Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Thanks, Pál_K. I've been doing this a long time, a little over twenty years now! A project on this scale really can't be done easily unless you put it at the center of your life. I always carry a camera, no matter what I'm doing or where I go, and for most of my adult life I have not had a 'real job.' It was a struggle making a living and supporting myself and my son from my earnings as a photographer, but it gave me the free time to work in a systematic way.
That said, you shouldn't feel discouraged about doing the same thing where you live. I think it would be interesting to see!
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Polaroid photograph of the front doors of the Christian Reform Fellowship, a little old church on the northwest corner of Doty Road and Milan Center Road, facing southeast toward the middle of the intersection, in rural Allen County, Indiana. The church is still in use, despite its poor condition.
The building was originally constructed in 1906 as the Milan Center Methodist Protestant Church. That congregation closed down sometime after 1954.
The crossroads where this church is located is marked on maps as a town called Milan Center, but there is no town. Its just a crossroads with a grain elevator, the old Milan Center schoolhouse, and this church. There are no houses nearby, just farmland.
6-1-22
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Polaroid photograph of Barb's Variety Shop, a secondhand store that occupies one of the storefronts in the Elzey Building on the north side of Lower Huntington Road, just west of Old Trail Road, in the Waynedale area of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Waynedale was once a small town, and Lower Huntington Road was the town's "Main Street." In 1957, Waynedale was annexed by the City of Fort Wayne. Though Waynedale has been part of the city longer than it was an independent town, it still looks like a small town and the area still has a small town culture. The Elzey Building was built in the 1920s, shortly after the town was founded by Abner Elzey.
6-13-22
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
I just found this Polaroid photograph that I made of my grandfather Charles Crawford holding his little gray cat, Molly.
This was one of the meanest cats I have ever met. Molly killed more than 9000 mice, moles, rabbits, chipmunks, and snakes during her long life; and she is known to have killed two rattlesnakes! I once caught her standing on the dog's cage, reaching down through the bars to claw at the dog's face!
Molly was very sweet to those people she liked, which included me.
Molly LOATHED my son's mother; hated her at first sight. Every time we visited my grandparents, Molly attacked her and hissed at her. My son's mother loved cats, but this one wanted to murder her! The woman turned out to have serious psychiatric problems and, as most of you here know, I ended up raising my son by myself. I think Molly was trying to warn me.
This was made about 25 years ago, but I don't remember the exact date. It was when I was in art school, and I graduated in 1999. Grandpa died in 2008 at age 84. Molly outlived him by a little more than a year; she was a couple months shy of 20 years old.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
A Polaroid snapshot of the neon sign at the Magic Wand Restaurant in the small town of Churubusco, Indiana. I photographed it at night.
Magic Wand has been in business since the 1960s and is now owned by the grandson of the original owners. My family used to go there a lot when I was a child. My son and I have been eating there for many years as well. The restaurant is located on Main Street (US-33) on the south side of Churubusco.
This is the last of three Polaroids that I have made of the Magic Wand sign.
5-29-22
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
A Polaroid snapshot of the stump of a tree that was broken off just above the base during the derecho that tore across northeast Indiana on the night of June 13, 2022. A derecho is a linear storm with hurricane-force winds. The National Weather Service reported 98 mile per hour winds in my area!
This tree was on Arbor Avenue, south of Sandpoint Road, in my neighborhood in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I had photographed the intact tree about three weeks earlier!
6-20-22
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Pál_K
Cameras. I has it.
That’s a bit sad - the tree has been there so long.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Yeah, it is. A lot of trees in the neighborhood, some larger and older than this, were either broken off or completely uprooted. We've never had a storm like that.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Polaroid photograph of Voors Jewelry and Lev's Pawn Shop. The two storefronts occupy the same building on the south side of Lower Huntington Road, between Old Trail Road and Bluffton Road, in the Waynedale area of Fort Wayne, Indiana. A billboard behind the building says "Recovery Helps People Heal."
Voors is a locally-owned store that has been in business in this location since 1949. The owner, Jeff Voors, is the son of the store's original owner. Lev's is a chain of pawn shops based in Ohio. They have a couple of other locations in Fort Wayne.
I made this in the evening shortly before sunset when the light was very warm in color.
Waynedale was once a small town, and Lower Huntington Road was the town's "Main Street." In 1957, Waynedale was annexed by the City of Fort Wayne. Though Waynedale has been part of the city longer than it was an independent town, it still looks like a small town and the area still has a small town culture.
6-20-22
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
Another great series, Chris! Didn't you feature Voors before? I seem to recall a picture of Jeff at his watch repair table.
I heard about the derecho from work colleagues who live in Fort Wayne, and were out of power for several days. Scary stuff.
I heard about the derecho from work colleagues who live in Fort Wayne, and were out of power for several days. Scary stuff.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Yeah, I've done several photos of Voors over the years, including a portrait of Mr. Voors at his workbench. My mom and dad bought their wedding rings from Jeff's father back in 1970! He has a framed black and white photo that I made of the front of the store on display on one of the shelves behind the counter. I gave it to him almost 20 years ago. I think it is the first photo I made of the place.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
A Polaroid snapshot of the trunk of a tree that was toppled during the derecho that tore across northeast Indiana on the night of June 13, 2022. A derecho is a linear storm with hurricane-force winds. The National Weather Service reported 98 mile per hour winds in my area!
This tree was on Arbor Avenue, south of Sandpoint Road, in my neighborhood in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I had photographed the intact tree about three weeks earlier! This is the last of four Polaroids that I made of the tree.
6-20-22
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
A Polaroid snapshot of some of the trees that were toppled during the derecho that tore across northeast Indiana on the night of June 13, 2022. A derecho is a linear storm with hurricane-force winds. The National Weather Service reported 98 mile per hour winds in my area!
These trees were on Arbor Avenue, south of Sandpoint Road, in my neighborhood in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
6-20-22
valdas
Veteran
I love your Polaroids (and Polaroids in general). Such a dreamy look…
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Thanks, Valdas. I've been having a lot of fun playing with Polaroid and learning how to overcome its limitations.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Polaroid photograph of Fourth of July decorations on the screen door of a house on the corner of Sandpoint Road and Gardenview Avenue in my neighborhood in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
This house belongs to my friend and fellow photographer Ben Berry. His wife decorated the front door with an American flag and a "God Bless America" sign.
7-1-22