FRAMES: A Mid-Century Alley
2003 - 2004
One evening while out with friends, we happened on a 24-hour bowling alley that looked like it had been frozen in time. It was teeming with character and filled with stories of the people who spent time there rolling balls down lanes since the 1940s. Photos of '300 Club' members, black and white portraits mixed with early color and new portraits on the Wall of Fame, a karaoke lounge decked out in vintage 49ers memorabilia, a snack bar menu offering hungry bowlers a bite to eat all combined to create a magical place. One that quieted down in the wee hours of the morning, leaving a peaceful space to contemplate. Many of the workers claimed it was haunted. Sadly, the doors have been closed permanently now. But, I'm glad that I had the opportunity to document it before it disappeared. I shot mostly at night with my 4x5 camera and sheet film over several months. Many of the images took over an hour to capture. Some of the limited edition prints in the series are traditional chromogenic prints made while taking a Continuing Education Class with Todd Hido at California College of the Arts.
