FBC Rapid Response Truck

As a Subsidiary of the massive global conglomerate FBC, the American National Standard stands ready at a moment's notice to launch into action with our fleet of Rapid Response Units.

Deep Archives Project

Above: Kinorama Imaging Department, ca. 1988

(due to lack of finances the FBC Real Estate Division was

never able to purchase this building. However we claim

virtual ownership of this edifice by right of having

photographed it before its destruction)

Dear Patrons,

The Kinorama Imaging Division is pleased to announce the initiation of the Deep Archive Project. Our Aim is to present the fruit of over 25 years imaging documentation by Mr. Ed Porter. Thanks to innovations and structures present in today's internet environment we feel that the time is right to engage in a scanning project to dig deep into the substantial image resources stored in the Kinorama Image Archive.

We face a time and attention challenge to sustain this initiative to its conclusion. However, there is a wealth of unpublished images in the archives that thanks to the capacity of online presentation, we feel that the time is now to bring these images to a greater audience. In the past only a select few of "fine art" images have been offered to the public in gallery of exhibition settings. The forum for presentation of this initiative will be the online photography site on Flickr.

Bob Peck Chevrolet

A landmark commercial architectural statement for many decades. Located in Parkington County Virginia, just outside the small hamlet of Ballston Common. We believe this image to be taken in the early morning dawn hours due to its overall cool blue lighting and general camera shakiness.

Comic books

Ok we need to talk comic books. A juvenile pastime that often turns to an obsession. Then typically they are left in storage at the parents house and left to rot until early midlife kicks in and we rediscover our youth. Then what do we do with them? They are made of cheap unsustainable materials which fade and disintegrate with time. But they have this great look and feel to them--and that old comic smell is indescribable. A favorite memory of Ed Porter is of going to the Key Bridge news stand and talking with Lobo about the latest comics.

Little Tavern

You could buy them by the bag--those little greasy monstrocities. Why are some of the coolest things so bad for you?

GC Murphy Building

Little did you know that the American National Standard anticipated the internet 20 years ago and had set out teams of photodocumentarians who scoured the streets of Washington DC to record the fading world of the past for future consumption. Our lead photographer Ed Porter took this shot of the GC Murphy building near 9th and G streets NW Washington DC in 1986. As is typical with this type of photography, the GC Murphy store closed not long after this image was taken.

A Poem

Ending then

now Suddenly today

After all these years

I see the way

A wet street night

In a cold city

Longago commercial core

Reduced to decay

From the second story

Steaming broken watermain

Only the footsteps of before

Paved the way