Preliminary - work in progress

The Potomac meanders over 383 miles from Fairfax Stone, West Virginia to Point Lookout, Maryland. There are over three dozen bridges that cross the main branch of the Potomac, and dozens more on the other branches of the river. I've photographed all of the bridges that cross the main branch up to Cumberland, Maryland.

I chose to use a large format 4"x5" view camera. For film, I chose to use Polaroid Type-55 - an extremely high-resolution, fine-grained, and full tonal scale instant negative film for this project. Sadly Type-55 is no longer made. The film was processed in the field as I shot the photos. This allowed for instant feedback on composition, focus and exposure. I carried a little waterproof case full of the clearing solution (sodium sulfite) to store the processed negatives and later washed the film once I got to a motel or arrived back home.

This is a work in progress and is a sample of the many images I made of the Potomac river crossings. A complete version of the project is forthcoming.