up for the job, so if anyone needs one, please let me know.

8 definite locations, about 7200 miles, 4 weeks, give or take. Then on the way home I can start over on the locations I've already photographed with the Hasselblad. You can see those here:

http://www.mimages.com/1600

Loser

2008-07-17T18:38:00.001-04:00

What a loser, I have a blog.