Republic Steel, East Thomas Plant :: Cauldron

Cauldron at Republic Steel, East Thomas Plant in Birmingham, Alabama
Canon Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X 12-24mm @ 12mm, 3.2s @ f/8, ISO 200

This gargantuan vat is housed in the upper level of one of the frowzy buildings at the Republic Steel, East Thomas Plant.

Like the tubs and basins in a prior post, I've no idea as to what use this cauldron was put. But when I was alone in this dark building with its strange sights and sounds, I permitted my imagination to run amuck a bit, and the stains and remains could lead one to any sort of conjecture. Molten metal. Whole cows. Terminator robots that then reconfigured themselves into their proper shape. Regardless of its prior use, it now does nothing but gather rust and befuddle visiting photographers.

Divine Reality for Sale in Birmingham

Ever since I moved to Birmingham, I have been intrigued by a building that proclaims itself the Assembly of Divine Reality. Its sign is decorated symbols of Judaism and Christianity. I have scoured the interwebs for information about the organization but turned up very little. Most of that "very little" is espoused by disgruntled, former members of the congregation, and their words about this purported cult are not flowery or kind. They write of fear and deception and dictatorial-type control of members. Nevertheless, "divine reality" is for sale or lease in Birmingham, which amuses me to a moderate degree.

Birmingham, Alabama :: Canon Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X 12-24mm f/4 at 24mm

Panorama from Fountains at Centennial Olympic Park

These fountains shaped as the Olympic rings in Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta draw children like honey draws flies. Later in this day as the temperature rose, and with less camera gear attached to me, I too may have been tempted to succumb to its allure.

Six-Shot Panorama :: Canon Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X 12-24mm f/4

Slik Mini Pro V Tripod Review

A couple of months ago, I bought a Slik Mini-Pro V Tripod. I was looking for something compact that could serve as a secondary tripod; originally, I had in mind to get just a cheap full-sized tripod. But then I saw this one, and I was intrigued...skeptical, but intrigued. It's so small that it fits into one of the slots of my Lowepro Stealth AW Reporter D200 Bag. 

Oxmoor Road Tunnel in Homewood

The Mini Pro V comes with a pan-tilt head, which is removable but does not have a quick-release plate; I didn't realize the head was interchangeable when I purchased the mini-pod, but was pleasantly surprised, since I have a Slik mini-ball head  (Slik SBH-100 Mini Ballhead), that fits this mount. My only negative note about the pan-tilt head is that it does not pivot from a horizontal-to-vertical orientation; in order to change the camera's orientation, you have to unscrew the base slightly and manually turn the camera 90 degrees. Personally, in a situation in which I expected to be going back-and-forth, I would just use the Slik ball head.

The legs of Mini Pro V extend a couple of inches, and lock in place by a tightening ring. The center column is also extendable for about three inches of additional height. And on the bottom of the column is a suction cup for those times when the pod is sitting atop a flat, suitable surface; that cup has quite a grip too.

This tripod's miniature stature lends it to non-traditional methods of operation. I have seen it used as a chest-pod of sorts for stabilization when using telephoto lenses. I used it against the wall of a tunnel (below) in order to get a 1/10s exposure with my Canon Rebel T2i and 20mm f/2.8 lens.

Canon EOS 3 with EF 20mm f/2.8 mounted on Slik Mini Pro V Tripod

 For my money, it was a great purchase. I can't wait to get it out at night for some long exposures; I have plans to use it this summer for some wide-angle Milky Way shots with some foreground. The Slik Mini Pro V has its limitations, but it's stable and adaptable enough for my purposes, when my main tripod is otherwise being used or I'm on a long trek and don't want haul the bigger tripod.

Canon Rebel T2i, EF 20mm f/2.8, 30s @ f/22, ISO 100

Stonework Bridge over Shades Creek

Although I haven't frequented it with enough regularity and only only photographed it twice, Shades Creek has become a favorite place of mine in Birmingham. It's a refuge amongst everything else. On Saturday, I spent some time shooting an old stone bridge that crosses the creek in Mountain Brook. I wish these photos accurately depicted how cold and blustery it was that day.

 

Camping at Brushy Creek Lake in the Sipsey Wilderness

Nestled deep within Sipsey Wilderness in the Bankhead National Forest lies Brushy Creek Lake. It's one of those remote places that can cause you to forget that you're within a couple hours' drive a several major cities. I headed out there for the first time on Friday afternoon, in search of a camping trip, star trail photos, and perhaps some photographs of the Milky Way.

I got none of that. Our forecasted 30% chance of rain quickly became 100%, upon our arrival. Nevertheless, we set up camp. And the rain set in. This camping trip turned into a glorified picnic, with a few photos and a little bit of video to show for our efforts.

Tokina AT-X Pro 35mm f/2.8 Macro Lens Review

I have acquired a Tokina AT-X Pro 35mm f/2.8 Macro lens for my Canon Rebel T2i. The lens is among Tokina's DX line, meaning it is designed for APS-C sensor cameras; in APS-C sensors the 35mm focal length is effectively 55mm, thus becoming a "normal" lens. I was looking for a lens of this focal length to serve as a stop-gap between my Tokina AT-X Pro 12-24mm f/4 and Tamron LD Di 70-300mm f/4-5.6. I have long used my EF 50mm f/1.8, but it recently took a bad spill (here), and has never been the same. But the 50mm is a bit long for many of my purposes, so the 35mm fit the bill just perfectly.

Additionally, Tokina's 35mm is a Macro lens. A real macro lens, that magnifies down to 1:1, which at 35mm means about 5in from the subject. Because of that, when you're focusing at 1:1 with this lens, you are essentially touching the subject with the nose of the lens, because it extends as it focuses. So if you're looking to do macro work on anything that moves, this won't be the lens for you. Also you and the lens will get in the way of the light at such close working distances.

All of the photos below were hand-held, so any deficiencies in sharpness (which probably can't be determined at these small sizes anyway) are likely a result of that and most of them being shot at f/2.8. 

Canon Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X 35mm f/2.8, 1/800s @ f/2.8, ISO 100

I have only had the lens about a day but put it through some paces this morning while waiting for my dog to play and do her morning business. The shallow depth of field at f/2.8 is enjoyable.

Canon Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X 35mm f/2.8, 1/2000s @ f/2.8, ISO 100

But as with my other Tokina lens, the primary weakness of the 35mm is that it suffers from chromatic aberration. The photo below is a 50% crop of Darby's (my golden retriever) fur to show this effect, which isn't as bad as some. Clicking on the photo will cause it to be seen at a larger size.

Canon Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X 35mm f/2.8, 1/2500s @ f/2.8, ISO 100 :: 50% Crop

This lens is exactly what I wanted it to be. It has Tokina's usual sturdy build. It uses Tokina's clutch mechanism for alternating between manual and auto-focus. The focus is somewhat noisy and not super-fast, but there is a limiter switch that allows to have a smaller focal range to manage. The filter thread is 52mm, which is nice in that it matches the threads on my 50mm lens. And in addition to close-up work, this is a nice general purpose lens (though I don't have any examples of that at present).

Canon Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X 35mm f/8, 1/125s @ f/2.8, ISO 100

Canon Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X 35mm f/2.8, 1/500s @ f/2.8, ISO 100

There are more technical reviews available for this lens, but my purpose here is to convey its value and show it in use. For my purposes, it was a better buy than the equivalent Canon EF 35mm f/2. While the Canon is an f-stop faster, it's also about $30-ish more and doesn't have the close-focus abilities. Additionally, Canon's is an old design (though well-reputed), and the Canon's build quality is inferior.

If you're interested in purchasing this lens, you can do so at Amazon, and by following this link, you can support me: Tokina 35mm f/2.8 AT-X PRO DX Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras.

UPDATE :: I recently discovered that this lens has a large enough image circle to work, without significant vignetting, on Canon full fame or film cameras. I am pretty excited about this, as it will me to use the lens on my Canon EOS 3. Of course, that is a pretty wide angle focal length for a macro lens and will likely only have limited usefulness in that capacity; but as a general purpose lens, it should be excellent.

Moonlight Lady of Blount County

In this final implementation from last week's trip through Blount County, I bring you one of that county's residents in her most natural state. I was grateful for how close this momma cow was letting me creep on her without being too bothered by my intrusion during her grazing.

Blount County, Alabama :: Canon Rebel T2i, Tokina 12-24mm f/4 @ 12mm, 1/160s @ f/5.6, ISO 200

Citizens Federal Savings Bank in Birmingham

While I was poking about the Pythian Temple, I also went next door to the Citizens Federal Savings Bank building. Citizens Federal Savings Bank was founded by A.G. Gaston in 1957. In addition to housing the bank, this building was notably home to the Booker T. Washington Insurance Company (founded in 1924) and a Birmingham gospel radio station, WAGG. Though it is no longer headquartered in the basement of the Citizens Federal building, WAGG is a 5000-watt station that can still be heard on AM 610.

This (above) is the front of the Citizens Federal Saving Bank/Booker T. Washington building, after its facade was renovated and "improved" from the archaic style of the early part of the century. Originally, there were no balconies, but the windows were pushed back and balconies added with the renovations of the 1960s.

The top floor still houses thousands upon thousands of insurance policies. Did you know a death policy from the early 1960s might pay out as little as $75? You can't get somebody from the house to the funeral home for that amount now.

The Pythian Temple of Alabama in Birmingham

The building now known as the Pythian Temple of Alabama was built in 1913 for the Alabama Penny Savings Bank, the first bank in Alabama to be owned by a black resident; additionally, the Alabama Penny Savings Bank, founded by William Reuben Pettiford, became the second largest black-owned bank in the United States. The Penny Savings Bank, in operation from 1890 to 1915, was a staple of the black community in Birmingham. The bank provided mortgages and business loans for many residents of Smithfield and other Birmingham areas, who were unable to procure loans elsewhere.

The Pythian Temple building was designed by Wallace A. Rayfield, who was also the architect behind the 16th Street and 22nd Avenue Baptist Churches, among other buildings. In addition to the indelible mark his architecture has left on Birmingham, Rayfield taught at Tuskegee Institute under Booker T. Washington, and designed buildings elsewhere in the South. More about Rayfield can be found in the biography of the man and his work: The Architectural Legacy of Wallace A. Rayfield: Pioneer Black Architect of Birmingham, Alabama.The Windham Construction Co., also with black ownership, was contracted to erect the building; the Windham brothers, Thomas and Benjamin, had previously collaborated with Rayfield on the 16th Street Baptist Church, among other projects.

In 1915, the Knights of Pythias purchased the building for $70,000, and it became a social hub in the city. The Knights of Pythias are a fraternal order, with a very distinguished heritage including the following members: William Jennings Bryan, Justice Hugo Black, Louis Armstrong, and Presidents Warren G. Harding and Franklin D. Roosevelt. The order was established in 1864 by Justus Rathbone, who had an eye toward healing the Union once the Civil War came to an end.

[Do not be fooled by the apparent authenticity of the owls. They are 

plastic and were manufactured in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1990.]

A.G. Gaston purchased the Pythian Temple and other neighboring buildings later in the 20th Century to house his various Booker T. Washington Corporation subsidiaries. In 1980, the National Register of Historic Places added the building to its books.

Offices of A.G. Gaston

Many renovations later, the Pythian Temple of Alabama is little more than an office building with an old foundation and a largely forgotten history. Very little is left that could indicate the building's past importance to a large segment of Birmingham's populace.

[Left: Elevator Room          Right: The very eery Basement]

____________________________________________________

Sources: Nancy C. Curtis, Black Heritage Sites: An African American Odyssey and Finder's Guide, 1996 <http://books.google.com/books?id=Rk7NPRm_nB0C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false>; Rebecca Dobrinski, "Investing in the Past: The Pythian Temple," Magic City Post, 14 August 2011 <http://magiccitypost.com/2011/08/14/investing-in-the-past-the-pythian-temple/>;Chianti C. Legget, "A Fight to Maintain, Propel Birmingham's African American Heritage," The Birmingham Times, 22 December 2010 <http://www.birminghamtimesonline.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4484%3Aa-fight-to-maintain-propel-birminghams-african-american-heritage&catid=35%3Alocal-news-headlines&Itemid=95&showall=1>; "Pythian Temple of Alabama," Emporis, <http://www.emporis.com/application/?nav=building&lng=3&id=pythiantempleofalabama-birmingham-al-usa>; John Sledge, "Southern Bound: An Overdue Look at Architect Wallace Rayfield," al.com, 12 August 2010 <http://blog.al.com/entertainment-press-register/2010/08/southern_bound_an_overdue_look.html>; Wilson Fallin, Jr. "Penny Savings Bank of Birmingham," Encyclopedia of Alabama, Updated 13 May 2011 <http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1828>.

When You Come Upon Sign

Upon our return home from the Sipsey Wilderness on Friday, we came across this little, old shed near Moulton, that was made out to look like an old gas station. With rusting, old gas pumps out front and the building covered in signs, it beckoned us to stop, while simultaneously requiring us to ignore the large and multiple 'No Trespassing' signs. Perhaps those were just for decoration as well.

 The above 'No Trespassing' sign is the one I found most amusing. I am not at all certain whether it was directed at people or aviary critters.

Sipsey Wilderness :: A Bit of Bouldering

If ever there were a time when I'd rather be the subject of a photo than the photographer, it's definitely in shots like those below, of Tyler and Callie at the Sipsey Wilderness on Friday morning.

For those of you looking to hike the Sipsey Wilderness, I have located very detailed and helpful trail map. For reference to the photos here, we hiked trails 201 and 209.

Sipsey Wilderness, Randolph Trail

This morning, Tyler, Callie (Tyler's dog), and I went for a hike on the Randolph Trail at the Sipsey Wilderness in the Bankhead National Forest. We walked for a long time and never reached our goal, the Big Tree. Perhaps another time. But we did see some very nice countryside...

Sipsey Wilderness, Sipsey River

Sipsey Wilderness, Sipsey River

Sipsey Wilderness, Sipsey River

...and even some local wildlife.

Grey Tree Frog on Orange Bracket Fungus

For those of you looking to hike the Sipsey Wilderness, I have located very detailed and helpful trail map. It's about 34" x 44", though so good luck printing it out. For reference to the photos here, we hiked trails 201 and 209.

Blight in Brookside

Ivy League

Brookside, Alabama :: Canon Rebel T2i, Tokina AT-X 12-24mm II @ 20mm, f/8 @ 1/100s, ISO 100

Love Yoursef [sic]