Jesus on a pile of filth

This weekend I went to Rockford, IL to visit a friend. I had to take a photograph of a three story free standing building using a view camera. My friend suggested we try to find a building in the old industrial area of town. We pulled into a large gravel parking lot that was bordered by an old train depot and other abandoned manufacturing buildings. The first thing I saw when I exited the car were two used needles and a beheaded toy doll, this was a sad part of town and I intended to capture it with the camera. After spending an hour or so shooting the exterior of the building we dared to go inside this place. There were three stories, each level more spooky than the last. The following four images are of that interior. Maybe it was the time of the year or the way the light was at an extreme angle but by the time I had gotten to the third floor of the building I had gotten the willies and made for a b line out of there. This image I feel is the strongest of what I took in the place, a photo of Jesus upon a pile of filth.

As an update I want to apologize for the lack of photographs I have been posting online lately. As many of you know I taking photography classes this semester. These classes are not taking away from my craft but they are making it difficult to post what I do online being that I do not have a way of posting 4x5 negatives online. I will try to scan my prints but I am never satisfied with the way they look after the scan. With a bit of trial and error I should have a lot more to share. Keep visiting.

Psalm 24:1

The second floor was covered in filth. There were clothes and plastic pieces scattered everywhere. It was obvious there were people that spent the night in this place. I found this Bible laying in the middle of the room open to Psalms 24:1.

The Third Floor

Walking up to the third floor this is the first thing I saw when I cleared the top. The graffiti in this place was not your average tagging. There was pain and torture in the artists hand when he posted these images all over the building. In the rafters above there was a pigeon that flew down and smashed into the window looking for escape. He might have been afraid of us, but the constant banging gave me the willies.

Spanish boots made of spanish leather

Rockford, IL

Bolt in the gravel

Chicago Botanical Gardens

Chicago Botanical Gardens. Soon all green will be gone and the decay of Autumn will surround us. I often wonder why people call this thier favorite time of the year.

Chicago Botanical Gardens

Chicago Botanical Gardens. Rose

I still own the rights

Sometimes you can't make everyone happy. This is part of a product shot I did for someone in town. I got the impression they were unhappy with what I gave them. Thier vision was much different than mine, and that is just how it is. Photography is subjective and I can't expect to make everyone happy with the photos I take. It was a hard lesson to swallow, but at least I got it out of the way early.