Summer's End

W

wlewisiii

Guest
I was itching to get out and try and accomplish something this afternoon, so picked up my Speed Graphic and some film holders and headed out. About 35 miles southwest of Madison, I'd seen something once that I promised myself I'd go back and try to capture someday.

See, there's an old dairy farm there. It's seen better days. But less typical, at least here in Wisconsin, there's an old carnival midway rusting away on the one end of the barnyard. Why? I have no idea. But it sits there, no one ever using it, no kids playing on it, rusting away... :bang: :bang: :bang:

Tmax 400, f22@1/100th, K2 filter.

William
 
Very good pics. What a shame it just sits there - kind of eerie...
 
I think I read about that just a few weeks ago in a book called "Oddball Wisconsin".. it's full of all sorts of manmade oddities scattered around the badger state.. thanks for sharing, William.. that Speed Graphic does a beautiful job!
 
Is it my imagination (maybe my monitor) but is there some kind of artifact in the lighter portions of those, particularly on the first and third ones?

That is a sad scene. :(
 
Thanks all. dmr436, let's just say it's a dirt cheap scanner. There may well be something there from it. Brett, after a google, I'm gonna have to find a copy of that book... :eek:

William
 
wlewisiii said:
See, there's an old dairy farm there. It's seen better days. But less typical, at least here in Wisconsin, there's an old carnival midway rusting away on the one end of the barnyard. Why? I have no idea. But it sits there, no one ever using it, no kids playing on it, rusting away...
Click to expand...

It's almost impossible for a dairy farmer to get away for a vacation (something I learned when I was a farm reporter -- you can't tell the cows, "Hey, stop making milk for two weeks," so you either have to get another dairy farmer to come in and do your milking for you, or stay home.)

So, maybe he decided to build his own amusement park!

Looks like quite a layout, with the train tracks and shed and all. There must have been some kind of plan behind it. And there seem to be a flagpole and a recent-looking porta-potty, so the place can't be entirely derelict.

Is the old dairy farmer around, so you could ask him what his idea was? And maybe make an environmental portrait of him in the midst of it? If the back-story was interesting enough, I could see making a photo spread that might sell to a regional magazine, or get exhibited in an area art show if that's more your preference.

I like the idea of shooting it with a Graphic, too. Remember the thread we had a while back about David Burnett shooting Olympic athletes and Presidential candidates with a Speed Graphic equipped with an f/2.7 Aero Ektar? Might be worth thinking about this type of approach. Or, I wonder how it would look on infrared?
 
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jlw said:
It's almost impossible for a dairy farmer to get away for a vacation (something I learned when I was a farm reporter -- you can't tell the cows, "Hey, stop making milk for two weeks," so you either have to get another dairy farmer to come in and do your milking for you, or stay home.)
Click to expand...

My family did beef mainly for that reason. Hard enough but not as insanely hard as dairy.

I have been thinking about going back again around when the colors turn. They field of corn next to it will be gone then, opening up more angles. I should see if I can contact the owner and get "the rest of the story" as it were.

I like the idea of shooting it with a Graphic, too. Remember the thread we had a while back about David Burnett shooting Olympic athletes and Presidential candidates with a Speed Graphic equipped with an f/2.7 Aero Ektar? Might be worth thinking about this type of approach. Or, I wonder how it would look on infrared?
Click to expand...

Mr. Burnett is a major inspiration for me and one of the reasons I try to shoot in the Press Camera mode rather than trying to use it more like a traditional view camera. I'm hoping that once I get and get mounted that old B&L Zeiss Tessar 5x8 barrel lens, I can get another look with the narrower angle. That old uncoated Tessar look though should work very nicely there...

IR? That could be very interesting too; it's a pity that it's $90 a box plus I'd need to find a Series VII or VIII IR filter... Ack, GAS and FAS attack all in one! :D

William
 
wlewisiii said:
IR? That could be very interesting too; it's a pity that it's $90 a box plus I'd need to find a Series VII or VIII IR filter... Ack, GAS and FAS attack all in one! :D
Click to expand...

I take it you don't have a rollfilm back for that Graphic?
 
Not yet. It's on the list of to buy items. Right now my list is:
1) Sync cord from mechanical sync on lens board to a three cell "light saber" flash
2) a pile of GE #5s and adaptor :D
3) Grafmatics - I'd like at least 3.
4) either an RH-8 or an RH-12 lever roll film back. Probably the 12 as I actually enjoy the 6x6 format.
5) a cheap 90mm lens.

Not neccisarily in that order, but it all depends on what is available when I actually have a few pennies to spare.

William
 
You have really caught an unusual sight. Kind of sad. I would love to have rides like those near the house.

End of Summer. Another sad thought. Went to the Zoo, used the Pool, had a cook-out. Have enough propane left for one more pool party.

End of Summer. But at least that means Fall Colors!
 
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