this is the first of three shots of one building facing the side of the federal building in Portland. ironic, or whatever, that stability is contrasted so powerfully with this brick and broken glass. all three shots come from this one side of the building. someone once called it working a shot … different angles, perspectives, etc. i’ve found that for me, working a shot accomplishes a lot more than trying to get a lot of different ones.
a building must suffer as it degrades. a spirit of some kind has to develop and suffuse throughout everything as it provides shelter for people, ideas, commerce. and on its decline, it must endure becoming a waste dump. i believe i prefer going out as a human, though it sounds less romantic.
the building is visibly broken. the spine, or some other critical aspect just cracked away. it is so powerful to witness this slow-motion burn-out crash to the ground. i expect the politicians to declare it unsafe and mess with the natural order of things and impose a structured fade-away of deconstruction. “it’s better to burn out than to fade away,” neil young. Wiki the line. fascinating.
5280 Lens Mafia 
I, too, believe in that concept of “working a shot.” In one sense, it’s easy to do in a digital world. Back when you and I were dunking Tri-X in HC110, it was harder, because you probably shot far fewer frames. That meant we had to concentrate harder to get the most out of each frame. Some times I find myself becoming lazy. Just push the damn shutter and delete what looks like shit. Digital can make you lazy. I have to continually remind myself to look at what I’m shooting first, second, and third … with pushing the shutter a distant fourth.
Your results are wonderful. Thanks.
The building decay is a form of performance art – you can almost imagine the ghosts of the building looking out the windows. The street is in on the act too – creating a big hole to swallow up the building. Your series tells a rich tale.
Your patience is remarkable. The previous set, with shots so far apart in time, and even though these were taken together, you somehow convey a sense that you’ve been watching it for years. Not sure how you do that, but it’s a gift I wish I had.