Train Bridge, Monroe, Louisiana 1983 and 2006

This first one is of what was left of a wooden buildings built into the middle of an old train bridge across the Ouachita River, between Monroe and West Monroe, Louisiana. This is another photo from the same roll of Tri-X black and white film I posted two photos from on yesterday. That ratty looking old building still hanging on there in the middle of the bridge fascinated me. I have no idea what the purpose of such a structure was, above a river and with trains passing beneath it.

When I was last in Monroe, Louisiana, in December 2006, I took more pics of a train going across this same old bridge. The bridge had looked old in 1983, so I was surprised to see trains still crossing it. There's no hint anymore of the old building in the top photo, although this bottom photo shows that same section of the train bridge, only from the other side of it.

Black And White #7

These are a couple of scans of black and white film from a photography course I took in college in the early eighties.

Lovley Wife (Lovely Fiance back then) went along with me as I scurried around Monroe and West Monroe, Louisiana looking for things to photograph.

This first photo was taken in West Monroe on the banks of the Ouachita River. There was this little house or building, that was all decrepit and overgrown. Old buildings such as this are always intriguing to me. It was once a new house or business or something that I'm sure the original owner was excited about and proud of. Click on it to enlarge and tell me what you see in the photo, OK?

This is a wider shot of the same building with the Ouachita River and a bridge in the background, from the same roll of film. (Tri-X)

Ouachita River

Today's photo was taken in 1982. It was taken on the banks of the Ouachita River, from West Monroe, Louisiana, looking at downtown Monroe, Louisiana on the other side. (Ouachita is pronounced WASH-i-taw)

I've had bouts of insomnia most of my life, but once I had my camera, I'd just head out and take night photos. I'd never done it and all of the experimentation paid off.

This is one of my all-time favorite photographs that I have taken. Not spectacular, I know, but it's my home town, and that makes it special to me. Canon AE-1, 50mm lens, Kodachrome 64.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I saved and bought a Canon AE-1 in the summer of 1979. I've taken thousands of slides with that camera. I still have it, and a few years ago I sent it off to be serviced and had new mirror foam and foam seals installed. The mirror has never squeaked on it like some Canons have, this camera has been a champ and has been perfectly dependable.

I knew a guy the first time I went to college in the early eighties at what was then Northeast Louisiana University (now University of Louisiana - Monroe) who was a Nikon guy. He was completely insufferable and a total camera snob. He snickered at my AE-1 while holding his Nikon FM, but I think that since my AE-1 still works perfectly after 28 years and working in rain and banging it against things, I think I made a wise purchase.