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Road Trip: Route 66 Part VII - Catoosa, OK
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Oklahoma became the 46th state to join the United States on November 16, 1907. The capital city is Oklahoma City. The highest point is Black Mesa at 4,973 feet.
CabooseRoute 66: Catoosa, OK
Road Trip 2013 - Day 17 - June 27 - Route 66 - Catoosa, OK (Previous 2013 Road Trip posts: Indiana Dunes, De Immigrant, Amana Colonies, Des Moines, Madison County Roads, Bridges of Madison County, White Pole Road, Great Platte River Road Archway Monument, Golden Spike Tower & Union Pacific's Bailey Rail Yard, Loveland Pass, The Resting Day at Powderhorn, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Cimarron, Colorado National Monument, Fruita Rodeo, Grand Mesa, Arches National Park, Grand Junction, Grand Mesa Creek, Arches National Park Add-On, Canyonlands National Park, The Little Big Moments of Road Tripping, Mesa Verde National Park, Santa Fe, Santa Fe Train Depot, Pecos National Historical Park, Route 66 Part I, Santa Rosa, NM, Route 66 Part II, Santa Rosa, NM, Route 66 Part III, Tucumcari, Route 66 Part IV: Cadillac Ranch, Route 66 Part V: Bug Ranch), Route 66 Part VI: Conoco & Magnolia, Moore, OK after the 2013 Tornado, Route 66 Part VII - Catoosa, OK
This Route 66 post is a bit special. Yes, we're still going back to 2013 when our family road trip adventures started but it happens to follow shortly after our most recent Road Trip 2018 on which we had the opportunity to visit Catoosa, Oklahoma again. So in a way, this is also a sneak peak into that road trip.
These road side attractions provide a glimpse into the past of each location as well as a welcome stop on the way to climb out of the car, walk around, relax, and learn a bit thanks to often present info boards. For me, they later also provide a reason to fire up a search engine and find even more background information to share here and link to. Are you curious what's behind the Blue Whale? See the links below to read about the whale's role not only in one family but also the whole community.
Blue WhaleRoute 66 in Catoosa, OK
Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma on Route 66
Enjoy The Beauty That Surrounds You! (#etbtsy)
References: Oklahoma on 50States.com - Caboose - BN 12252 as SL-SF 1882 - The Route 66 - The Blue Whale 66
Would you like to see more of my travel photographs? Visit the Travel Photography gallery or the On the Road photo collection. Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered. Looking for a present? I also offer ready to hang solutions like canvas gallery wraps, prints on metal, and matted and framed ready to hang photographs.
Do you like my free content but are not ready to buy a photograph for your walls yet? Using my links to do your shopping helps me share more photographs and write the stories behind them. And it costs you nothing. You just need to start your shopping by clicking on an advertised product or use the Amazon search box in bottom left. It does not matter what you eventually buy as long as you start here. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how small. Thank you!
Hello, Spring!
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Spring took its time this year but it has arrived. The bright mornings with a hint of chill in the air developing into beautiful warm sunny days. Birds chirping like an orchestra. And colors, colors everywhere! The gray period is over and happy colors abound. Strange coming from me you say after flooding my blog with black and white photographs? Possibly, but I do love colors.
After quite a while I set the alarm to 5 a.m. and headed out to chase the morning light. I had couple locations in mind I had not photographed before. I was on site by the first one by 5:30, well ahead of sunrise. Location one, location two, and what now? On my way home I decided to make a left instead of a right and headed for a third and unplanned destination.
I arrived at Knox Farm shortly after sunrise as the sun was clearing the treetops and starting to bathe the meadows, barns, and fences in a wonderful golden glow. It was still a bit cool but so refreshing. What really surprised me was the single other car at the parking lot. It appeared I beat the dog walkers too, which I did not mind. Indeed, they did not show up until an hour later.
The low light was wonderful and I had a lot of fun playing with the fence shadows thrown way to the side and being quite a bit wider than the fence height. I enjoyed some very well known scenes and also kept on a lookout for new ones. And both were plentiful. This one just jumped at me as I was framing a wide angle shot with a fence. As I scanned the edges of my frame confirming my composition there it was, a little ways in the background. And I knew I had to have it and now I can share the moment with you.
Spring at Knox FarmWillow Tree at Sunrise
Spring at Knox Farm
Such a great inspiration to set the alarm early again and go searching for more morning wonders. Somehow, nature seems to look its best in the early morning.
Enjoy the Beauty that Surrounds You! (#etbtsy)
Would you like to see more photographs from Western New York? Visit my Buffalo & Western New York Landscapes and enjoy! Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.
Do you like my free content but are not ready to buy a photograph for your walls yet? Using my links to do your shopping helps me share more photographs and write the stories behind them. And it costs you nothing. You just need to start your shopping by clicking on an advertised product or use the Amazon search box in bottom left. It does not matter what you eventually buy as long as you start here. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how small. Thank you!
Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day (WPPD) 2018
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Lensless 4x5Pinhole Camera
Previously on pinhole photography: A New Chapter, a New Book - Pinhole Photography, Film Pinhole Photography, Seaside Pinhole Photography, Lake Erie Lakeshore on Pinhole, Erie Basin Marina on Pinhole, Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day 2017, The Final Six, Large Format Pinhole, Large Format Pinhole by Cargill Pool Grain Elevator, Large Format Pinhole of Orchard Park Train Depot, Large Format Pinhole of Green Lake, Cobblestone on Pinhole, Buffalo, NY, WPPD 2018
This year was the second year I have participated in the Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day (see Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day 2017 for my results from last year). Last year, my camera of choice was the 35mm Zero Image that I used to shoot a roll of black and white film. This year, I mixed things up a bit and opted solely for the Lensless 4x5 large format pinhole camera loaded with Ilford Harman direct positive paper. Indeed, my obsession with that method continues! Shooting large format really limits the number of shots you bring back, especially since I still own only one film / paper holder. With that, two shots is all one gets.
First, I struggled deciding on a location. Then, they hit me and the choice was clear. First, I headed to Knox Farm in East Aurora with one shot clearly in my mind, leaving the other one to a chance.
Country HouseLensless 4x5 Pinhole Camera
Pinhole Photography: Country House, Knox Farm, East Aurora, NY
Later, after I developed the two photos at home, I was still hungry for more, especially since the second photo did not work out due to multiple problems (possibly a light leak, followed by under-development). I headed towards downtown Buffalo with no idea what I was after. The next two locations spoke to me and became part of this wonderful annual event.
RiverworksLensless 4x5 Pinhole Camera
Pinhole Photography: Riverworks, Buffalo, NY
Buffalo X-Ray CoLensless 4x5 Pinhole Camera
Pinhole Photography: A Ghost Town in Buffalo, NY (Buffalo X-Ray Co & Fairmont Creamery)
I already look forward to WPPD 2019 and yes, I am pretty sure you'll see some pinhole photographs on paper well ahead of the event.
Enjoy the Beauty that Surrounds You! (#etbtsy)
Would you like to see more pinhole photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my pinhole gallery on timelessbuffalo.com and enjoy! Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.
Do you like my free content but are not ready to buy a photograph for your walls yet? Using my links to do your shopping helps me share more photographs and write the stories behind them. And it costs you nothing. You just need to start your shopping by clicking on an advertised product or use the Amazon search box in bottom left. It does not matter what you eventually buy as long as you start here. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how small. Thank you!
Road Trip 2018 on a Page
Support this blog: Do you like my free content but are not ready to buy a photograph yet? Using my links (Amazon) to do your shopping helps me share more photographs and write the stories behind them.
Previously captured on film: Analog (Film) Photography - Film Pinhole Photography - Winter Jinx - Seaside Pinhole Photography - Theatre District at Sunrise, Buffalo, NY - On Main Street, Buffalo, NY - On the Road around Buffalo - Lake Erie Lakeshore on Pinhole - Erie Basin Marina on Pinhole - From Ohio Street - As the Names Change - Buffalo Classic on Classic Medium - One More White while Appropriate - More Winter in Hamburg, NY - Palace in Winter - A Shed - The Chimney - Road Trip 2018 in a Page
Nikon FELoaded w/Black & White Film
Just couple weeks ago we returned from another wonderful family road trip, this one being the Road Trip 2018. I know, what an original name! But I've been titling them that way since 2013 when we launched the series. This one was a repeat in a way but a total original in so many other ways! We headed back to southern New Mexico again, as we had done back in 2014. Parts of the journey were shared between the two trips, other parts were brand new. It's always an interesting balance to keep - to revisit our favorite places from the past while making enough time to explore new ones.
One thing that was different on this trip was my photo equipment. And it was not the digital camera that was the change I mean. It was my Nikon FE and a roll of black and white Ilford film. And I loved every minute of using it along the way. I looked for opportunities to use it beyond my experience with it so far. I tried to mix it up among architecture, road side attractions, especially on Route 66, and natural landscapes.
Do you know what the coolest thing about the film camera was? It was so simple. Just the camera, loaded with a roll of film, and one red filter. That's it! Not even batteries to charge every day.
My excitement definitely did not fade upon return. Just the opposite, if it's even possible. As soon as I had an opportunity, I mixed a new batch of XTOL developer and got my film developed. Pulling it out of the tank was so exciting! And seeing the images! I was really happy about the tonality of all of the frames.
The first time in about 25 years, I have decided to make contact prints of that single roll of film. And I am so glad I did. I plan on doing them for all of my film going forward and will possibly even go back. It's just easier to look at the positive images rather than studying the negatives. And I will tell you, those negatives can mess with your head! But more on that another day.
Road Trip 2018On Black & White Film
Road Trip 2018 - Nikon FE, Ilford Delta 100 Black & White Film
See how there are pretty much 2 exposure levels on this film? That became part of the learning experience for me. The darker ones are shot with the red filter and the lighter ones without. As simple as that. Both groups are perfectly printable with good results . They just look so obviously different here as the whole contact print received the same exposure. Seeing the results and knowing right away what the one variable was I researched the topic and found my answer. Apparently, it all comes down to differences between the film sensitivity to different wave lengths of light and the sensitivity of the light meter in the Nikon FE. The light meter does not fully compensate for the darkening filter factor and thus the images end up underexposed. On the flip side, the filter free photos could use a little dampening.
The plan? I will shoot the filter free photos on the Ilford Delta with a -1/3 and all photos with the red filter +2/3. I'll report back.
Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you! (#etbtsy)
Are you a fan of black and white photography, whether digital, film, or pinhole? Feel free to explore timelessbuffalo.com then. Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.
Using my links to do your shopping keeps me sharing more photographs and writing the stories behind them and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything at all. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!
Cobblestone on Pinhole, Buffalo, NY
Support this blog: Do you like my free content but are not ready to buy a photograph yet? Using my links (Amazon) to do your shopping helps me share more photographs and write the stories behind them. Thank you!
Previously on pinhole photography: A New Chapter, a New Book - Pinhole Photography, Film Pinhole Photography, Seaside Pinhole Photography, Lake Erie Lakeshore on Pinhole, Erie Basin Marina on Pinhole, Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day 2017, The Final Six, Large Format Pinhole, Large Format Pinhole by Cargill Pool Grain Elevator, Large Format Pinhole of Orchard Park Train Depot, Large Format Pinhole of Green Lake, Cobblestone on Pinhole, Buffalo, NY
Cobblestone Bar & GrillBehind the Scenes
I have previously shared with you my excitement about shooting pinhole on photo paper and the charm of getting a single original photo. But since I am still very new to it I am still finding my way around its challenges with framing, with exposure, with contrast, and more. So when I developed this particular photo I was, and still am, very excited.
Since I had little idea what would make it into the frame I was first surprised that the building corner did not fit in, then perplexed about how the white banner peaks at the top of the frame with all of the lettering in, and eventually rather pleased with all four sides of the photo. In fact I ended up liking this composition so much that I went back to capture it on digital too.
The next challenge was how to present this original print online. Drying the photo on a laundry line did not work out. While it's usually ok with RC paper this fiber based paper crinkled up and did not look appealing nor was it in a shape to be scanned or photographed. It went back in the water for a second drying attempt when I weighed it down under a stack of books. The outcome was better but still not satisfactory. Only yesterday was I able to make the third time a charm, using an old photo dryer. In couple minutes, drying the print face up to keep it mostly matte, it came out beautifully.
I had to work on the scanned image though to get it as close to the actual print as possible. With the default settings, it came out too bright. Also, the photo paper itself has just a tiny bit of a warm tone to it which got lost in my black and white scan. Still, the original looks the best, and that is the whole point.
Enjoy the Beauty that Surrounds You! (#etbtsy)
Would you like to see more pinhole photographs from Buffalo and Western New York? Visit my pinhole gallery on timelessbuffalo.com and enjoy! Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.
Do you like my free content but are not ready to buy a photograph for your walls yet? Using my links to do your shopping helps me share more photographs and write the stories behind them. And it costs you nothing. You just need to start your shopping by clicking on an advertised product or use the Amazon search box in bottom left. It does not matter what you eventually buy as long as you start here. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how small. Thank you!