New Orleans circa 1908. "Oyster and charcoal luggers in the old basin." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Springfield, Massachusetts, circa 1908. "Worthy Hotel." Pictured during street-cleaning hour. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1900. "Merry-go-round in Clark Park." 8x10 inch (cropped) dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Springfield, Massachusetts, circa 1908. "Smith & Wesson factory." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Chicago circa 1912. "U.S. Mail Dept., Chicago & North Western Railway station." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1910. "The Boardwalk at night." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1900. "W.H. Jackson residence." Just out of view across 2nd Avenue in this two-part panorama was the residence of Detroit Publishing photographer William Henry Jackson. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size.

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1900. "W.H. Jackson residence." On the right, the home of William Henry Jackson, whose Western, Mexican and Florida photographs formed an important part of the Detroit Publishing catalogue. View full size.

My brother, at left, and me, at right, proudly presenting our Christmas presents, nice garages with plenty of cars and trucks. View full size.

St. Clair Flats, Michigan, circa 1910. "Star Island House." A hotel on the St. Clair River whose scenic arboreal allée, Willow Avenue, we saw last week. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1912. "Woodward Avenue." A shopper's paradise. Meet you in an hour at Cinnabon. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size.

I'd seen 2001: A Space Odyssey only two years before, but staring into the eyeball of a sentient computer really wasn't on my mind when I took this shot in our living room; I was just fooling around with my newly-acquired Spiratone fisheye supplementary lens and some Tri-X film. Interesting optical phenomenon: the shape curving around the lower right is actually the edge of a small, perfectly round tabletop. In the background, Father's leather chair, minus Father, with piles of newspapers to each side. That little painting on the wall is now on my wall, and I now have an exact duplicate of the kidney-shaped tier table, thanks to my sister's antique foraging. My stereo system is in evidence by the speaker in the far corner, and my still-pitifully small record collection is on the rack behind Father's chair. I'm 23, still living at home, though employed and contributing to my upkeep. View full size.

Bath County, Virginia, circa 1910. "The Homestead. Bath house foyer, Virginia Hot Springs." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

Buffalo, New York, circa 1910. "Post Office, Ellicott Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Circa 1910. "Train concourse, Union Station, Washington, D.C." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.