Montana in Black and White

In doing the photography for the 1984-85 survey for the State Historic Preservation Office, everything was in Black and White, both for the stability of black and white negatives but also for the cost—color slides were expensive. Thirty plus years later, it’s totally different. Everything is digital and only a few places will even process black and white film.

But I have continued to take a few rolls of black and white film on my recent work in Montana. Here are a few images to share.

The older US 2 route into Cut Bank features this wonderful piece of roadside sculpture. And back in 1984 the Glacier Gateway Inn was the place to stay.
Frank Little Grave in Butte. The starkness and shadows of black and white film is perfect for cemetery work, as this famous grave at Mountain View Cemetery shows.
The same is true for Anaconda’s historic cemetery. As I have said in earlier posts, this place is one of the state’s most compelling places. I can explore there all day long.
Love the decorative iron work on the gate and entrance to the Knights section at Anaconda
Ghost towns from either the mining or homestead eras always leave buildings that just seem to say more in black and white. Here we are at Barber on US Highway 12 in central Montana.
Abandoned schools that become lonely landmarks of hopes crushed: Buffalo, Montana

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