Chan Garrett
July 2026 - Athens Theater, Downtown DeLand
Original
About the Image(s)
The last image I needed for my Downtown DeLand, Florida series was the historic Athens Theater. With the Help of my wife and my four wheeled walker and seat, I finished the task.
I used my Canon EOS R5 camera with a wide angle lens. I set the exposure for Aperture Priority at f/11. My ISO was set at 200 and I watched the shutter speed to make sure it did not drop too low. I removed distractions in Photoshop using the AI assisted Remove tool.
8 comments posted
Chan, your conversion to BW is wonderful. It adds so much more character to the image. I'm not sure what the foliage is on either side, but with America 250! on my mind, they almost look like fireworks going off. You did a good job removing the light poles, and the jester faces in the next to top level are sharp. I like that the sidewalk is not all flat-very aged, which, with the BW conversion adds to complete the image. And A+ for your determination! Posted: 07/01/2026 21:55:16
Thank you. I have really enjoyed working on this project. I have always enjoyed B&W, going back to my film days and my B&W darkroom. Posted: 07/02/2026 01:49:45
This has a very clean, clearcut look, and I like the contrast between the dark sky and the lighter gray of the building. It is hard to tell the year this belongs to, because there are no cues, other than the fact that it was in the post-film era. So it has a timeless look. And your doing this with a walker and seat makes you a good role model for me in the future! Posted: 07/02/2026 18:19:22
Canan, you may be interested in this quote from the historical marker on the theater building. "This historically significant landmark opened in 1922 as a silent film/vaudeville theatre. Once the entertainment centerpiece of the county, Athens operated continuously for nearly seventy years, … The opening night performance on January 6, 1922, featured the 7-reel silent film, 'The Black Panther's Cub, a 4-act comic play, and four vaudeville acts.' " Posted: 07/03/2026 15:40:20
Nice! And this photograph could just as easily have been taken in 1922. Thanks for sharing the quote :-) Posted: 07/03/2026 15:43:08
Excellent work, Chan! Beautiful B&W conversion and your Photoshop cleanup is superb. I hope you get to display your finished project in a prominent place in DeLand!
P.S.: The puffy clouds in the sky are a bonus! Posted: 07/11/2026 17:21:36
P.S.: The puffy clouds in the sky are a bonus! Posted: 07/11/2026 17:21:36
Agree with Canan - you transformed an ordinary/modern image into something timeless; monochrome does that! Your edits are excellent - great job removing distractions! I like the range of brightness; from almost pure black to almost pure white. Two minor nits for your consideration (especially if you plan to print this). I note that the white cement molding on the lower right got removed when you removed the fence. Perhaps try to replace to balance the scene. And all the way on the left - there is a black arc just below some clouds - seems to be an artifact/not present in the original. Sounds like you have a wonderful set of images capturing DeLand; perhaps the town? or Chamber of Commerce? or local library? would have interest in these image. Posted: 07/12/2026 12:26:36
Thank you! Thank you! I don't know how many times I have looked at this image and not seen the problem. That's why I post the image. I appreciate your fresh eyes. Note the corrected image below. Posted: 07/13/2026 21:54:11