Someone posted an interesting shot of Central Camera, the long tenured photography store in the Loop (in existence since 1899), so I started looking through my 35mm archives looking for the only photo of the place I remember taking. Discovered all sorts of unscanned photos, mostly taken in 1995-1998. My negatives are in a box in Austin1, so these scan are created from 3×5 and 4×6 prints, and are less than stellar. Lots of scratches, dust, and even some color fade. Sort of adds to their charm though.
The dates are mostly approximate, except for the photos scanned from a Seattle Filmworks print: all of which have a processing date stamped on their back.
Central Camera circa 1995
An inadvertent double exposure (you remember those, right? When there wasn’t quite enough film to advance to a new shot)
Michael Jordan and some dudes
scanned from a print on Seattle Filmworks paper, March 16, 1995.I asked: Is anyone’s memory better than mine? Where was this? what was the story?
Turns out to be a famous wall, and in this incarnation, the dudes sharing the wall with His Airness were Dennis Farina, Joe Mantegna, and Dennis Franz.
Click to continue gazing in the window of the mid-90s.
Rabbit in a box 1996
scanned from a 3×5 print. There was an exhibit at Grant Park I remember, sort of where Millennium Park is now (but which wasn’t much of a park then). I’ve forgotten the artist as well.
However, again, phule came through, and located an artist bio for Barry Flanagan.
Seth circa 1995
your humble narrator, from a print on Seattle Filmworks stock, circa June 1995.I remember the jacket – a thrift store special which I wore a lot. Looks like we were in an airport, or other public space. I assume Deanna Miesch took the photo with my camera, but I don’t remember the occasion for travel.
Col Sanders Day 1995
I have no idea why, or who. They were walking one day during lunch in the Loop, and so was I. In those years, I was much more diligent about getting out and walking during my one hour lunch break, usually with my Nikon N8008.
Strong Sound Ideas – circa 1995
this nutjob has been walking the streets of Chicago for a long, long time. He often worried about the Communists/Russians, and thought Bill Clinton and Al Gore were double agents. I’m sure he’s switched to concern about Obama being a Muslim.
Rabbit wants to eat Amoco – circa 1996
Grant Park.
Scanned from a 3×5 print.
Barry Flanagan, artist
Las Palabras de Lucy
A memorial to Lucy Parsons ( of Haymarket Riot fame ) in WIcker Park. Don’t think it is there anymore, but I’m not positive.[ www.lucyparsonsproject.org/about_lucyparsons.html ]
Retired Pilsen Resident
One of the first native Chicagoans I met, a very kind and friendly retired man.
Used to ride the bus with me from 18th and Halsted. Cannot remember his name, but he knew the Podmajersky family.
For this photo, I saw him sitting on State Street about a year after I had moved from E. Pilsen, and snuck a shot before he noticed me.
Street Musician circa 1996
Looks to be on Ilford HP5, but my memory could be wrong. There was an Ilford black and white film that could be processed as if it was color film, thus could be processed at any of the cheap photo labs that were everywhere in the days before digital cameras were ubiquitous. The film had a sort of sepia tone by design, and I used it for several years.
Vote Reagan – Division Blue Line 1995
another scan of a Seattle Filmworks print.
No Loitering -or else!
another scan of a Seattle Filmworks print.This was on Division Street, I think, circa 1995.
Bike Messenger 1996
he looked tired, perhaps.
Druids in Downtown Chicago circa 1997
Not sure what these officers were doing exactly.
Hull House circa 1997
Hull House Theater in the Jane Addams Center at 3212 North Broadway. No idea who the posers were. This theater is no more, and is now a gym of some sort.Seattle Filmworks print, scanned.
Prisoner – 1995
An exhibit from some long-forgotten gallery in Wicker Park. Artists and artwork titles unknown.
Paper Bikini 1995
An exhibit from some long-forgotten gallery in Wicker Park. Artists and artwork titles unknown.
Wicker Park Art Gallery circa 1995
An exhibit from some long-forgotten gallery in Wicker Park. Artists and artwork titles unknown.
Heh Heh Heh…
wonder what was on these dudes’ mind?Scanned from a Seattle Filmworks print, circa 1995.
Self Portrait 1997
I had a lot of hair back then.
Blue Line Serenade 1996
Division Street, probably.
Blue Line Serenade, verse 2, 1996
Division Street, probably.scanned from a print
State Street Musicians 1997
I remember this duo playing often (woman bass guitar and dude playing guitar), guess they were joined by a harmonica this particular day.
click image to embiggen.
Footnotes:- I really, really want to get them out and scan from the source – would get a much better image [↩]
Great memories and photos.