Summer is Winding Down

The Streets of Cooperstown in Black and White

Cooperstown, NY, is a small town. Despite being a tourist town in the summer, it never seems to lose its small-town flavor. And somehow, it always seems to provide some images if you look around for a bit.

I had a couple of rolls of Kentmere Pan 400 to try out in my Nikon FE2. So I spent a little time walking around Cooperstown’s streets to see what might look good with a little more grain and a little less color. I think the black and white film captured the feeling of this central NY village nicely.

Even the back entrance to this Main Street store welcomes customers! But the flowers are showing signs of the season winding down.

This alley behind Main Street has a lot of character, with businesses and the Cooperstown Farm Market. This time of year it’s a little more quiet than a couple months earlier.

Some parts of Main Street still feel like echoes of the past, contrasting with the thriving businesses that surround them. These gates and the quiet alley behind them stand mostly undisturbed and unused. This entrance is less welcoming, simply standing and marking time, much like the town itself between seasons.

A month ago, you would likely have seen a parent sitting on this bench with a child who was enjoying an ice cream cone. Today it’s empty, with only a hint of cooler air moving through, one more sign that the summer is slipping away.

This cigar store is closed for the day and will open back up in the morning. Soon, though, many of the stores along Main Street will close for the season, with only a few remaining open through the late fall and winter.

Walking the streets of Cooperstown with some black and white felt like a good way to hold onto the season a little longer. The tourists are thinning out, the nights are cooler, but what’s left is the character of the town. The open doors, the textures, and the quiet of the old buildings.

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