On the Waterfront: Steel Bridge and the Willamette Waterfront, Portland, Oregon

 

The Willamette River flows through the Willamette Valley of western Oregon and splits Portland into east and west sections. The river waterfront is so interesting because of the remnants of Portland's heavy industrial and transportation infrastructure as well as new gentrification. On a wet June (2026) morning, I passed through Portland and stopped at the riverfront to take some pictures.  

Steel Bridge

One of the historic bridges over the Willamatte is the famous Steel Bridge, first opened in 1912. This was superb early 20th century engineering because it is a double-deck vertical-lift structure. The upper deck carries Pacific Highway West (formerly Oregon Route 99W) and MAX light rail tracks, while the lower deck carries heavy rail and a bicycle trail. The upper deck formerly carried streetcars until 1948.

 

 You can see the railroad tracks curving and continuing onto the lower level of the bridge.

  

Louis Dreyfus Terminal

The agricultural commodities company, Louis Dreyfus Co., built these towering grain silos along the banks of the Willamette River in 1914. They may have been the only privately-owned deep draft (meaning, suitable for ocean-going ships) docks on the Columbia River system. Until around 2013, the terminals shipped US grain around the world. Afterwards, the enormous facility went through several owners. 

One article states that the terminal became functionally crippled when Union Pacific concluded that the railroad tracks on the property no longer met Union Pacific safety standards. There is obviously more to this story. Regardless, the silos are an example of early 20th century mega-construction and are a fascinating industrial photographic topic. 

 

Willamette River and water side of Louis Dreyfus terminal

East (land) side of terminal

It would be fun to take some pictures from the sheds way up on the steel framework.

 

The tracks on the east side of the property appear to be in regular use. I assume the tracks that were considered to not be up to current safety standards were the ones that curve around the terminal and continue over the water on pilings.

Aegean Parking Lot view south

 Broadway Bridge

 

 

The Broadway Bridge is another early 20th century engineering success. Built in 1913, it is a bascule design, where the center span splits in two and each section pivot upwards. I need to bicycle on these bridges and take more photographs.

 I took these photographs with Kodak Gold 200 film using my Rolleiflex 3.5E camera with its 75mm ƒ/3.5 Xenotar lens. The light was gloomy and soft, and I used a tripod for all exposures. Glazer's Camera in Seattle developed the film and scanned the frames with a Noritsu system. The Noritsu produces scans that are warm tone. I corrected the color with the auto color function in Photoshop Elements 2014. 

I tried 35mm Gold 200 two years ago, and thought it was too grainy. But in medium format, it is much more successful. But still, I will go back to using Portra 160 film or, for conditions in soft light, Ektar 100. 

I wish Kodak would reintroduce their superb Gold 100 film from the 1990s and early 2000s. I only used 120 Gold 100 once, long after it had been discontinued. I did not know that Kodak packaged it in 120. One day, I need to post some of my 1990s New York City Gold 100 frames (one day.....).

 

 

Checking Out Commercial Houston (TX 04)

Houston is one giant commercial engine. Everyone is rushing around, 18-wheeler trucks thunder along the freeways, long cargo trains rumble on the tracks, strip malls with sort-of reasonable and grotesque stores can be found every few blocks, construction cranes reach up to the sky, and there is constant traffic. 

The good side of this booming prosperity is that you can find superb restaurants and truly top-class arts and museums. For me, it was such a contrast to be in a metropolis with an expanding economy, a place where something is happening. During my recent stay in Houston, I wandered around looking for my type of photographs. There was plenty of good material!

Waiting for the tram at 07:15

The METRORail light rail (tram) is efficient and runs most of the day. You can take your bicycle. To pay, you use a pre-loaded fare card or a phone app. 

N. Fannin Street view north to Texas Medical Center - pretty crummy walking but at least there is sidewalk

 Vote for Tires, 3801 N. MacGregor Way - not sure if I would buy tires here

Dakk T-shirts, 3801 N. MacGregor Way

Secret Recipe West African cuisine, but not any more

Head west out of the downtown business district and you reach the Montrose Neighborhood.

Americana strip mall architecture at its best, 1660 Westheimer Road 

Americana signage at its aesthetic best, Westheimer Road

Westheimer Road runs east-west through Montrose. In the 1980s, this was an artsy area with galleries and alternative clubs and bars. At that time, it was the center of Houston's gay and lesbian community. Today, it is one of Houston's main cultural centers, noted for its art, food scene, and night life. 

And some Montrose galleries are seriously upscale now. In November, my wife and I visited the Catherine Couturier Gallery. At first we did not recognize the featured artists. But then, while flipping through their stacks of matted prints, we saw genuine original silver gelatin prints from Weegee, Bill Brandt, Callahan, Doisneau, and more! Prices ranged from $4000 - $10,000 each. If only I had a bit of spare cash.....

Not upscale apartment, Kyle Street, Montrose - maybe I won't rent here

TR Acupuncture Herb Clinic, 6723 Weslayan Street - they will fix anything that ails you

La Calle Tacos, 401 Grey Street

In the 1980s, Grey and West Grey were grungy. Now this district has been renovated. I need to scan some of my 1980s negatives from this area.  

Historic Niels Esperson Building (1927) and its tempietto, Travis and Walker Streets

Houston Camera Exchange museum of good stuff (digital file mobile phone)

These 2022 photographs are from Kodak Gold 200 film. I used my little Kodak Retina IIa camera with its 50mm ƒ/2 Schneider Xenon lens.

Wandering the Fifth and Third Wards of Houston, Texas (TX 03)

This is the third of my irregular series on Houston and south Texas in 2022. 

The Wards were political subdivisions of the City ofHouston. The City officially abolished the Wards in 1915, but the terms remain to describe the approximate geographic districts of the city. People still say that they live or work in one of the wards.

Fifth Ward

The 5th ward was north and east of the city. It was formerly a working class district with laborers from the shipyards and the Houston Ship Canal. 

I had been photographing downtown and wandered into the 5th Ward sort of by accident. All of a sudden, I was in West Jackson again. I saw block after block of little wood shotgun shacks, some painted but many dirty, piles of trash, boxes, filth, and bedsteads on the curb, rows of grim brick subsidized housing, gutters/troughs full of ponded water, dangling wires, abandoned strip malls and corner stores with trash on the pavement, and some houses with big fences and "No Trespassing" emblazoned on big signs. The dudes were washing their bling cars with the protruding cones sticking out of the wheel hubs. How is this possible? Are we cursed forever with this economic/social blight, even in rich American cities? 

View of Houston business district to the southwest

West Street cottage near Tower 26 railroad junction

Brooks Street cottages

Several streets near the Tower 26 railroad junction had many abandoned houses. The backs faced the tracks. Maybe train traffic made them too noisy or dangerous.  

Update March 26, 2023: These little cottages have recently been demolished. The land is bare and freshly scraped. Tractors and trucks were parked near the site. 

2023 Semmes Street, former school but used by a recycling company (probably defunct)

Restored shotgun houses, 2208 Semmes Street

Third Ward

Third Ward is southeast of downtown within the 610 loop. It is east of the Texas Medical Center and easily accessibly by bicycle on the Brays Bayou Greenway Trail. According to Wikipedia, "The ward became the center of Houston's African-American community. Third Ward is nicknamed "The Tre""

Homan Street near the Columbia Tap Rail Trail

Church of the Living God, 2509 Burkett Street

Cormorant mural, Delano Street

As you can see, Houston is full of interesting subject matter. Stand by for more examples.

I took these photographs on Kodak Gold 200 film using my early-1950s Kodak Retina IIa camera with its 50mm ƒ/2 Xenon lens. The Gold 200 is rather grainy and I may not use it again. I miss the gorgeous Gold 100 from the early 2000s. The Retina has an accurate shutter and excellent coated lens; I have no issues with its optical quality. But I am having some trouble framing correctly through the rather squinty viewfinder. And the camera is a bit fiddly for my clumsy hands. But it is certainly capable optically.