Hamilton as I know it. Ontario.

[Ko.Fe.]

Thanks to both of you!

Ukrainian heritage of Hamilton:

I spend a lot of time in Ukraine, we also had relatives were... So, places like these makes me feel better here...

 

[dotur]

Agree it is a nice project and a nice series. Documentary photos? Undoubtedly yes, but the series is much more than that. Postindustrial abandonment comprises decline and emptiness, which induces the feeling of loneliness - and nostalgia. You are involved in the process, fighting it bravely with a camera in hand. I like it.

 

[JeffL]

Fantastic Ko.Fe. Please keep going.

 

[Alberti]

Great series of one of those cities in distress.
I used to live in Hamilton, on the mountain, but even in the fifties downtown had those empty street areas - vacant lots - in the small business area near the harbour, a no-go for me.

 

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Thanks for posting and commenting! Lovely series.

 

[Highway 61]

I live in Europe and went only thrice to Canada but each time it was in Ontario and for some reason I have been in Hamilton. That was not so long ago so I could see the decay, which was surprising for an European prone to - wrongly - think that the social situation was better in Canada than in the Old World.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Thank you all! I feel honored by so many responses with deep connection to me.
I keep thinking how streets photography is empty without people. I did met some while walking for hours, I took portrait on request as you see above, but... I'm terrible, most crappiest portraits taker you ever seen. My wife do tells it to me twice a week, at least. I have only few people asking me to take their portraits after I'll take it once... The only reason they asks second time is because I do it for free.

I'm not sure if I wrote it here, but somewhere. I'll repeat....
One day as typical Russian adept of the West, I have some juices going after hard Friday night. But I have to bring kids to our Russian friends who purchased vacant lot at Hamilton Beach and build their house, just like they did in home town (Yaroslavl).

Bessa R, CS 35, Polypan F.

So, while kids were at friends house I went to magnetic industrial Hamilton.
It has some train models show at the basement of old school converted to community center. I went and parked here first.
Took some pictures:

M4-2, CS 35 2.5, Polypan F.

But yesterday juices were getting harder and harder to circulate. So I took off in the search of light refill.
And here is was. One of the remaining and not rundown pub. They had live music playing I ordered my medicine and went to far corner. To digest and observe. I took this picture where:



This gentleman took a pose for me, I didn't asked, but we both knew...

I have to cut this story now. Nobody was hurt, I went for long walk after it and all was vented out...
It is Victoria Day long weekend here and I was running around town on bicycle. Took some refreshments after it. 🙂

 

[Ginner]

Thank you for sharing...love the pics. I lived in Hamilton for 15 years (West Hamilton), and can tell you that it has been in 'transition' for even longer than that (both East & West). It has been a very slow process, but the pace of change has quickened lately (housing prices being what they are in TO), and I suspect your photos will have a real 'Walker Evans' feel to them, in about 10 years.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Thank you for been here!

Back to what I was trying to write on Victoria Day is how I'm not good for street portraits.
If I ask it is never good, if I start to talk it is never about picture.

Today's mix from Hamilton. Some are three years old, some are fresh.

It is mix of C-41 and ECN-2 home developed films, but all taken with RF cameras.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

My more less regular photography taken earlier this year in Hamilton.

Bessa R2M and Ultron 28 1.9.

They made more arrests of vandals who went smashing local businesses at Locke St.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I paid two parking tickets for our daughter. One in Milton and they took off half of the penalty. And then I went to Hamilton.
First, my daughter paid online, but system didn't took it and charged extra ten on top of the ticket.
So, I went by and walked to the ticket place in Hamilton. Not a first time we were in trouble with Hamilton's ticketing system.

M4-2 with Summarit-M 35 2.5 and Kodak C-41 color film. Developed in C-41 kit I mixed in July 2017, rolls #24 and 25.

 

[Doug]

So, did you get City Hall in Hamilton to deal nicely with the parking ticket? I'm interested as a former (40 years ago) parking officer (the one and only, part-time) for our fair city. And I tried to be compassionate especially with the ladies stuck under the hair dryer at the salons... 🙂

 

[newsgrunt]

Nice series Kostya. Gentrification will probably happen; it's starting to happen here in some post-industrial smaller cities.

It's already happening and tbh, you cld turn around and show another side of Hamilton that shows a burgeoning and prosperous community. Look around Toronto and you'll find the same thing. Hamilton's potential is pretty huge if the city plans things properly.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

So, did you get City Hall in Hamilton to deal nicely with the parking ticket? I'm interested as a former (40 years ago) parking officer (the one and only, part-time) for our fair city. And I tried to be compassionate especially with the ladies stuck under the hair dryer at the salons... 🙂

In Milton I walked into CityHall and talk to special person first, it is set to inform about options and decrise the penalty. And then you go to pay window.
In Hamilton it is across CityHall in the low celling bunker.
And nobody is to talk to you, just shut up and pay.

Years ago we went to Airshow at Hamilton Airport. Parked minivan and left.
Then we came back they have temporary no parking signs and cops giving tickets. Then we went to same bunker they told us what no parking temporary signs were installed night before show...

 

[Ko.Fe.]

It's already happening and tbh, you cld turn around and show another side of Hamilton that shows a burgeoning and prosperous community. Look around Toronto and you'll find the same thing. Hamilton's potential is pretty huge if the city plans things properly.

If is the key word. And who. For now they just dump highrise condos and no infractructure to support. Just same as in Toronto.
Even more, province offered money to build LRT, but it was protested not only by group of locals, they almost missed deadline to accept this money in CityHall. In meanwhile they spend 600K on single playground...

 

[helen.HH]

Wonderful series Ko !

Feel like I know 'Hamilton' well.
reminds me of Chris Crawford's work here on Rff...
a slice, a splice, of Life, Documentary and Street

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Thank you, Helen!
It is honor to be compared to CC photography here. Every time I open his thread it is surprising me.

 

[robert blu]

Good work, interesting photos and descriptions. I like the series, well done.
robert

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Thank you, Robert!

Here is another message from Hamilton:

 

[grouchos_tash]

Really like this one, I even came back to the thread to look at it again 😀