Like a Death in the Family--from my Last Shoot of Grimes Mill, November 24, 2012

Urban Landscape: I shot this old mill a lot in my few years inSalisbury, NC. As one treasures the last shots and memories of aloved one who has died, I treasure this and other shots made in lateNovember, 2012. They are far from my best, but they are the last Ihave--except for those made when the building was burning. In thesame way that I do not want my memories of my mother to be coloredoverly much by how she looked and sounded as she was dying, withBrenda Kelly Tripp and me by her side, I do not want the old mill tobe remembered primarily by how it looked as it was going up in flames. This one is posted here primarily for myself, but comments arewelcome.

--Lannie

This was shot from the parking lot on Fulton St., then cropped.

 

--Lannie

I looked at your other images of this old Mill Lannie and I understand how you feel. A place that has been part of your life for so many years, to suddenly perish, it is heartbreaking. Lovely capture of this place you loved so well.

Thank you, Gail.  For the natives, this old mill has been here their entire lives.  I first saw it in 2005 and shot it in 2007.

 

--Lannie

This is one of the features of photography that I've always appreciated: they are a relatively imperishable record of what was. I remember as a kid how fascinated I was looking through my aunt's old photo albums, not just by the black and white images of relatives and family friends in their quaintly old-fashioned duds but by the old cars and buildings and look of the city in those bygone days. My photography isn't really concerned with history as such but it inevitably records and preserves the changing face of my world. I think as we get older, we have a deeper and much more personal appreciation of the passing times. We are, after all, both spectator and participant in the passing parade and we've been marching along the route for some time now.

Jack, every generation tends to look back at previous generations as being remarkably quaint and unsophisticated.  I look forward to the day when my students' iPhones will be looked back on as very primitive instruments, and texting will be viewed with total incredulity. 

 

I am sorry that in my seven and one-half years in Salisbury I never once set foot in this old structure, which everyone tells me was quite impressive inside.

 

--Lannie

One of my all-time favorite lines is in a song by Simon and Garfunkel:  "Preserve your memories....they're all that's left you."