Picture This

Our Picture This! assignment this month asked readers to submit images made of objects that most likely would not be around next time they passed by. Readers sent in images of falling-down barns, commercial signs, and trucks quietly rusting away in fields. To paraphrase Walker Evans, photographers should shoot with history in mind, and with many of these objects the only evidence of their existence in a short period of time will be these images.

Gas Pump

We noted with delight the price on the old pump: 611⁄2 cents per gallon. John Fryer made this image with a Canon EOS 40D and a Sigma 10-22mm lens with an exposure of f/8 at 1⁄125 sec at ISO 200. © 2010, John Fryer, All Rights Reserved

Jolly Roger

This high and dry boat was photographed by Nancy S. Barth near a coastal river in California. She used a Panasonic DMC-FZ18 with an exposure of f/6.3 at ISO 100. © 2010, Nancy S. Barth, All Rights Reserved

Old Car

The fields of central New Mexico are the resting place for this old car, shot by Sharp Todd with a Nikon D200 and a Nikkor 18-200mm VR lens; exposure was f/14 at 1⁄125 sec. © 2010, Sharp Todd, All Rights Reserved

Desert Highway

This wreck of a building festooned with more modern scrawl was photographed on a desert highway in Southern California by Mary Waring. Exposure with a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT and a 17-85mm IS lens was f/16 at 1⁄80 sec. © 2010, Mary Waring, All Rights Reserved

Kilroy

Though this reference might be obscure to some, Kilroy was a common piece of graffiti 50-60 years ago. This sign was photographed by Bob Hawkins, who noted that the rusted sign still stood off old Route 66 in Illinois. He photographed with a Fujifilm FinePix F31fd. © 2010, Bob Hawkins, All Rights Reserved

Phone Booth

Another artifact soon to disappear is the old phone booth, here photographed by Jennifer J. Hermanson with a Canon EOS 20D and a Canon EF 100mm Macro lens. Exposure was f/5.6 at 1⁄400 sec. © 2010, Jennifer J. Hermanson, All Rights Reserved

Diner

This shot has added texture effects that somehow evoke the era of the classic clad diner, here photographed by Jeremy Holmes with a Canon EOS 5D and a Canon 24-105mm L lens. © 2010, Jeremy Holmes, All Rights Reserved

His Master’s Voice

Among the many commercial signs from the past we received was this classic from RCA Victor. Greg Albertson made the shot with a Canon EOS 7D and a Tamron 18-270mm lens. © 2010, Greg Albertson, All Rights Reserved

Ghost Mine

Echoes of working shops past, this machine works from the Silver King Mine in Utah was photographed by Skip Feinstein with a Canon EOS 20D and a Canon 24-70mm L lens; exposure was f/4 at 1⁄60 sec at ISO 800. © 2010, Skip Feinstein, All Rights Reserved

The Old L&N

Photographed in Paris, Kentucky, Bruce Klobeke used HDR techniques with Photomatix Pro to capture all the details. Exposure was with a Canon EOS Rebel XSi and a Sigma 10-20mm lens atop a Manfrotto tripod. © 2010, Bruce Klobeke, All Rights Reserved

La Reforma Church

Newt W. Young told us that this church, over 100 years old, is located in south Texas. He wrote, “We are hoping it will be rebuilt because it is a beautiful site on the river. It would be a shame to replace it with a strip mall.” He photographed with a Canon EOS 20D and an EF-S 17-85mm lens. Exposure was f/11 at 1⁄250 sec at ISO 200. © 2010, Newt W. Young, All Rights Reserved

Still Standing?

Dick Webber made this shot years ago while traveling through Pennsylvania using a Nikon SLR and Kodachrome film. “I have not been back since but I doubt it is still standing,” he wrote. © 2010, Dick Webber, All Rights Reserved

Downtown Radford, VA

The new cars make a strange counterpoint to this old commercial sign. Philip Shoemaker made this shot with a Nikon D80 and a Tamron 28-300mm lens with an exposure of f/8 at 1⁄125 sec. © 2010, Philip Shoemaker, All Rights Reserved

Ladder

George J. Reitbauer wrote: “Like the steel factory it was on, the ladder is past its prime and nature is claiming it back.” Exposure with a Canon PowerShot G9 was f/4.8 at 1⁄500 sec at ISO 400. © 2010, George J. Reitbauer, All Rights Reserved