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Now and Then III: Community Photo Contest |
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Black on White: Architectural Detail My photo shows off the details, in black-and-white styling, of the architecture for a venerable building housing the newspaper. For me, the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer building represents the interface citizens have with their own history and current events that are reported daily. These events are collated to make up "our ongoing history." I took this photo thinking about how small details represent the essence of a whole history, newspaper, object or building.
Five and Dime H. L. Green’s was a five-and-dime store chain in the United States during the 20thcentury. The store was named after the founder, Harold L. Green. The bright colors captured in the photo really represent the ready and happening business of today. The upstairs was converted into present-day apartments, while the downstairs is constantly changing to fit Uptown’s needs and wants, although the sign and the memory still remain.
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer My photograph serves as an experiment in capturing the character, creative expression, identity and purpose of the building and its surroundings. Here, past and present “stories” collide to capture seemingly simplistic moments in this city’s rich history, culture and identity. It not only explores the nature in which our present has been altered from our past, but addresses the continued importance of the newspaper as a form of media and Columbus’ ever-changing spirit. The juxtaposition of the present-day Columbus Ledger-Enquirer building against a vast, vibrant sky also serves to highlight Columbus’ open-ended future.
Intersection of 10th and Broadway My photograph recreates a scene similar to the historic image of Broad Street, now known as Broadway, looking north. Though the facades of buildings have changed little over the years and the central median is still lined with trees, long gone are the trolley lines and old-fashioned automobiles. One major change to this area is the arrival of Columbus State University’s Uptown Campus. The college inhabits a number of downtown buildings, helping to sustain the community and bring education and growth beyond the classroom. The composition and expansive nature of my photograph highlight this notion of growth. Inspired by the array of colors in the historic postcard, I tried to recreate the same vibrancy with my present-day photograph.
Nights and Lights on Broadway In my photograph, I captured Broadway around 8 p.m., facing north between 10th and 11th streets. I used a long exposure in order to allude to the movement and activity we now see nightly on Broadway. I found the effect of the long exposure to be quite intriguing when comparing the “now” and “then” images as they display similar lines: those of cars rushing down the street currently and the trolley lines that also depict the idea of transportation. I was able to create an image that includes the motion of the city and the modernity of current automobiles, while also allowing the audience to take some time to devour the exquisiteness and juicy history fashioned by the fountains and lights of Columbus.
Morning Mist on the Hooch
The Chattahoochee Rapids My photo features the Eagle & Phenix Mill and the Chattahoochee River, both of which hold a special place in my heart. The river is a place that I grew up around and it truly has a beauty all its own. The Eagle & Phenix is special to my husband and me because my husband’s great-great-grandfather, W.C. Bradley, was involved in the mills’ operation in the late 1800s and owned the Eagle & Phenix from 1915 until 1947. Now, when you look across the Chattahoochee from Alabama, you see Columbus as a thriving community that takes great pride in its riverfront.
Still on the Hooch This photo was inspired by the historic photo of the Chattahoochee rapids. The pictured still waters were dammed to fuel the industrialization of Columbus. Soon, the dams will be removed and the rapids will flow free, revolutionizing the Chattahoochee River and the city of Columbus once again.
White & Blue: The Columbus Government Center In examining the building complex through the camera lens, I was surprised and delighted by the relationship of classical forms, textures and soaring lines. White & Blue follows the relationship between the two buildings, etched by deep blue sky against the growing white lines of the lotus-topped columns, which form graceful gothic arches to cap the top of the building. This photo is dedicated to my father Edward Neal, the architect of the “new” Government Center. He has always been actively involved in the historic preservation of Columbus and throughout the South. In the Government Center complex, he brings together his knowledge of historical architecture and love of classical forms into a contemporary (and exciting) building for Columbus.
Bradley Theatre 2010
14th Street Bridge
Endurance When I set about responding to the historical photo, it occurred to me that my usual perspective of the bridge is quite different from that of the 19th-century photographer. On my walks along the Riverwalk, I walk not across a bridge, but beneath five separate bridges. What first struck me about the scene I photographed was the light -- and then the scale. That solitary fisherman seems so small, framed as he is under the looming bridge. How different my photograph is from the historic one – different in terms of perspective and scale – different even in that it features only one lone man as opposed to the busy crowds depicted in the historic photograph. The streetcar has gone, the fancy clothes have gone, even the people in the historic photo have gone – but man, the bridge, and the river have endured.
Converging Tracks Many of the rails in Columbus have been in service for generations and most are still in use today. The trains are as defining to Columbus as the textile mills that decided the city’s prominence in the Civil War era. Anyone living within a seven-mile radius of downtown Columbus will have similar memories of being lulled to sleep by the distant blasts of train whistles. Some, however, may have a distinctly different memory of being caught at a train crossing while hurrying to get to the other side of town. No matter which side of the track you fall on, there is no denying the presence of trains in the Fountain City. So, with this photo I pay homage to the sights and sounds of my childhood but from a new perspective.
Georgia Southwestern Railroad and One Arsenal Place My image views the Georgia Southwestern Railroad as seen by today’s eyes in front of One Arsenal Place in Columbus. While parts of this railroad still do run directly through town and are still utilized to carry goods, it goes almost unnoticed in today’s rushed society. Showcasing this isolated part of the railroad, my photograph is in stark contrast to the historical photo. Taken late during a rainy night and setting the composition of the railway running out of the frame, it demonstrates a cold, hard and almost depreciated modern scene. One of the only human touches displayed is a bit of graffiti on the side of the structure.
Textile Dwelling For me, the Eagle & Phenix Mill was love at first sight. When I heard W.C. Bradley Company Real Estate was restoring the strikingly handsome mill and transforming it into residential loft condominiums, I made sure I was a part of this historic happening. As a result, I was the first human to lie my head down on a pillow in the building; my sister and I spent the night alone in the vast space, marveling the history that creeps through the beamed ceilings and brick walls in an enchanting manner. During my first week, I spent much of my time photographing the exterior. I found this image, Textile Dwelling, to be particularly interesting as it displays such peacefully calm vibes for an industrial building. When comparing this image to the mills of years ago, it is fascinating to note the different energy in a place of work and a place we call home.
Columbus Falls Inspired by the historical Chattahoochee Rapids image, you can still feel the strength and force of the Chattahoochee River, streaming over the stone dam and weathered boulders on its timeless journey to the Gulf. The rejuvenated Eagle & Phenix Mill connects the past with the present. As the twin smoke stacks stand silent, cumulus clouds mimic the billowing water. The lights of the 13th Street bridge sparkle like a necklace, connecting the sides of the photograph while bridging the past and present into the future.
A Journey’s End My photo shows the unfortunate fate that awaited the textile industry in Columbus. The black and white processing portrays the grunge-like emptiness of many who became unemployed and were harshly affected by the collapse of the textile industry. The details of the slowly decaying building ironically represent how the industry slowly deteriorated through the years. The “Dead End” sign represents the direction where the vulnerable industry eventually ended up in Columbus: at a dead end.
Eagle & Phenix Mill through Convex Glass This picture was taken by holding one half of a lens from a photographic enlarger in front of my camera. The lens acts like a magnifying glass, but more powerfully. My goal was to capture the river’s rapids, the dam and the Eagle & Phenix Mill in a unique perspective. Soon, through the efforts of the Chattahoochee River Restoration Project, a section of the dam will be removed and the river will be changed to its historic and natural state of powerful rapids.
Though the Museum's archival photo depicts a shiny, well-kept truck in black and white, the photo at hand assumes the opposite role, offering a more colorful glimpse of an old, worn-in truck downtown. Taken by the paper mill, the truck sits untouched and rusted in solitude. Though many pass it by, it provides a unique look into our city's past. |
