Some new photos from Fort Wayne

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

My grandpa, Charles Crawford, holding his mean old cat, Molly. She outlived him, and is 19 years old as of 2010. The wall behind grandpa is covered in artwork made by his 10 grandchildren.

1998

Update: Grandpa died on December 14, 2008 after a life of 84 years; and Molly died on April 23, 2010 at the age of 19. She had outlived Grandpa by one year and four months.

 

[KoNickon]

And because I'm interested in the equipment used (and too lazy to go to your website to look it up 🙂), camera and lens? Wonderful picture. The catchlight in his eyes really makes a big difference.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

And because I'm interested in the equipment used (and too lazy to go to your website to look it up 🙂), camera and lens? Wonderful picture. The catchlight in his eyes really makes a big difference.

I used a Mamiya 645 Super and Mamiya's 80mm f1.9 lens. I can't remember what aperture I used; it wasn't wide open. Probably around f8. Film Was Tmax 100. I can't remember how I developed it. Might have been Xtol, because I was playing with it back then; if not it was Rodinal, which was and still is my usual developer for Tmax 100. I used studio strobes with umbrellas for the lighting. This was my first time shooting anything with studio strobes. I borrowed these from a classmate who was my dad's age and had a lot of money to buy gear. Later, I bought my own set of strobes. I also did a photo of Grandpa holding his guitar using the same lighting setup. I'll post it in a couple days.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

This red 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air was sitting in front of the garage next to a house on Old Trail Road in the Waynedale area of Fort Wayne, Indiana. They had it sitting out on display during the annual Waynedale Memeorial Day Parade.

4-29-23

 

[KoNickon]

This red 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air was sitting in front of the garage next to a house on Old Trail Road in the Waynedale area of Fort Wayne, Indiana. They had it sitting out on display during the annual Waynedale Memeorial Day Parade.

4-29-23

Keys in it? 🙂

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

An old t-shirt serving as a target for BB gun shooting hangs on the side of an abandoned schoolhouse on the south side of Convoy Road, between Werner Road and Mentzer Church Road, in rural Van Wert County, Ohio.

Unusually for a midwestern schoolhouse, this one was built with wood; most of them are brick buildings. The school is in bad condition, with weathered wood siding and doors and a sagging roof.

I photographed a 1975 Chevy Nova here on the same day I made this photograph of the school.

1-14-22

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

The abandoned Plum Tree Antiques store on the corner of State Road 124 and County Road 300E in Plum Tree, Indiana.

Plum Tree is not really a town; it is a rural crossroads with a name. All that is there is a warehouse, a church, a couple of houses, an abandoned building with anti-Joe Biden slogans painted all over it, and this building. Rural Indiana is dotted with many 'towns' like this that are still marked on maps today.

11-6-24

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I just learned, sadly, that Betty Fishman passed away on November 11. She was the executive director of the Artlink gallery in Fort Wayne when I was an art student, and for many years after that. Her encouragement and assistance played a big part in my success as a professional artist. She was 100 years old, and three weeks shy of her 101st birthday when she died.

I made this photograph of her back in 2015, when she was 91.

 

[Shab]

I just learned, sadly, that Betty Fishman passed away on November 11. She was the executive director of the Artlink gallery in Fort Wayne when I was an art student, and for many years after that. Her encouragement and assistance played a big part in my success as a professional artist. She was 100 years old, and three weeks shy of her 101st birthday when she died.

I made this photograph of her back in 2015, when she was 91.

I have been looking at her a while... and it seems she has "something" special, an special bright in her eyes, in her face... Great portrait! Thanks for sharing...

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Grandpa had this prayer taped to a cabinet in his dining room.

"A Prayer: So far today, I've done alright. I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or overindulgent. But in a few minutes God, I'm going to get out of bed; and from then on I'm probably going to need a lot of help!"

10-3-04

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

A steel pole barn with an American flag and the message "Pray First, Then Vote" spelled out on the side of it. I photographed it a week before the 2024 elections, which were held on November 7.

Located on Dickie Road, just north of Aboite Center Road, on the west side of Fort Wayne, Indiana. This part of the city was once very rural, but in the last 30 years it has been filled up with housing developments. It became part of Fort Wayne in 2006, when the city annexed most of Aboite Township.

I photographed this barn a year earlier, when it was decorated for Fall.

11-1-24

 

[Retro-Grouch]

A steel pole barn with an American flag and the message "Pray First, Then Vote" spelled out on the side of it. I photographed it a week before the 2024 elections, which were held on November 7.

Located on Dickie Road, just north of Aboite Center Road, on the west side of Fort Wayne, Indiana. This part of the city was once very rural, but in the last 30 years it has been filled up with housing developments. It became part of Fort Wayne in 2006, when the city annexed most of Aboite Township.

I photographed this barn a year earlier, when it was decorated for Fall.

11-1-24

I think a lot of people who voted are now praying really hard.

 

[arubey]

What a joy to have found this thread - I’m only about 10 pages in and savoring the images.
Thanks for making and sharing this work, Chris!

Best,
Andy

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

What a joy to have found this thread - I’m only about 10 pages in and savoring the images.
Thanks for making and sharing this work, Chris!

Best,
Andy

Thanks, Andy. These are images from a series of documentary projects that I have worked on for 30 years now. I haven't added a lot of new stuff in 2024; I was sick most of the year. I've had serious health problems going back to early childhood. Hopefully 2025 will be a better year and I can do more work! I have a huge backlog of old work I need to finish editing, too; so occasionally you'll see me post something I shot years ago!

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Christian Union Brethren In Christ Church is an old brick church on County Road 7, just north of State Road 8, in rural DeKalb County, Indiana. At most rural churches in Indiana, the large sign in front of the church would have the name of the church, the pastor's name, and the service times displayed with movable letters. This one is empty.

The church as built in 1882 or 1908. The building's listing in the National Register Of Historic Places says that it was built in 1882, but the gable stone above the door says 1908. There is an old cemetery next to the church that contains the graves of several Civil War veterans.

5-27-23

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

A child's growth chart inscribed on the door frame between the kitchen and the laundry room at grandpa's house. My cousin Zach has recorded his son Jacob's growth on the wooden door frame.

2-23-06

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

A steel pole barn with the message "Give Thanks To The Lord For He Is Good" spelled out on the side of it. It was decorated for the Thanksgiving holiday with two Pilgrims, a turkey, and a cornucopia.

Located on Dickie Road, just north of Aboite Center Road, on the west side of Fort Wayne, Indiana. This part of the city was once very rural, but in the last 30 years it has been filled up with housing developments. It became part of Fort Wayne in 2006, when the city annexed most of Aboite Township.

I have photographed this barn several times, with different messages written on it.

11-4-23

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Scout is one of the two cats at Hyde Brothers Books in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She patrols the aisles to watch customers, get petted, and protect the store from any small dogs that customers might carry in. She hates dogs, and stalks them when people bring them in; but she is very sweet to people and loves the attention!

Hyde Brothers is an incredible locally-owned used book store on Wells Street in Fort Wayne. As long as I can remember, they've always had at least one cat in residence.

4-17-18

 

[KoNickon]

Scout is one of the two cats at Hyde Brothers Books in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She patrols the aisles to watch customers, get petted, and protect the store from any small dogs that customers might carry in. She hates dogs, and stalks them when people bring them in; but she is very sweet to people and loves the attention!

Hyde Brothers is an incredible locally-owned used book store on Wells Street in Fort Wayne. As long as I can remember, they've always had at least one cat in residence.

4-17-18

That looks like the sort of place I could spend hours in! So many used book stores are dark and dank -- this looks like it could be a nice indie new book store. (I guess I'd have to move those chairs myself if I wanted to check out the lower shelves, though.) I'll see if they have a website!

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

That looks like the sort of place I could spend hours in! So many used book stores are dark and dank -- this looks like it could be a nice indie new book store. (I guess I'd have to move those chairs myself if I wanted to check out the lower shelves, though.) I'll see if they have a website!

Its a used book store, nothing new. But it is probably the best book store in Indiana. The place has a basement and part of the adjoining building all full of books. They don't sell anything online, but they do have a website: Welcome! - Hyde Brothers Booksellers