Grand Central
Here’s another shot from Grand Central. I was a bit disorientated because I have been up on this balcony on the East side of the station many times. It always used to be just an open space with people milling around and taking pictures just like this one. It is an Apple Store now. As soon as you walk up the stairs, there is a greeter asking if you need help. Things change, I guess. A very long time ago Kodak used most of the wall behind me for a giant Kodachrome image. Now Kodak is bankrupt and Apple is in charge. Interesting.
Oyster Bar
Sorry, it’s been a while. / I took the Metro North train from New Haven to New York on Friday. I could have taken Amtrak from Springfield, but it goes into Penn Station and I prefer Grand Central. I arranged to arrive with time to spare, so I had some Cotuits and a pan roast at the Oyster Bar. / Just after my Kickstarter page went up, Zoe Crossland from Columbia University contacted me about coming down to give a seminar on the Willard suitcases project. She connected me with Brian Boyd who set it all up, and at 5.30 I was sitting in a room with a great group of faculty and students from the anthropology and archeology departments. I was hoping for lots of feedback and dialogue and wasn’t disappointed. I showed selected photos from what I have done so far and we had a great discussion. / Had a very productive day at the museum last Thursday and will be back shooting in the next few days.
Earl’s Court Tube Station
I have taken this very same photograph multiple times. I was looking through my contact sheets for an earlier version and realized just how much has changed over the years in terms of photography. Shoot film>Develop>Dry>Cut>Put in sleeves>Contact sheets>Edit>Enlarge>Make some postcards>Mail to 3 friends. Digital is so much easier for me now. Shoot>Download>Edit>Upload>Write post>Get great response from loads of people I have never met. I understand why some still prefer film, but for me this is so much better.
Fox and Herald
I am back home, and will post some UK images over the next few days. It is a bit odd to put up photos after I have returned; I usually have internet connections as I travel. For various reasons on this trip I wasn’t able to get online very much, and when I did, WordPress didn’t seem to want to take the uploaded photos. / John and I were walking back from the pub late one night and this fox was just wandering around the street. It walked into a front garden and the resident cat wasn’t very happy about his visit. John says he sees foxes all the time in the neighborhood and that they are not bothered much by people.
This sweet little Triumph Herald was parked just down the road from where I saw the fox. It has a really nice set of Minilite wheels and some kind of custom exhaust. I always liked these cars. My parent’s friend Polly Seeley had one in Meadville and I distinctly remember her driving up to our house on Cullum Street with the top down.
ElementalManhattan / Pieper
This is my friend Richard Pieper. I took this photograph in the elevator of his building in the East Village back in January. (I think he is wearing earmuffs!) Pieper is a great friend and a very interesting fellow. Click here to see his latest project. It is truly amazing.
PNC Park
Peter and I drove to Meadville on Wednesday so that I could be with friends for a few days. Last night we went down the 79 to Pittsburgh to catch a Bucs game. As a family, we go to ballparks whenever we get the chance and we’ve been to PNC Park quite alot. In 2002, Peter and I went to see a game and had almost the exact same seats. I was shooting with my Widelux at that time and made an image that day that I have always loved. When I shifted to digital, I stopped using that camera, but have always missed the format. So now I shoot 2 digital images and stitch them together on the computer. Pretty much the identical result. Feels a bit like cheating, but I’m not too bothered. / This is a beautiful ball park. Situated on the north shore of the river with an amazing view of downtown Pittsburgh, it just can’t be beat (unlike the Pirates who lost 15 – 5). These seats were $27.oo each, which is an incredible bargain. My only complaint is that it is almost impossible to find an Iron City Beer in the place. I had to settle for a 16 oz can of Yuengling which is arguably a better beer, but doesn’t hold the same cachet for me.
Jon Crispin's Notebook 
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