Robb Kendrick is a photographer famous for photographing (modern) cowboys.  His photographs are absolutely incredible:  Rich and beautiful.  But the real reason he’s famous is because he uses a technology from the 1850s:  Tintype photography is a wet-plate technique that required no separate negative.  Though the finished product wasn’t as high quality as other wet-plate techniques at the time, it was a simple process that was cheap enough so as to be available to middle-class Americans.  It had a huge influence on the photography of the era yielding much more relaxed and informal poses with subjects wearing common clothing.  This was probably one of the first recorded visualizations of middle-class America, forever preserving an era.

National Geographic has a short little documentary style film about Robb Kendrick and his dated technique.  It’s really interesting to see how it really works and to get into the mind of such a photographer.  You can view the film at National Geographic: Preserving the Past

Read more about Robb Kendrick his website.

The Gallery (At Market East) is an underground shopping mall smack in the center of the City of Philadelphia.  This shot was taken in the food court are (obviously).  Beyond this point, the mall opens up.  But I find this area particularly interesting.  The mall is old, so it has a natural tendancy to trigger a clausterphobic reaction.  I find it interesting that the lighting in that area hasn’t really been updated in several decades (Side note - as part of my job, I prepare lighting designs).  Even more interesting is the fact that this is far from the best place for a food court.  Tables are basically in the middle of pedestrian traffic, the Market East train station entrances are very close and there is too much traffic for such a cramped area.

And yet, I find this area inspiring.