Waiting in the bathroom...
The once great Barber Colman was, and still is, a historic Rockford site filled with mystery and opportunity. I don’t go here too often since it’s become watch ever closely by the local authorities as well as by the businesses that still operate just across the street, but today was a new day with a model itching to get away from her normal shoots.
Ashley loves coming to see the crew here because we get her out of the modeling rut that is glamour photography. Photographers left and right drag her into the studio for the same old dog and pony show of lights, makeup and underwear or less. She is coming back to us because we stray away from what the majority is trying to accomplish in the model mayhem world and explore a level of diversity that seems to have lost it’s place in the photography realm. Right now I can hop on most modeling networking sites and all I’m going to see is repeatably safe photography that has lost the inspiration that Maxim supposedly created. Ashley has learned that we are a wealth of completely insane ideas and enjoy the challenge presented when someone is completely bored of a certain style.
The world is an amazing place filled with kick ass locations o photograph in, which is why you’ll find me laying down in a puddle of filth for the perfect shot in a building that will most likely cause my future children to be born with the same mental defect I have… over active imagination!
Barber Colman is Rockfords center of history that isn’t so well understood by the locals because for some reason they don’t care. The man behind the entire complex was an inventor on par with the names of Edison and Bell. The employees that worked their recount a lifetime of work that they enjoyed. To most people this is a local eye sore that should be torn down, but to some of us this place is an adventure, a photo studio or just a place to get away. Today was one of the very few times I’ve used the building to demonstrate beauty in both the female form as well as the beauty of decay. There is a certain level of odd love that I have for this mixture of two opposite, yet in my mind similar, joys.
I’m no architecture photographer so I don’t have the passion to walk into the building to photograph its internal cavernous realms, but I do enjoy taking someone inside and using it as a backdrop for art and excitement. People like Bret Konsdorf, Jason Ommodt and Ryan Davis explored this place far more than I ever have, or will for that matter, plus they came home with incredible works of art displaying the majesty of the complex in a way that deserves to be hung up and seen. I will continue to come back to this place as long as there is an open door and security stays low. A gem for all of us yes, but sadly a gem that I feel doesn’t have too much longer left in it’s historic life.
The ever changing ways in to the building are always fun, but luckily a few people i have on speed dial always are willing to share the latest location of said glory hole. Upon entering you are met with years of decay, monstrous amounts of rubble, debris and lack of janitorial presence. Some places are incredibly dark, while others are lit well enough that you feel safe. The last 2 times I had been in the building I was met with either a squatter or people outside the group entering and exploring on their own. It’s not fun walking in to people you don’t know, especially in a dark tunnel or after a turn down a hallway, so my passion for going in tends to dissipate quickly as I hate surprises. This time we had the place entirely to ourselves, or at least that is where I placed my mindset, and eventually a couple of hours ticked off the clock before we made a run for daylight.
One thing that our two new guests didn’t expect were the sounds that the building makes. It’s enjoyable when you see the fear in others when a window cover slams up against the wall from the wind while you sit back and shrug it off because it’s just another sound created by the lack of maintenance.
We stayed long enough to grab some amazing imagery, chat and also sit back and eye what was once a complex filled with life and energy. Now a shell filled with cobwebs and dust, this is the home to vagrants, photographers and the curious alike. Regardless of what is is I will be back Barber Colman, and when I return you’ll let go of another perfect beam of light to help guide me to imagery that may be slightly different, but awesome to gaze upon.
Major props to Kyle Wilson for coming along and tripping over everything and staring off in to the distance just in case the boogey man popped out. We can’t forget the stunning Ashley Pham because without her energy the shots would be lifeless and I would have resorted to taking pictures of Kyle, which would most likely cause my camera to break and I would be a sad panda indeed. Peace!