Under The "L" by bmac62
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Description
Elevated trains were first built in Chicago in the late 1800s. All the merchants had to sign releases that it was ok to build these sun-blockers in front of their stores. Apparently it wasn't a hard sell because their businesses boomed once the trains were in place and hundreds of shoppers came in from the suburbs.
I cropped this photo in such a way that the Central Camera Company store shows. Its sign says, "Established 1899". And notice that they still advertise "film"...what's that? lol
I suspect this scene hasn't changed much in the last 65-70 years except for the newness of the cars parked along the curbs.
Comments (22)
jayfar
I love the light and shadow Bill. Great shot.
awjay
excellent work....very 'french connection'
moochagoo
Excellent POV and composition. Bravo.
durleybeachbum
This is superb! It would make a wonderful linocut.
photosynthesis
Despite the modern cars, this definitely has an "old-timey" look to it - even more so than your recent fire escape photo. Mostly the sepia color tones I suppose & the ornate architecture & streetlights, but also the classic vanishing point perspective. Excellent shot...
jendellas
Love shots like this, reminds me of old films, great in sepia. Xx
goodoleboy
Another fine example of perforated light patterns in this crackling shot, Bill, plus depth and geometry that won't quit. The "El" has been around for a ton of years. From the look of the narrow business areas to the left and right, I think I would get claustrophobia from it all. Parking must be a pleasure. How do you even get in or out of a space - move sideways?
kenmo
Very cool shot....
Faemike55
Very nice photo cool POV film? isn't that what's on top of the milk when it goes bad?
danapommet
An excellent photo in sepia and with wonderful shadows from the above track and support systems. Way to go Bill!
bugsnouveau
Your wonderful image is of one of my favorite places in Chicago, the wife and I always take the 'L' to the Adams/Wabash station and have lunch at Miller's Pub which is just a few steps north on Wabash. After lunch we walk one block east on W. Adams to visit The Art Institute of Chicago, then walking back west on W. Adams with a great view of the Willis Tower seven blocks ahead, I love seeing that sign proclaiming we are at the beginning of Historic Route 66 (sacred ground for a car freak). Your photo was taken on Wabash less than a block south of the station, the covered stairway can be seen on the left. I love Chicago...can't wait to get back...thank you for sharing!
auntietk
Superb post work! I love the dated look you got. Different cars, and I'd think it was 1937! Really good stuff, hon. :*
kgb224
Amazing capture Bill. God bless.
CavalierLady
Great POV here and the sepia toning is just perfect and takes one back many decades to what it might have looked like. Well done, Bill!
X-PaX
I like the playing of light and shadow very much Bill. Also the sepia coloring works very well.
flavia49
wonderful
MrsRatbag
Fantastic scene, and I agree, aside from the models of the autos this could be any time since the elevated tracks were built!
jocko500
wonderful
RodS
This is one "L" of a cool photo, Bill! I love the play of light and shadow here - so cool! Film........hmmmmmmm.........film............. Oh, yeah! I remember...... That was that funny plastic stuff you had to keep in the dark. Then, after exposing it in your camera, you'd dip it into funny smelling chemicals, then stick it into a thing like a vertical projector (I still have a Beseler 4X5 color enlarger I paid 1000 bucks for back in the 80s - I can't GIVE the dang thing away, now), and shine it on a piece of paper. Then you had to stick the paper in more funny smelling chemicals, and if you did everything right, you'd get a picture on the paper. I love digital photography!! :-D
helanker
I know at once it was from Chicago, even though I havent been there myself. I have seen enough photos from there to recognize this exciting place. A Perfect shot IMO! I dream about visiting Chicago some day.
anahata.c
Move over, Berenice Abbot and Andreas Feininger! A new El photographer has come to town! Beautiful work, Bill, and it captures the real feel of old Chicago. This is how I remember Chicago as a kid (when I went down this very street for my piano lessons---not far from where you're standing, in fact). It was dingy and dappled and loud and screechy and it had an ornery beauty all its own. It scared the hell outa me as a young child, but after a while I came to love the screeches above and the echoed honks below, it was home. And all that congestion felt heavenly. And you captured Central Camera---with a Kodak Film sign! LOL! I wonder if they even HAVE Kodak film. Right next door (I'm getting to your image, I promise), you captured Kramer's Health Foods---the first premier health food store in chicago. Man did they have an old crowd! I managed the first store to take over Kramer's primacy, further north. And the Exchequer, and so on. This is hard core old chicago, sir. As for the pic, it's wonderful: You got the deep shadow play, and the bleaching lights. And the whole play of verticals and horizontals, including those "chicago windows" (which you saw all over the Reliance Building), which helped lengthen the flow of facades, add a lot of light, and bring a very linear element to the growing modernist movement. And such rule-y cars: This must have been a sunday, because hardly any cars are on the road, and even the sidewalks seem half empty. You have a great pov. (In rush hour, if you stood there? You'd be writing Tara from the ER!) And the angled facades in the sunlight...Terrific piece. Your sepia is a dusty brown with tinges of green---wonderful hue for the milieu. And somehow you got the white painted line of Wabash lined up with the edge of the El shadows. How'd you manage that??? (You moved the El, didn't you? You said "uh---you guys mind if I move this for 'just one second'?" And you moved it over.) I love this. A real chicago shot. You got it through and through! (Ok, here's one Berenice Abbot El shot, and two Feininger's. They're both NYC---Sorry! I couldn't find chicago---but they're examples of the jagged music of el shots. The jpgs are awful, but you'll feel right at home with the vision, Bill: https://www.lempertz.com/uploads/tx_lempertzproject/P959_301694.jpg http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lgqw7fp7Vb1qzhl9eo1_1280.jpg http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_me9mvvGq9q1rkotcoo1_1280.jpg
debbielove
The French Connection, brilliant film.. Reminds me of it, but that was shot in Brooklyn, illegally without a permit by the way lol Super photo Bill, love the POV and colours used.. Well taken. Rob