Darkhorse
pointed and shot
I narrowly escaped Baltimore yesterday. I was actually on the last American Airlines flight out, maybe even the last flight out of the entire airport considering the lack of planes out on the tarmac and the departure screens stuffed with cancellations. Luckily I wasn't as hit as hard as others on the east coast.
I had Christmas with my wife's family in rural Maryland. It was lovely to see her family, and in all honesty you couldn't ask for better in-laws. We had a delicious Christmas ham, and had many drinks and laughs with plenty of music.
Having said that, the area where my wife is from is really a decaying and crumbling place. I've heard stories about how relatively prosperous things were way back 30 years ago. Now there's ghosts of the past; the collapsed roofs of failed business, abandoned houses being absorbed into the surrounding wood, empty foundations, and, of course, the memories.
The worst part about it is that the younger generation growing up there have nothing to do. Except either get pregnant, get high, or escape. The most shocking thing I saw there was someone actually smoking up hard drugs in the parking lot of the Wawa, a popular gas station convenience store. There the junkie was in the passengers seat, burning the foil while sucking it up with a straw. Luckily my wife left this place, and her brothers joined the Merchant Marines and can't wait to ship out again. They don't care where they go.
Photographing the ruins of the area was not my reason for being there of course, and I only got a few photos of this. I was there for my new family, and did enjoy their company.
I used my OM2, pretty much exclusively on aperture priority, and I mostly used the 28mm/ƒ3.5 lens. First 5 using Pan F Plus, the remaining with FP4 Plus.
The trail at Turkey Point
Overlooking the Chesapeake, a cold brutal wind coming from the bay was numbing.
Ice in the bay.
Looking into an abandoned house. There's still furniture inside.
Wide view of the rail bridge.
A closer view. If you look closely at the bottom right you'll see a dead deer.
My wife once lived in this house when she was small. Now the roof has collapsed, and vines run through the broken windows.
Walking to my mother in law's trailer on Christmas morning.
I had Christmas with my wife's family in rural Maryland. It was lovely to see her family, and in all honesty you couldn't ask for better in-laws. We had a delicious Christmas ham, and had many drinks and laughs with plenty of music.
Having said that, the area where my wife is from is really a decaying and crumbling place. I've heard stories about how relatively prosperous things were way back 30 years ago. Now there's ghosts of the past; the collapsed roofs of failed business, abandoned houses being absorbed into the surrounding wood, empty foundations, and, of course, the memories.
The worst part about it is that the younger generation growing up there have nothing to do. Except either get pregnant, get high, or escape. The most shocking thing I saw there was someone actually smoking up hard drugs in the parking lot of the Wawa, a popular gas station convenience store. There the junkie was in the passengers seat, burning the foil while sucking it up with a straw. Luckily my wife left this place, and her brothers joined the Merchant Marines and can't wait to ship out again. They don't care where they go.
Photographing the ruins of the area was not my reason for being there of course, and I only got a few photos of this. I was there for my new family, and did enjoy their company.
I used my OM2, pretty much exclusively on aperture priority, and I mostly used the 28mm/ƒ3.5 lens. First 5 using Pan F Plus, the remaining with FP4 Plus.
The trail at Turkey Point
Overlooking the Chesapeake, a cold brutal wind coming from the bay was numbing.
Ice in the bay.
Looking into an abandoned house. There's still furniture inside.
Wide view of the rail bridge.
A closer view. If you look closely at the bottom right you'll see a dead deer.
My wife once lived in this house when she was small. Now the roof has collapsed, and vines run through the broken windows.
Walking to my mother in law's trailer on Christmas morning.
robklurfield
eclipse
Gorgeously shot and emotionally moving images to accompany a twin-stranded storyline. The harsh reality of a past turned grim for those that stuck around, set against the better fortunes of those who moved on. The photos stand on their own, but for me, knowing the back story added some poignancy and a great deal of depth.
That we never see your wife's face close up and straight on in any of the images you chose to share might mean something or not (you know best; of course we all know that lovely left eye of hers staring at us from your avatar). I like that the easiest word to make out in the graffiti behind her to bridge supports is "beautiful" in the midst of the faded, illegible tags.
The shot of her walking ahead of you to her mom's place grabs me in the context of what must have sometimes been (metaphorically at least) a long, lonesome road.
I'm happy that the holiday was much less grim than what's happened to that area where she grew up.
Thanks for sharing this nice work.
That we never see your wife's face close up and straight on in any of the images you chose to share might mean something or not (you know best; of course we all know that lovely left eye of hers staring at us from your avatar). I like that the easiest word to make out in the graffiti behind her to bridge supports is "beautiful" in the midst of the faded, illegible tags.
The shot of her walking ahead of you to her mom's place grabs me in the context of what must have sometimes been (metaphorically at least) a long, lonesome road.
I'm happy that the holiday was much less grim than what's happened to that area where she grew up.
Thanks for sharing this nice work.
filmfan
Well-known
Nice set. It reminds me of MA.
robert blu
quiet photographer
Good images for a good story. Thank you for sharing.
robert
robert
peter_n
Veteran
Really nice shots and as said above the background essentially makes it into a little documentary. Thanks for sharing.
newspaperguy
Well-known
Well done and well told.
Thank you for sharing.
Down here in what used to be the rural south of Maryland - think miles of tobacco farms - the deterioration went the other way. Mc Mansions where green fields used to be. But, yes, even with the affluence of the newcomers, the drugs are everywhere. Sad tale of our times.
Thank you for sharing.
Down here in what used to be the rural south of Maryland - think miles of tobacco farms - the deterioration went the other way. Mc Mansions where green fields used to be. But, yes, even with the affluence of the newcomers, the drugs are everywhere. Sad tale of our times.
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Darkhorse
pointed and shot
Thanks for the comments! I'm careful about posting my wife's photos, and I have to make sure she approves. She's in Maryland still so she hasn't gotten a chance to do so. But in these photos you can't really see here clearly so I posted them anyway. But there was one photo she was walking up to her mom's place and you could see her face - she was happy and excited for Christmas morning. My wife could write a book about where she grew up, but it's not my place to blab about it on the internet.
In the 'beautiful' shot, I didn't even realize that word was there, nor was I aware of the dead deer in the corner. Just got lucky with the neat shot I guess.
I didn't really see many McMansions, but there were some absolutely beautiful old houses.
Right across from this ruined place:
Was this stunning old place:
Black and white can't capture the lovely red color but you can imagine it well enough. The abandoned house is literally on the other side of the tracks form this place.
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Darkhorse
pointed and shot
Hmm on second look I think I may like this bridge photo better:
Since the 'beautiful' photo was vertical I wanted it different to switch things up in the series, but it's not exactly level which is driving me crazy. I think this vertical bridge shot is more dramatic, a bit better composed, and has more ice. If placed in conjunction with the other shot its almost like you're glancing over to the left to see the detail of the area under the bridge.
Since the 'beautiful' photo was vertical I wanted it different to switch things up in the series, but it's not exactly level which is driving me crazy. I think this vertical bridge shot is more dramatic, a bit better composed, and has more ice. If placed in conjunction with the other shot its almost like you're glancing over to the left to see the detail of the area under the bridge.
robklurfield
eclipse
wives and pre-approval of posting images... a pain in the backside, I'm afraid. I posted this one from 1983 and then asked for her opinion. I'm not sure she had ever seen this, as I just scanned it a few days ago after all these years.
First, she was angry and asked me to remove. Then, a few hours later, she asked to see it again. Maybe she realized that she looked good (my opinion anyway).
My own law is that if I'm not annoying my family with my photographic exploits, then I'm probably not taking enough risks.
Every shot you've ever posted of your wife is flattering, so she shouldn't worry. Your eye respects her.
First, she was angry and asked me to remove. Then, a few hours later, she asked to see it again. Maybe she realized that she looked good (my opinion anyway).
My own law is that if I'm not annoying my family with my photographic exploits, then I'm probably not taking enough risks.
Every shot you've ever posted of your wife is flattering, so she shouldn't worry. Your eye respects her.
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The Meaness
Well-known
The difference really begins across the key bridge/ft.mchenry tunnel. The far east part of baltimore your wife is from is tucked into a very tight pocket, as Essex and Dundalk are surrounded by Baltimore city and the bay on all sides. Even though the room for expansion ran out years ago, the blue collar working class has remained. I did my student teaching in Dundalk (by North Point). I was amazed by a lot of the people there. It is a place that gets looked down on by some of the wealthy, but I don't think I've ever met more wholesome people.
Over here south/west of Baltimore it's crazy. I live in Howard county where I grew up - a place that stuffed new REI and Big Lots stores into shopping centers while the economy was nose diving. Even with the housing market tanked, my parents' house has still appreciated about 3x what they paid 15 years ago. Just west of where I am, maybe 25 minutes are the real mansions, though. There are a lot of people who live out there who pay millions to be isolated in the hills of what used to be farm land. My former boss (principal) said once "community is a distraction to them." Scary.
Sorry for the rant. You took some really good shots - You did a good job capturing the sadness in your wife's hometown. Over here we are booming economically, but rapidly losing our sense of community - somewhat the opposite of what's happening on the other side of the bridge.
Darkhorse
pointed and shot
Thanks, Zak.
Like I said my in-laws are very a very wholesome people as you indicated, despite the depression of the area. This is Cecil county in the northeast of the state. There are some oddities I didn't quite understand though. There were quite a number of Confederate flags in the area on people's properties. I realize this is south of the Mason-Dixon line, but huh?
Like I said my in-laws are very a very wholesome people as you indicated, despite the depression of the area. This is Cecil county in the northeast of the state. There are some oddities I didn't quite understand though. There were quite a number of Confederate flags in the area on people's properties. I realize this is south of the Mason-Dixon line, but huh?
The Meaness
Well-known
Hahaha, Yes. It gets even "better" (more ironic) once you see them flying all around rural Pennsylvania, well north of the line! I've lived between VA and MD my whole life and still can't figure that one out.
david.elliott
Well-known
Nice photos! The second is my favorite.