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Chicago Sunset

This photo of a lakefront view of downtown Chicago was taken during my rust belt tour earlier this year. Although most of the trip was focused on finding the beauty in the decayed and neglected industries, we would take moments like this one to see the beauty in the modern city as well. This is a high dynamic range (HDR) shot using three bracketed shots combined into one image.

Almost a lost opportunity

This sunset photo was taken just outside of Pittsburgh earlier this year. My brother Josh and I had just finished a weekend of shooting urban exploration photographs in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and were on our way back to Toledo, Oh for Easter. We had waited for the sunset in the city on one of the many bridges in the city until we just couldn’t take the wind anymore. We felt like we had shot some nice sunset shots until we realized that the best was yet to come. Instead of being upset over the lost opportunity, we pulled the car over and took these shots.

Pressure

Copyright Jeff Ball 2010

I’ve always had a fascination with water towers. I’m not sure what it is about them but since I was a kid I’ve been attracted to them. During my trip to the rust belt, I took the opportunity to shoot a lot of water towers. Many of which I’m sure I will post on the site.

The potential energy of these towers is very interesting. Huge amounts of water stored in a tank on top of a building could have devistating effects. At the same time they represent an early technology that provided access to water and water pressure for buildings and whole communities.

This shot was taken in Toledo, Oh at sunset.  The building is located right downtown along the Maumee river and serves as a reminder of simpler days.

Desicration

copyright Jeff Ball 2010

As my brother Joshhua (www.ballmultimedia.com) and I were looking for building to photograph in Toledo, Ohio, we came across this church.  As I looked over the desicration of this place of worship I thought about what had happened here.

Who got married at this alter, now painted with inverted pentagrams? Who sang in these aisles  or attended Sunday school in the basement littered with beer bottles and fallen plaster? How did this church fail? Did the congregation move from the neighborhood? Maybe they just couldn’t pay the bills to maintain the space. Whatever the reason, the results are a sad sight.

I don’t consider myself a religious person, but I can’t help but feel that beautiful spaces that once meant so much to so many should be preserved. I hope that this church one day finds a new use to hold on to it’s history and not end up another empty lot in a struggling rust belt city.

Walleye Run

Copyright Jeff Ball 2010

The Walleye Run in the Maumee River in Toledo, Oh is a big event each year. It’s so big, Toledo has named it’s professional hockey team, The Walleyes, who are actually in the playoffs right now. Each year the Walleye come up the Maumee river to spawn and it attracts hundreds of fisherman each year. At peak times, you can see fisherman of all ages, sexes and races fishing shoulder to shoulder. Some fish waste deep in the water with their waders, nets and stringer lines and some fish from small boats in the middle of the river.  Despite the method, most leave with at least one fish on their line.

It’s also great business for local bait vendors and sports equipment retailers. There is a certain set of gear that it seems all fisherman must have. Those who don’t have the proper gear look awkward and amateur.

This shot was taken at dawn near Sidecut Park in Maumee, Oh.