Summer Road Trip - 2011

53' Wayne Gas Pump - Painted Post New York

    This gem was outside of Painted Post New York. There was a collection of gas pumps, old signs and just about anything else you would find in a broken down scrap yard. In typical fashion the sky was raining down like a cow pissing on a flat rock. While I was composing the image the thunder clouds were banging all about. Once composed the clouds opened up just enough to allow for a shot. Must have been living right that day.

   The second and third day brought miles of miles of missed opportunities. A good half dozen potential shots behind gates chained together with 100 pound locks. What wasn't nailed down was protected by nasty looking dogs with spiked collars. After three days I was getting a bit bummed. I did have the gas pump shot. This brings my tally to 7 old gas pumps. The magic number is around 9....or 12. There is logic there in the numbers. More on that later.

Coca~Cola Mural - Ft. Loramie Ohio

  The fourth day on the road started to shape up as expected. Prior to finding this mural I'd had zero encounters with the local law. That was about to change. While I was welcome to the town my camera was not. Must have been a local ordinance banning ultra large format cameras. The local Marshall was not amused with the truckers engaging the "jake brake" to slow down and take a peek at what I was doing. A jake brake is essentially using the baffles of the engine to slow the truck down. Noisy as hell. The Marshall and I had a discussion over this little freak show and decided it was best I move on. Or rather he decided that. I went ahead and continued to get the shot. The details that follow are minor in nature for now. More to follow. 

Piqua Milling Company - Piqua Ohio

     A few days down the road I ran right smack into the Piqua Milling Company....and the local biker water hole. Appropriately known as the Hole In The Wall Saloon. In typical fashion I inadvertently picked a fight with a scrappy biker. Like most scrappy bikers he had a backup crew. After some tense moments this simple misunderstanding was put to rest and I managed to get a shot of the building.   

Cropped view to show 8"x20" proportions

  

    After three solid shots, 6 days and 1,400 miles the road trip was a success. I'll be the first to admit that three shots over a six day span seems sparse. When looking for urban shots of this nature one thing is certain. Finding is one thing....capturing on film is a horse of a different color. The next two days were dry. Not one single scrap to shoot. On the last day I'd all but given up hope and was ready to pack it in. With temperatures in the middle 90's there was no joy in composing an image under the dark cloth. Yet this is the game. So with 800 plus miles to go I picked another desolate road to troll. Six hours later I wondered if this was yet another mistake. Awaiting in Queen Pennsylvania was my answer.

   Imagine my surprise when I pulled into the town and caught a glimpse of this car in the front yard of a scene typical of the 50's. If you click on the image the first detail of importance is the rebel flag in the left window of the house. The next details is the monster truck in the yard. The flag was bad enough. I had sort of a sick feeling in my stomach. Truth be known I was even debating approaching the front end of the car. Once I did I knew I had to photograph it.

 

   After talking to the neighbor I was assure the owner was a "nice young fellow". I'd heard that a few times in the past. I did manage to set the camera up and compose an image. The owner did show up and he was a nice young man. This one was a bastard to get on film. Took a good solid two hours in the heat. 

   The above image is a rough idea of the final composition. After the shot I packed up and headed home.

   This road trip was one of my better ones. I traveled 3,250 miles in 9 days. The images are unique as was the experience. This was the first time I stayed in a former Brothel. Maybe on the next post I can shed more details. The Brothel, my encounter in Defiance Ohio with an old man beating me with his cane and the expanded version of the hole in the wall saloon. Stayed tuned for more sordid details. For now I am simply too pooped.