McLaughlin & Hayes Hat Co.

Milwaukee, WI

Following a visit to the McLaughlin & Hayes Hat Co. store on the south side of Milwaukee, WI, I photographed a few scenes that are paradoxical to the gentrification of this neighborhood. 

All Photographed 7/8/26

 

A great store in the midst of a gentrifying neighborhood.

Leica M EV1 @ f2.8 | 40mm | 1/1000 sec | ISO 64

Voigtlander VM 40mm F1.4 Nokton Classic


Would love to have heard the zoning hearings that allowed this land use configuration to be approved.

Leica M EV1 @ f2.8 | 15mm | 1/250 sec | ISO 64

Voigtlander 15mm F 4.5 Super Wide - Heliar Aspherical III


A neighborhood in the midst of some gentrification; this being an exception.

Leica M EV1 @ f5.6 | 40mm | 1/160 sec | ISO 80

Voigtlander VM 40mm F1.4 Nokton Classic


Lunch stop...next time.

Leica M EV1 @ f2 | 40mm | 1/12000 sec | ISO 64

Voigtlander VM 40mm F1.4 Nokton Classic

Train Wall

Porto, Portugal

The top level of the Ponte Dom Luis I Bridge spanning the Duoro River is shared by both pedestrians and commuter trains.  As a train passes by the narrow pedestrian walkways along the edge, a reflective wall is created.

Leica M EV1 @ F5.6 | 28mm | 1/125 sec | ISO 80

Voigtlander VM 28mm F2 Ultron

All Photographed 5/12/26

Finished The Roll

I was itching to get out and finish a roll of film I had loaded in this camera, so on a cold day went to the historic town of Long Grove, IL for a photowalk.

Leica CL | 40mm | Ilford HP5+ | ISO 400

Voigtlander 40mm F1.4 Nokton Classic

Mill Pond

8'-6"

All In A Row

 

Sleigh Ride

Bridges, Trains & Towers

These photos were taken July 10, 2025 in Toronto, Ontario, CA with my Voigtlander Bessa R4M on Cinestill 400D 35mm film. While most of my photography remains digital, I am very much enjoying a reintroduction to film photography.

Bridges, Trains & Towers 1

Voigtlander Bessa R4M | 28mm | Cinestill 400D

Voigtlander VM 28mm F2 Ultron

Bridges, Trains & Towers 2

Voigtlander Bessa R4M | 28mm | Cinestill 400D

Voigtlander VM 28mm F2 Ultron

Bridges, Trains & Towers 3

Voigtlander Bessa R4M | 28mm | Cinestill 400D

Voigtlander VM 28mm F2 Ultron

Urban Nights

These photos were taken June 19, 2025 on a photowalk in downtown Chicago with some photography friends visiting from out of town and coincide with the 52 Assignments-Exposure project #26-Urban Nights.

Before or After The Vows?

The guy's shirt makes this a very puzzling scene.  What's the story?



Sony A7IV @ f4 | 1/640 | 20mm | ISO 6400

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G


Beacon

Chicago, IL

Chicago River, Riverwalk & Bridges

Sony A7IV @ f4 | 1/320 | 105mm (equiv) | ISO 6400


Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

City Perspectives

A few more shots from June 19th & 20th photowalks in downtown Chicago with some photography friends visiting from out of town.

Winding Road

Sony A7IV @ f? | 1/3200 | 15mm | ISO 100

Voigtlander VM 15mm F4.5 (adapted)

Geometry Of Looking Up

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/125 | 20mm | ISO 125

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Places To Go

Sony A7IV @ f5.6 | 1/3200 | 70mm | ISO 12800

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Fashion Footwear

Sony A7IV @ f4.5 | 1/125 | 91mm equiv | ISO 400

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Good News / Bad News

The good news is I really like the "Straight Out Of Camera" (SOOC) film recipe that I learned how to incorporate into the Ricoh GRIIIx. The bad news is my GRIIIx camera broke on 5/3 and now I have to figure out if & where I can get it repaired. Bummer!

Des Plaines River

Lincolnshire, IL

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f4.5 | 1/320 | 40mm equiv | ISO 200

Photographed 5/2/25

Sea Creature

Deer Park, IL

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f5.6 | 1/1000 | 40mm equiv | ISO 200

Photographed 5/3/25

Reflection Of Reflection

Deer Park, IL

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f5 | 1/400 | 40mm equiv | ISO 200

Photographed 5/3/25

Bridge Over Untroubled Waters

52 Assignments Exposure 10 - Mirror Image

Wright Woods Forest Preserve

Libertyville, IL

Sony A7IV @ f5.6 | 1/400 | 70mm | ISO 250

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Photographed 10/21/24

Tunnel

Visual Notes 33

Jefferson Park

Chicago, IL

Experienced this repetitive archway and thought it would be a good subject with which to revive the Visual Notes collection.   The full collection can be viewed here: https://www.jeffmarcowitz.photography/Collections/Visual-Notes

Sony A7Cii @ f5.6 | 1/160 | 90mm | ISO 3200

Leitz Elmar-C 90mm F4 (adapted)

Photographed 10/26/24

No Kleenex

52Frames - Week 39 - Mode of Transportation

Independence Grove Forest Preserve

Libertyville, IL

Rarely do I have Kleenex when using this mode of transportation.  The glove works.

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/400 | 232mm | ISO 250

Tamron E 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 A067

Photographed 9/23/24

Three Candids

Earlier in April, on a photowalk around downtown Chicago with some photography friends, I spotted a few candid opportunities.

Puff

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/250 | 70mm | ISO 8000

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Dancer

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/250 | 28mm | ISO 250

MD Minolta Celtic 28mm F2.8 (adapted)

Family Stroll

Sony A7IV @ f8 | 1/320 |  28mm | ISO 100

MD Minolta Celtic 28mm F2.8 (adapted)

All photographed 4/7/24

Serenity

Bruges, Belgium

Apple iPhone 12 Pro @ f1.6 1/120 4.2mm (45mm equiv) ISO 125

Photographed 5/4/23

2023_CLondon52_May: Abstract

From the C.London website: "As a photographer, I often find myself drawn to images that leave interpretation open, and this prompt encourages just that. Whether it's using color, texture, or form, abstract photography challenges you to experiment with different elements and create images that are open to interpretation. It's an opportunity to let your creativity run wild and see where it takes you. I can't wait to see what kind of abstract images we can come up with!"

With this month's theme being "Abstract", I attempted abstraction through either composition or processing for this series of images.

1.  Movement

I have never seen so many bicycles as in Amsterdam.  Pedestrians be damned...bicycles rule.

Bicycles Rule

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f16 1/30  71mm equiv ISO 5000

Photographed 5/7/23

2.  Light & Shadow

River cruising through Belgium & Netherlands provided interesting bridge photo opportunities for light & shadow...during the few times the sun was out.

Span

Sony A7 IV @ f5.6 1/1250  145mm  ISO 100

Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071

Photographed 5/13/23

3.  Human Emotion

Middelburg, NL

Amidst the rain and haze, love was in the air.

Beginnings

Apple iPhone 12 Pro @ f2.0 1/100  6mm (135mm equiv) ISO 64

Photographed 5/12/23

4.  Patterns & Texture

Glass vault over the main concourse of the Amsterdam Centraal train station.

Iconic

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f7.1 1/60  71mm equiv ISO 6400

Photographed 5/7/23

2023_CLondon52_March: Community

From the C.London website: "A big part of this challenge is the community we’re building together. This month we’re focusing on that in attempts to really strengthen it. Some of us are still strangers, so let’s take the time to change that. We’ll have weekly voice chats on the discord and various times that hopefully are suitable for most, and I’m going to ask you to reach out to other members of the community for help with this month’s prompts."

"1.  Feedback to and from a peer.  Giving and receiving feedback is a valuable skill for any creative. For this challenge, we’re asking that you engage with another participant of the challenge to both ask for and give feedback. The photo you create should be made with feedback you received in mind. When giving feedback, remember to make it constructive and with actionable things which can be done. The way you see an image is different than how your partner saw it while making it, so your eye and thoughts are valuable."

I received feedback from my friend @photofinishsid as follows:

1. This is my kind of photo. I love it.

2. I like the crop ratio that you have chosen. Most people would have chosen to include much more of the railroad cars. I like that you have decided to include just the couplers.

3. I like the rust, teal and orange colors in the photo.

4. I wonder if you could have blurred the background at all?

5. I also would have liked to see you differentiate the coupler from the track with a filter of some kind. Not sure if that would have been possible or not.  Great photo.

In response to Sid's comments, I made adjustments to the background (#4) and the pipe beneath the coupler (#5).  When making this image, I also was cognizant of the complementary colors of orange/blue on the train cars and red/green on the coupler & background.

Hitched

Sony A7 IV @ f2.8 1/125 28mm  ISO 100

Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071

Photographed 3/7/23

"2.  Re-creation of a peer’s photo.  Choose a photo from a peer that you find interesting and inspiring and use that as a launching off point for your photo for this week. It doesn’t necessarily have to be an exact replica, but more inspired by. You can look at other participants’ submissions on the discord, reddit, flickr, and facebook. It’s encouraged to reach out to the original creator to show them what you’ve made."

Prime oceanfront property abandoned along the Boardwalk in Kapa'a, Kauai, HI.

Inspired by @baddog.

Abandoned

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/200  20mm  ISO 100

Tamron E 20mm F2.8 F050

Photographed 3/4/23

"3.  Your community outside photography.  We’re spending this month really solidifying the community within the challenge, and one way to do that is to bring what you value in a community to the group. For this prompt, focus on another community you are a part of - what makes it valuable to you? What do you give it and what do you take from it? Share that through your photography with this community."

12 Step Community.  You get out what you put in...and more.

From Darkness to Light

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/125  31mm  ISO 100

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Photographed 3/22/23

"4.  Your neighborhood.  Step outside your home and walk no more than a half mile (800m to the non-imperial unit users) documenting your surroundings. These are things you see every day, so I’m asking you to look at the familiar with new eyes. Put yourself in the shoes of someone from a completely different background. What may the find interesting? Don’t be afraid to over shoot during this exercise. The culling will be part of the exorcise. We’re looking for one final image that you feel best represents your neighborhood."

A difficult task representing my neighborhood in a single photo.  Within 800m is residential, offices, retail, restaurants and a county forest preserve.  Pretty great!

Welcome to the Neighborhood

Sony A7 IV @ f8 1/160  20mm  ISO 100

Sony FE 20-70mm F4 G

Photographed 3/22/23

Visual Notes - Engineering & Architecture

Additions to the Visual Notes collection observed from engineering & architecture during a September 2022 trip to Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

"Tension"

Visual Notes 28A

Peljesac Bridge

Peljesac, Croatia

This new bridge, opened in July 2022, spans a channel connecting the southern portion and northern portion of Croatia, thereby bypassing the sliver of land in Bosnia & Herzegovina that bifurcates the two. Prior to completion of this bridge, all traffic had to endure two border crossings.  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelje%C5%A1ac_Bridge

Apple iPhone 12 Pro @ f2  1/3000  6mm (98mm equiv)  ISO 25

Photographed 9/19/22

"Chords"

Visual Notes 28B

Diocletion's Palace

Split, Croatia

Sony A7C @ f5.6 1/125 200mm  ISO 250

Tamron E 28-200mm F2.8-5.6 A071

Photographed 9/19/22

Trail Ride

52Frames - Week 24 - Shoot From Above

EC: Use A Drone

Des Plaines River Trail

Vernon Hills, IL

All this week, I intended to make a photo using my drone.  An early week Covid scare (turned out as false positive) and high winds pushed me to the last day of submission to being able to fly.  Not wanting to take a chance of losing the drone (and the SD card with my submission), I did a very conservative flight at a trail bridge I ride over often.

I guess one could consider this a streak-saver 😜.

DJI Mavic Mini @ f2.8 1/160 4.49mm (24mm equiv) ISO 100

Photographed 6/19/22

Emerge

Chicago, IL

Out of the darkness into the light along the Riverwalk.

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f3.2 1/250 40mm equiv ISO 200

Photographed 5/5/22

Someone Forgot Pants

Michigan Avenue Bridge

Chicago, IL

Ricoh GRIIIx @ f4.5 1/250 40mm equiv ISO 200

Photographed 3/17/22

Childhood Dream Car

CLondon52w43: Stop Movement (Alternate)

Out shooting photos with my friend photofinish_sid, we agreed he'd take precedence at using the covered bridge images for the challenge.  Therefore, I'm only posting this as an Alternate, largely because this car was my childhood dream car...a canary yellow vette.

Sony A7C f5.6 @ 1/1000 32mm ISO 800

Tamron E 28-75mm F2.8

Photographed 10/23/21

Venice Canals

Venice, CA.


From Above

A colleague suggested that the Venice Canals would be a good place to photograph.  She was right!

Aerial screenshot from Google Earth

All Photographed 6/22/21

Estate

One of the beautiful homes along the Venice Canals.

Sony A7C @ f4 1/125  35mm ISO 100

Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS

Concentric

Pedestrian and vehicular bridges spanning the canals.

Sony A7C @ f4 1/350  32mm ISO 100

Sony FE 16-35mm F4 ZA OSS