Tales from the Garage - Abandoned Route 66 photo

[KenElevenShadows]

 

Tales From The Garage
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Night time at the abandoned garage in Ludlow, CA. Ludlow is a near-ghost town since there are still residents and businesses. The town prospered as a stop along the railroad, and then again when National Old Trails Highway, which through Ludlow later became Route 66, brought travelers. But as with many areas of Route 66 in the California desert, the town evaporated almost overnight when Interstate 40 bypassed the town. You can see the streaks of light from I-40 through the window. While taking this night photo, I illuminated the shack with a handheld ProtoMachines LED2 light painting device during the exposure. This will appear in my book of abandoned Route 66 night photography/history.
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Photos, books, workshops and more: www.kenleephotography.com
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<Plate 1683> Pentax K-1, 15-30mm f/2.8 lens. 112 second exposure, November 2019.

[Lou Gehrig Charles]

Nice, I especially like the texture of the hand-trowelled stucco!

 

We just had a full moon last week but I assume this is older (since it's going to be in the new book)?  I always get misty knowing I'm missing all that great desert scenery each full moon.

 

Ken, have you ever shot in Baker?  Is there much to shoot there (at night, particularly)?  I've been looking at Google Street View and trying to figure out how much the streetlighting might affect things there.  It's not quite the same almost-ghost town as Ludlow, at least not yet.

[KenElevenShadows]

Thanks, Lou! 

 

This is definitely older. This is from 2019, if I recall correctly. 

 

I have only done one night photograph in Baker. I've been told that it's not really all that safe to be lurking around abandoned areas there, and there is a fair amount of streetlights there anyway. 

 

I also don't photograph in Trona even though half the town is abandoned. I don't know whether it's safe, but I also feel really bad because it's a bit more recent, and much of it has to do with lack of jobs. So there are some tweakers there, but it's more that I feel like I would be completely bummed out photographing at night there. I have photographed their very unique church, though, and I should photograph the plant at some point. And of course, I've photographed at Trona Pinnacles many times.

 

 

[Lou Gehrig Charles]

1 hour ago, KenElevenShadows said:

 

I have only done one night photograph in Baker. I've been told that it's not really all that safe to be lurking around abandoned areas there, and there is a fair amount of streetlights there anyway. 

 

Thanks, I kind of suspected as much.  Someone - I forget who it was - got chased away from the "Royal Hawaiian" motel by a guy claiming to be the "Mayor" of Baker (but I am sure he was just a meth addict).  There's no telling who is hanging out inside those buildings.  And yeah, it looks like there's a big new Chevron or something right across the street with a billion watts of streetlights....  Even Troy P's photo there is mostly ambient streetlighting.

 

It probably isn't happening, but I was very close to going to California in March.  I was compiling a list of must-see locations, and Baker was on my list, at least tentatively.  I might have some musical commitments at that time though so I don't know yet.

[KenElevenShadows]

8 minutes ago, Lou Gehrig said:

Thanks, I kind of suspected as much.  Someone - I forget who it was - got chased away from the "Royal Hawaiian" motel by a guy claiming to be the "Mayor" of Baker (but I am sure he was just a meth addict).  There's no telling who is hanging out inside those buildings.  And yeah, it looks like there's a big new Chevron or something right across the street with a billion watts of streetlights....  Even Troy P's photo there is mostly ambient streetlighting.

 

It probably isn't happening, but I was very close to going to California in March.  I was compiling a list of must-see locations, and Baker was on my list, at least tentatively.  I might have some musical commitments at that time though so I don't know yet.

 

There's so many other fantastic locations in California, I wouldn't give Baker a second thought.

[Lou Gehrig Charles]

On 2/13/2023 at 6:47 PM, KenElevenShadows said:

 

There's so many other fantastic locations in California, I wouldn't give Baker a second thought.

You're probably right.....  I like a good abandoned ghost town but not if it's full of danger.  I was thinking of also shooting the Hi Lo Gas at Halloran since it's a little further on the same road but if I don't do one, I won't do the other.  Hi Lo Gas looks like it attracts troublemakers too.

 

This trip is quickly becoming a moot point anyway.  We're trying to put the band back together....  Well, together for the first time actually.  And they need a keyboard player.  And I promised I would do my best to help....

[KenElevenShadows]

I've felt safe at the Halloran location, having been there 2 (or 3?) times with someone else. There are a lot of people who stop off there, though, and just hang out by the road. 

 

But generally speaking, I prefer getting away from heavily-trafficked areas.

 

Best of luck with the band!

[Lou Gehrig Charles]

On 2/15/2023 at 8:57 PM, KenElevenShadows said:

 

 

Best of luck with the band!

Thanks, I'll need it!  I've never played with others before.  Maybe I'll make a new thread here.

 

It's official now - we have practice March 4 and 7.  Full Moon is March 7 also but I don't want to be "that guy" who can't make the first two practices.   I'll be missing May 6 also (because Nevada) but I don't think that's as much an issue.

[KenElevenShadows]

I would definitely encourage you to put in some extra practice if you've never played with people before. It's a whole different thing and takes some adjustment even if you are good at playing with a drum machine or whatever.

 

I think you already made those arrangements ahead of time, so telling them in advance should be fine. I mean, I would think they would find that responsible since you're telling them several months in advance.

[Lou Gehrig Charles]

We're all a bunch of rookies....  So fortunately I'm not the only one who has to make the jump from playing a "piano solo" arrangement to playing with others.  The BL has a pretty good ear for what we need.  Either that, or I'll have some wacky stories when I see you in Nevada LOL!  It's going to be a learning experience for sure!