Film Journal: November 2018 – Lomo X Pro in the desert

Published on: November 5th, 2018 | Written by: Bad Guy Joe

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I spent half of this past month on the road, traveling to Pittsburgh, Ohio, Southern California, New Mexico and Arizona. It was an attempt to make up for going years without any serious photography trips.

While out in the Southwest, I tested out two rolls of Lomography X-Pro 200 slide film. The minute I got the negatives back I knew I had some fun shots. These first photos are from a set of abandoned former Chicago Transit commuter train cars, which have been left to rot on a short siding along an abandoned railroad through the desert. This, ironically, was the third set of abandoned CTA commuter equipment I’ve seen this year, the first two being located closer to their home.

I know there are purists who don’t like the Lomo brand, but one of the big draws for me to dabble in film again has been the less predictable and frankly more fun results one can get with niche films.

The Casa Grande Domes

I shot a second roll of Lomo X-Pro at the Casa Grande domes, in Arizona. Legend has it the domes were constructed in the 1980s by some tech start up that was going to use them as a computer factory. This, of course, never happened. With the domes abandoned, everyone’s favorite stories of occult gatherings, aliens and criminal activity took hold.

Today, the domes are crumbling. Their poor constructed concrete and Styrofoam shells are rapidly decaying. One has already collapsed, and the local town government wants them gone. It’s only a matter of time now – a waiting game if you will, to see who crushes them first. Will it be a bulldozer or a stiff wind and a strong storm?

If you’re curious about this place, go now. On a scale of one to ten, with then being the most endangered, I’d rate this location at a solid ten, unlikely to survive beyond the next one to three years.

Comments

NOTE: It sometimes takes a short while for comments to be approved - unfortunately there's a lot of spam comments that come in. I absolutely love when y'all share personal stories of friends relatives etc who worked in these places. It really helps capture what these places were like before they closed up shop.

If you're feeling salty, argumentative comments completely devoid of facts (supply links to support your argument) will not be published. Got a case to state? come with the details.

One response to “Film Journal: November 2018 – Lomo X Pro in the desert”

1. BillyG says:

   November 5, 2018 at 9:54 PM

   Hey BadGuyJoe!

   Nice trip Joe.

   You should of let me know.

   I’m a half hour from Casa Grande.

   Did you make it to the Goat Canyon Bridge?

   Its some miles past the rail cars.

   Good shots.

   BillyG

   .a

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