Dayton, Ohio, circa 1904. "Conover Building." This 13-story structure, later enlarged, still stands at Third and Main. 8x10 glass negative. View full size.

As photographic film continues its inexorable decline to the status of quaint, if not forgotten, technology, I offer this example demonstrating one of its often-derided properties: grain. If you follow home video fora, you'll see many who think it's something to be minimized if not expunged entirely. Of course, grain is why there is an image in the first place. I think the heavy grain structure in this 35mm Kodacolor 1000 negative I shot in 1985 lends a rather painterly quality, especially viewed full-size. The flatironish building in the center is San Francisco's Columbus Tower, aka the Sentinel Building, begun a year before the earthquake and completed a year later in 1907. Since 1970, it's been the headquarters of Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope studio; The Godfather was edited and sound- mixed here. Also, a K-car an M-body Chrysler Fifth Avenue taxi. View full size.

May 1936. "Boys playing. Decatur Homesteads, Indiana." 35mm nitrate negative by Carl Mydans for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.

The Adirondack Mountains, New York, circa 1902. "An Adirondack hand cart carry." Yet another example of hybrid transportation. 8x10 inch glass negative by William Henry Jackson, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1918. "Woman on motorized bicycle." What won't they think of next! Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1923. "Geo. W. Parezo electric shop, interior." Our fourth glimpse at the Parezo electrical supply store on Ninth Street. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1926. "Mrs. Gardner Orme group," a.k.a. the Little Foxes. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Circa 1910. "Bathing at West Palm Beach, Florida." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

April 1910. "Scottish Rite Cathedral, New Orleans." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Pensacola, Florida, circa 1910. "Plaza Ferdinand and harbor." Brought to you by Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Uneeda Biscuit. 8x10 glass negative. View full size.

Pensacola, Florida, circa 1910. "Palafox Street, American National Bank Building." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Spring 1942. "New Bedford, Massachusetts. Portuguese Girl Scouts." Medium format negative by John Collier, Office of War Information. View full size.

January 1938. "Front of livery stable, East Side, New York City." 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.

April 1943. Clinton, Iowa. "Mrs. Irene Bracker, mother of two, employed at the roundhouse as a wiper, Chicago & North Western R.R." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.

New York circa 1919. The Metropolitan Opera soprano Rosa Ponselle, pensive. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size.