Constructed in 1926, US 50 was part of the original United States highway system and extends from California to Maryland. Our recent move from Oakland, California to Silver Spring, Maryland near Washington, DC inspired me to travel on this historic byway and document my journey. All work was shot on a Mamiya 6, a film camera that creates negatives that are six centimeters square. This camera really forces me to shoot with intention. The film stock is mostly Ektar 100, for those who are curious.
Nativity tableaux, Linn, Missouri.
Santa horse, Louisburg, Kansas.
Kaskaskia river, Carlyle, Illinois.
Spring Hill Cemetery, Shoals, Indiana.
A murmuration of starlings near Odin, Illinois.
East Saint Louis, Illinois.
Swing set, Cottonwood Falls, Kansas.
Wheatland Generating Plant, Wheatland, Indiana.
Roof cow, Rowlesburg, West Virginia.
Grafton, West Virginia.
Nativity tableaux, Odin, Illinois.
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
Motel door, Pleasant Valley, West Virginia.
Tanner's Creek Generating Station, Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
Sunrise, Ladue, Missouri.
Constructed in 1926, US 50 was part of the original United States highway system and extends from California to Maryland. Our recent move from Oakland, California to Silver Spring, Maryland near Washington, DC inspired me to travel on this historic byway and document my journey. All work was shot on a Mamiya 6, a film camera that creates negatives that are six centimeters square. This camera really forces me to shoot with intention. The film stock is mostly Ektar 100, for those who are curious.
Cañon City, Colorado. These colorful cider bottles with the sun streaking through them caught my eye, but not just because of the color, but because they were very dusty. It boggled my mind that someone would put these bottles out for display to entice shoppers to stop inside their store wouldn’t clean their product of dust I could see from a moving car passing by on the street. I stopped and grabbed a few shots of totally meaningless eye candy, and then noticed an old Chevy around the corner in the parking lot. I made a few shots when an older woman with a heavy Germanic accent aggressively confronted me to ask what I was doing. I told her I was taking a picture of the car and she replied that there had been a lot of vandalism lately. Mind you, this was in the middle of the day along a major artery of Cañon City, in a parking lot that was empty save for the Chevy. All in all, not a great first impression for Cañon City. I cut off her rant by apologizing for disturbing her and walked back to my car. It’s too bad because in hindsight, I would have loved to make her portrait and buy some cider.
Museum of Colorado Prisons, Cañon City, Colorado. The website compels visitors to “unlock the past and experience the colorful history of prison life!”
Museum of Colorado Prisons, Cañon City, Colorado. The website compels visitors to “unlock the past and experience the colorful history of prison life!”
Museum of Colorado Prisons, Cañon City, Colorado. The website compels visitors to “unlock the past and experience the colorful history of prison life!”
Museum of Colorado Prisons, Cañon City, Colorado. The website compels visitors to “unlock the past and experience the colorful history of prison life!”
Museum of Colorado Prisons, Cañon City, Colorado. The website compels visitors to “unlock the past and experience the colorful history of prison life!”
A giant snow plow rests at Monarch Pass in Colorado. The pass sits on the continental divide at an elevation of 11,312 feet above sea level. I had great weather during the road trip and going through the pass in the middle of winter was a breeze – no snow plow required! Seeing this bright orange snow plow reminded me of a funny story my wife told me about learning to drive a stick-shift as a teenager. My mother-in-law told her she’d need to know how just in case she ever needed to drive a Snow-Cat. It seems hilarious because my wife is from St. Louis. But I suppose that since “The Shining” was still relatively fresh in people’s minds in those days, we all probably should have learned how to drive a Snow-Cat.
A decommissioned tank with the words “Spear Chucker” on the turret sits in the Offerle, Kansas city park.
Grain mill, Halstead, Kansas, photographed after eating a Subway sandwich. I realize grain mills at dusk are visual low hanging fruit, but I couldn’t resist!
A white-tailed deer sprints away from tracks left over from the old Santa Fe Trail near Dodge City, Kansas. Opened by Spaniards at the end of the 18th century, the Santa Fe Trail brought migrants into the west in the 19th century from 1821 until 1880.
Two views of the 8-ball water tower in Tipton, Missouri. The tower was built by Fisher Manufacturing, which for a time was the biggest maker of billiards tables, to protect its new factory from fire. The plant closed in 1977 and was bought by Fasco Manufacturing, which painted over the tower with its logo. Fasco closed in 1989 and the town decided to repaint the tower with an 8-ball in 1999. The tower is sometimes recognized as the world’s largest 8-ball.
Two views of the 8-ball water tower in Tipton, Missouri. The tower was built by Fisher Manufacturing, which for a time was the biggest maker of billiards tables, to protect its new factory from fire. The plant closed in 1977 and was bought by Fasco Manufacturing, which painted over the tower with its logo. Fasco closed in 1989 and the town decided to repaint the tower with an 8-ball in 1999. The tower is sometimes recognized as the world’s largest 8-ball.
Two views of the capitol building in Jefferson City, Missouri. The building is undergoing renovations but it looked like Christo and Jeanne-Claude had been by and wrapped the building like they did the Reichstag.
Two views of an abandoned school in Bushong, Kansas, population 34. The town was named after St. Louis Browns catcher Albert J. "Doc" Bushong who played in the 1886 World Series, beating the Chicago White Stockings. Bushong was also the location of an Atlas missile base, abandoned in 1965. Unfortunately, I didn’t know about the missile base while I was in the town, despite it being only 10 minutes away. However, it’s a great reason to head back out on the road!
“Paulhenge,” located in Versailles, Indiana. The sun shines through the holes on solstices and equinoxes .
Stonehenge structure, Matfield Green, Kansas, population 47. According to Wikipedia, the village contains a small colony of artists and writers. I assume their Stonehenge structure is an art project and gathering place.
Constructed in 1926, US 50 was part of the original United States highway system and extends from California to Maryland. Our recent move from Oakland, California to Silver Spring, Maryland near Washington, DC inspired me to travel on this historic byway and document my journey. All work was shot on a Mamiya 6, a film camera that creates negatives that are six centimeters square. This camera really forces me to shoot with intention. The film stock is mostly Ektar 100, for those who are curious.
Constructed in 1926, US 50 was part of the original United States highway system and extends from California to Maryland. Our recent move from Oakland, California to Silver Spring, Maryland inspired me to travel on this historic byway and document my journey. This image was made in western Kansas, where the US 50 runs almost parallel to the old Santa Fe Trail, a critical transportation route in the 19th century.
A demilitarized tank sits at the Dixie Valley Naval Training Area. Dixie Valley was a small ranching community outside of Fallon, Nevada that was acquired by the US Navy for electronic warfare simulation in 1995. While most of the area is publicly accessible, a sign near the entrance states “The land beyond this sign is used by NAS Fallon for military training. Low flying aircraft, military vehicles and personnel may be using flares, smoke/simulator grenades, and blank fire ordinance on this area at any time.” Needless to say, I wasn’t attacked while I was there. The area was quiet and vast. While researching the area, where other demilitarized vehicles and radar stations are spread across the valley, it was suggested that Dixie Valley was used to mock an invasion by a foreign power on American soil. Also, the Navy’s “TOPGUN” program (Naval Fighter Weapons Program), moved from Miramar, California to the area a year after Dixie Valley was acquired. If anyone has an idea of what kind of tank this is, please let me know in the comments!
It’s hard to describe the isolation of Dixie Valley, a former ranching community in the Nevada desert now used for combat simulation by the US Navy. So, imagine my surprise when I met this cowboy as I was going down the last road I told myself I’d explore in the valley before moving on down US 50. I stopped and we chatted for a spell and he told me I was the first person he’d spoken with in weeks. Apparently, the valley is not just for combat simulation, but is also interspersed with ranchland. He was preparing to ride out into the desert to drive cattle to another pasture, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was completely jealous. He’s originally from Cleveland, Ohio but made his way to the desert after a series of moves that became more and more rural as time went on.
Street signs mark a former neighborhood in Dixie Valley, Nevada. The area was purchased by the US Navy in 1995 to use for combat simulation by fighter and electronic warfare pilots. There’s a part of me that is fascinated by neighborhoods that revert back to nature ever since portions of my childhood neighborhood were allowed to return to nature following a 100-year flood.
A demilitarized troop carrier, used as target practice inside the Dixie Valley Naval Training Area in the Nevada desert. The area was purchased by the US Navy in 1995 to use for combat simulation by fighter and electronic warfare pilots. The area is littered with decommissioned tanks, radar stations, troop vehicles and other abandoned structures. While the area is publicly accessible, there is still a warning sign at the entrance to the valley stating that the area is still actively used for training purposes.
Buses traveling back from the sierras to a school district near San Jose.
Cattle watering troughs near Dixie Valley, Nevada.
A Project Shoal Nuclear Test Site monitoring well in the Nevada desert. The underground nuclear test took place October 26, 1963 to compare seismic activity between a natural earthquake and a nuclear blast. The 12-kiloton device was detonated at 1,211 feet underground.
Graffiti covers a metal wall inside a target structure at the Dixie Valey Naval Training Area. The valley was acquired from local ranchers by the US Navy for electronic warfare simulation in 1995. The water table is very high in the area and many ranches in fact were beginning to experience sinkholes and subsidence.
Target structure at the Dixie Valey Naval Training Area. The valley was acquired from local ranchers by the US Navy for electronic warfare simulation in 1995. The water table is very high in the area and many ranches in fact were beginning to experience sinkholes and subsidence.
A wall of polaroids at La Fiesta restaurant in Ely, Nevada made on a dinner break on a cross country trip from California to Maryland on US Highway 50.
I had the fantastic opportunity to cover the 2018 Shell Eco-Challenge at Sonoma Raceway last month. The four-day event was a competition between college and high school engineering students to design, build and race the most fuel-efficient vehicle possible. The top winners of each category - electric, gasoline and hydrogen - proceeds to the big race in London later this year.
Check out some of my favorite images below and let me know what you think!
Team B-17 with their vehicle the B-17, #511, from Braham High School, Braham, Mn, United States, competing under the UrbanConcept - Gasoline category, hits the track at Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
Team #316, E-Team UDA Elec, of Universidad del Azuay, in Cuenca, Azuay, Ecuador, Prototype, Battery Electric work on their car in the paddock during day one of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Thursday, April 19, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
Team Cal Poly Supermileage with their vehicle the Donald Duck, #4,from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, United States, competing under the Prototype - Gasoline category waits before a group portrait during day two of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Friday, April 20, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
Team #5, University of Toronto Supermileage, of University of Toronto, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Prototype, Gasoline works on their car in the paddock during day one of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Thursday, April 19, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
Team #201, Wheat Ridge STEM Gold, of Wheat Ridge High School, in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, United States, Prototype, Hydrogen is pushed out of the paddock during day one of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Thursday, April 19, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
Team OSU Beavers with their vehicle the Beaver Bolt, #302, from Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States, competing under the Prototype - Battery Electric category, and Team SEMA PUCP with their vehicle the PUCP 1, #21, from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima, Lima, Peru, competing under the Prototype - Gasoline category leave the paddock during day two of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Friday, April 20, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
Team HydroAggies with their vehicle the Streamline, #211, from North Carolina A&T State University , Greensboro, North Carolina, United States, competing under the Prototype - Hydrogen category in the paddock during day two of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Friday, April 20, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
A Saskatchewan Polytechnic SaskEco participant carries a car part to the paddocks, competing under the Prototype - category at Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
Participants take in the experience during day two of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Friday, April 20, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
UBC Supermileage Team with their vehicle the Zephyr, #520, from University of British Columbia , Vancouver, BC, Canada, competing under the UrbanConcept - Gasoline category work on their car near the paddock during day two of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Friday, April 20, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
Team members prepare signage to signal their driver during day three of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Saturday, April 21, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
Team Mavericks with their vehicle the The Tank , #508, from Newburgh Free Academy, Newburgh, New York , United States, competing under the UrbanConcept - Diesel category on the track during day three of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Saturday, April 21, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
The driver of Saint Thomas Academy Experimental Vehicle Team Alpha with their vehicle the The Doppler Effect, #701, from Saint Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights, MN, United States, competing under the UrbanConcept - Battery Electric category took 1st place in the Drivers World Championship on the final day of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.
Saint Thomas Academy Experimental Vehicle Team Alpha with their vehicle the The Doppler Effect, #701, from Saint Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights, MN, United States, competing under the UrbanConcept - Battery Electric category gets the checkered flag during the Drivers World Championship on the final day of Shell Make the Future at Sonoma Raceway, Sunday, April 22, 2018 in Sonoma, Calif.