Category: Photography
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NYSE
Here’s the obligatory NY Stock Exchange photo as I walked to the office. That’s it for this mini-series from NYC! NYSE. April 26, 2023.
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NYC Street corner
The little street corner gyro stand comes complete with an electronic scrolling marquee and umbrellas to shield you from whatever falls from above. I skipped the opportunity to order from it, but it smelled good. NYC Street Corner, April 25, 2023.
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Office View
As an Expert in Strategic & Change Communications at McKinsey & Company, I had the privilege of visiting many of the firm’s offices—including the NYC office at 3 World Trade Center. The skyline views are intriguing, and I love the large, looming tower of One WTC (formerly called Freedom Tower). Some days, the view during…
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NYC 2023 Mini-series
Over the next few days, I’ll post a few photos from a quick NYC trip in April 2023. Kicking us off are two night photos from a stroll in the nearly deserted financial district. (top) Night Squares and (above) Welcome to NYC. Both were shot on a Fujifilm X-T5 at 27mm and ISO 800.
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Rockton Hydro, nos. 1 & 2
Today marks the end of our brief journey across northern Illinois as we visit Rockton. This village of approx. 7,800 people includes a small downtown area and a hydroelectric plant, which opened in 1929. I hope you’ve enjoyed the series. (top) Rockton Hydro, No. 1, and (above) Rockton Hydro, No. 2, March 6, 2024. Rockton,…
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Abandoned Americana, nos. 22 & 23
I tend to showcase abandoned farms and farmhouses in my ongoing Abandoned Americana series. However, today we get images of a one-room schoolhouse in Ridott Township, Illinois. The plaque above the door says “Dis. No. 5, 1871.” (top) Abandoned Americana, No. 22 and (above) Abandoned Americana, No. 23. March 6, 2024. Ridott Township, Illinois.
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Country exploration (con’t)
South of Freeport lies Albertus Airport, which recently began hosting an annual airshow. Approaching from the south, I recognized the telltale signs of navigational aids and made a brief detour toward the runways. The pilot in the above photo was practicing touch-and-go maneuvers. The surrounding countryside is indeed farm country. (top) Touch and Go and…
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Country exploration
Just off U.S. 20 is an unremarkable barn amid the overgrowth of saplings and bramble. This stone row marker, though, piqued my interest. Nearby, a pile of abandoned tires sat amid the thorns and brush. Ironically, there’s a Goodyear tire factory close by. (top) Row Marker and (above) Tire and Briar Patch, March 6, 2024.…
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‘Rite Way Walkway’ and ‘breakfast run’
The legacy of iconic stores in Freeport is apparent if you know what to look for. Rite-Way furniture and appliance has operated since 1972, and its current location once housed J.C. Penney and Montgomery Ward, Nearby, you can still see the mark left by Woolworths, its name still embedded in the sidewalk. In the U.S.,…
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Lincoln Douglas Center
Across from the county courthouse sits the Lincoln Douglas Center, built in 1897. According to the building’s current owners, the structure features an Italian Renaissance style. The original owners, the German Insurance Company, went bankrupt after the great quake hit San Francisco in 1906. The county courthouse hosts a monument “To the heroic dead of…
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Drinking mural
This colorful mural adorns the side of a small pub. Across the street is a Classic Cinemas movie theater with a surprising number of screens given its diminutive marquee and box office. (top) Drinking Mural and (above) Delivery Day, March 6, 2024. Freeport, Illinois.
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Freeport wings
We’ll continue the mural theme today and tomorrow, with this pair of wings accompanied with the words “Love, #WhatGoodAreWings IF YOU DON’T FLY. #BeFREE.”
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Pretzel Shop
New businesses are reappearing in downtown Freeport, and the city has commissioned (or allowed) new murals in several places—including in this space between buildings. Of course, Freeport has long been known for pretzels, owing to its settlement by German Americans. From 1908-1915, the minor league baseball team played, the Freeport Pretzels. They one a league…
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The Sunshine Corner
This “drive thru” liquor store has closed, having seen better days. A couple blocks over, a defunct One Hour Cleaners sits in a building that was constructed in 1897. In the window, you can see a blue van with flower-power decals and an 80s era American car. A nearby shop placed mannequins in its upper…
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Project house
In the last post, I referenced a “project car,” and I name this image “Project House.” It’s sad that a house of this size can fall into such a decrepit state, and a few blocks away, house after house is in the same condition. Tomorrow, I’ll return to downtown Freeport, and we’re almost done with…
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Rolling, rolling, rolling …
Driving around Freeport, I found plenty of interesting spots, including a yard with a variety of vehicles that have been sitting around for decades. North American Van Lines, which still operates as a moving services company, was owned by PepsiCo at one point. Behind the trucks sat this project car. The building to the left…
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Real Deal Mistake
See how long it takes you to find the typo in this photo. Just a few blocks from the abandoned factory is this defunct convenience shop. Nearby is a beautifully renovated former railroad depot that is now owned by a private business. Across the street from the convenience store is this billboard. (top) Real Deal…
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Rawleigh’s Plant
My last image of the former Rawleigh’s factory in downtown Freeport, Illinois. One of the most striking aspects of this building is the space that has been cleared from around it. Nearby Rockford has a similar abandoned building, although revitalization is starting to encroach upon it. Rawleigh’s Plant, March 6, 2024. Freeport, Illinois.
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Rawleigh Skybridge
I love the architectural elements that are common among factory buildings of this era (1890s–1910s). Common among buildings that I’ve seen is this skybridge, robust and adorned with the company name. Again, there’s more broken windows and lots of glass on the sidewalk even though the attached building at right remains in use. On the…
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Factory windows
Here’s another interpretation of the factory windows, this time in B&W. I can’t help but think of all the potential business the Freeport Glass Company could have. Around the corner (at left), we see an open window and screens (far left) that protect the open window. (top) Factory Windows and (left) Fresh Air, March 6,…