Not-so-faded glory

August 23, 2008 9:07 PM

Perhaps you think you've had your fill of photographs of decaying architecture and abandoned buildings. If so, the rich color and play of light in Michael Eastman's beautiful body of work from Cuba, Europe, and the U.S. may change your mind. His site is flash - for non-flash folks, the Duane Reed Gallery has additional works, including his B&W portfolios on horses, landscapes, and succulents. (no relation to the Kodak family; via BB-Blog)
posted by madamjujujive (15 comments total)

Wow, beautiful stuff. Thanks mj3.
posted by doctor_negative at 9:23 PM on August 23, 2008

Awesome. I'd love to go to Cuba and take photos like this. Hell, I'd just like to be able to take photos 1/10th as good as this.
posted by Eekacat at 9:24 PM on August 23, 2008

How does he achieve these saturated colours?
posted by jouke at 10:33 PM on August 23, 2008

Eastman's site isn't actually in flash, thank god. And it actually works without scripts turned on. Which seems to be a rarity for photographers these days.
posted by puke & cry at 11:56 PM on August 23, 2008

You did it again. Could you stop making the rest of us look bad, please?*


*disregard that statement with extreme prejudice
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 12:43 AM on August 24, 2008

Sublime photography and I love the simple and effective design of the site.
posted by telstar at 2:57 AM on August 24, 2008

There's a gallery named after a chain of cheapo drug stores?
posted by hexatron at 4:55 AM on August 24, 2008

Nice find, mjj, nice find. This photographer loves exactly the kinds of walls and buildings and interiors that I do. Wish there were more pix here, I could look at this stuff all day.

And I want to go to Cairo, Illinois.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:46 AM on August 24, 2008

Good stuff. Thanks!
posted by Dave Faris at 5:50 AM on August 24, 2008

There's a gallery named after a chain of cheapo drug stores?

Is this like some kind of Chevy Chase brand recognition leaching, or is that his given name? Duane Reade drug stores take their name from the flagship store up the block, on Broadway between Duane and Reade.

As for being cheapo, I can report that Duane Reade recently took over an independently owned pharmacist that I used, tripled the prices, and the lines got three times longer.

It really is a scandal, the way insurance companies are milked. I discovered the, at that time independent, pharmacist when I went to fill a prescription during a momentary lapse in insurance coverage. The girl at the counter said, "oh, you don't have insurance? You'd be crazy to fill that here."
posted by StickyCarpet at 6:48 AM on August 24, 2008

I was expecting to groan my way through these (...more of the same Cuban decay...I bet they're really "breathtaking"...), but they're refreshingly excellent.

Yay!
posted by Sys Rq at 8:26 AM on August 24, 2008

Beautiful stuff! Thanks!
posted by grapefruitmoon at 11:25 AM on August 24, 2008

42 Essential Flickr Abandonments Groups Dedicated to Abandoned Places, Properties and Buildings
posted by homunculus at 2:15 PM on August 24, 2008 [1 favorite]

Wow, I was once held-up by a group of youthful gunmen outside that "New Orleans School", the first picture under "Everyday Monuments". Such a wave of emotions just unexpectedly encountering that facade, even after more than a decade.
posted by Hal Mumkin at 5:18 AM on August 25, 2008 [2 favorites]

Gorgeous! Thanks...
posted by dpcoffin at 7:30 AM on August 25, 2008