Progress and plans

Almost done with the Kickstarter script. Sam and I went over plans for the video and decided to use "Seeds" as a backdrop, for at least part of it. Wish that parking lot on 16th street wasn't there. Denver parking lots: the bane of my existence since 1974! I'll have to look at the older photos--not sure what was there before. Possibly a gas station.
Organized photos that we are going to repeat. Many of them were done during the summer months last year. Harsh shadows and totally washed-out streets. Streets are important parts of these photos, so they have to be right. Also, the view down Wynkoop street from 16th. We'll be meeting at 7:30 on Friday morning to cover that view. The EPA building should have some nice light; hope it's soft!
I'm also working on my book, "Love Letter to the Railroad Yards," to be published by blurb. The question is, should I have Photocraft make the JPEG's or should I do it at home on my own scanner?

Too hot in Denver

Yesterday I got up at 5 am to photograph some sites that needed to be done again. I took the 6 am bus down to Denver, did the photographing in an hour, and then had a Bruegger's bagel (first time). The light was diffused by the smoke from our numerous fires, so the shadows weren't so deep. I re-did the one "corner" which is not a corner: looking straight down Wynkoop St. from 16th toward Cherry Creek. There was a viaduct there once, but it's been taken down, of course. Tattered Cover on the left side, and EPA on the right side. Also, re-did the spot where Constitution Hall once stood: the burned building of 1978. Now it's a parking lot. Poignant.


I have engaged a photographic printer in Boulder who will be matching the exhibition prints of '37 and '78. He is excellent, and I'll be excited to see how they turn out. 


Over 100 degrees yesterday, probably today as well. It was a good incentive to get up really early and do the work in Denver. The whole week is mid to high 90's. Eight fires currently burning in the state, and we're waiting for Boulder to erupt (and praying it won't happen again). At the very least the heat is really enervating and there's no way I would venture out to photograph in downtown during the harsh light and shadows of mid-day. 

The documentation for the project...

For several weeks now I've been entering data on a spreadsheet about each streetcorner for the three time periods, 1937, 1978-79, 2010-2012. Hopefully this will not only make it easier to identify the images themselves, but provide information on what buildings or other features existed at the times. I am struck by the plethora of painted signs on the sides of buildings in the 1930's. LoDo has brought back and/or preserved many of these signs quite beautifully. One of our favorites, of course, is "SEEDS" (the Barteldes building across from Tattered Cover). The building appears in "Denver Then and Now," by Joshua Dinar. The old view (circa 1910-1920) is taken from the 16th street viaduct. I just found one of my images from 1978-79 that shows both the 15th street and 16th street viaducts going over Wynkoop street. Barteldes is barely visible. The image accession number is 881, South on Wynkoop, East on 15th. I'll scan the image for the blog.

Summer work

Today was a wonderfully cloudy day in Denver and Boulder; a few raindrops and some spectacular clouds visible north of the D&F Tower. I photographed the following:

1) 878 (Wynkoop railroad bridge, now a walking bridge). When I photographed this in 1978, I stood on the concrete bank of Cherry Creek. Now of course that's impossible unless I or Sam climbs over a fence. Hopefully the view is going to be good.

2) 951 - Market, across the street from the bus station. The old Metropolitan Hotel used to stand at the corner, its doorway facing the street diagonally. That's where Neal Cassady lived with his alcoholic father for a time in the 30's.

3) 976 - North on Larimer, West on 17th

4) 993 - South on Lawrence, East on 14th (looking at Park Central, and I believe, the old Central Bank. Torn down. Was a nice building. What's wrong with Denver?

5) 020 - South on Curtis, West on 14th, looking toward the Auditorium and the DCPA. Still a lot of construction on 14th.

6) 019 - South on Curtis, West on 15th. Tough vertical, looking down toward the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Building (that building with the beautiful Allan True murals). Nice light on that building. I shot the scene in wide angle; film ran out before I could repeat in 50 mm.

I have tried to think of my favorite buildings downtown, extinct or alive for now.

1) Old Public Service building with the lights that are turned on at Christmas. (15th and Champa) This building, unfortunately, is not in our project area.
2) Park Central. Not that I like the architecture, but emotionally this building was very important to me in the late 70's. The Rio Grande Railroad had offices there and I applied for a job as a locomotive fireman in Denver. Was turned down; I was devastated! Then I got the same job in Pueblo; go figure.
3) The Ghost Building. Somewhere on 15th. I have a picture of the facade. I've heard the stones were saved so the building might rise again. Good luck.
4) The Equitable Building.
5) The Republic Building, torn down.
6) Not in downtown, but the old Temple Emanuel, 16th and Pearl. Sam lives behind this building. We're members of the current Temple, located at 1st and Grape, but for the 25th anniversary, the congregation held a big festive evening at the old Temple. I sang in the choir that night.
7) The Denver Theatre, on the other side of 16th from the Paramount. A lovely movie palace, complete with ushers in 1977! I saw "Five Easy Pieces" there in that year with my roommate.
8) The current Xcel Energy building is interesting and quite attractive.
9) The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Building, Curtis and 14th.

Tomorrow morning, Sam and I meet at Curtis and 14th to resume photographing!