Ian Austen
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ianausten.bsky.social
Ian Austen
@ianausten.bsky.social
12K followers 2.4K following 1.1K posts
Canada Correspondent, @nytimes.com. Mostly photos, mostly made on film, a lot of it large. austen@nytimes.com
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ianausten.bsky.social
2/5 Kuala Lumpur's Wisma Cosway has become the mall where all the people who work in vast new luxury malls eat, get tailoring, have film developed and get other services. Some presumably relax at this gaming arcade with its very intimidating "eyes". (Hasselblad SWC, 38mm f4.5 Biogon, Fuji 400H)
A brown tiled mall hallway in front of the corner of a blacked out store front. In place of windows there are UV lighting drawings of various computer games. In the corner are a pair of brightly lit orange eyes. They are reflected on the metal ceiling. A bit of a brightly lit shop is at left.
November 14, 2025 at 3:30 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
When Kuala Lumpur's Wisma Cosway Complex opened in during the 70s, I assume its 28 story tower and 4 level shopping mall were a big deal. Now in a city with some of the world's tallest buildings and vast, luxurious malls, it's a bit of a backwater. 1/5 (Hasselblad SWC, 38mm f4.5 Biogon, Fuji 400H)
A shop with large windows and with two signs reading "Fall In Love Tarot" that both make prominent use of pink. There are many small statutes of decorative animals, some in a glass case. A table at the back has a gold, shiny Christmas tree. There is a curtain with character lettering on it presumably to ensure the privacy of customers.
November 13, 2025 at 6:13 PM
ianausten.bsky.social
The Indiatown of Kuala Lumpur is to the right, the Chinatown to the left. (Leica M Monochrom, 35mm f1.4 Summilux ASPH)
Night view of an intersection underneath an elevated train line. There are identical LED ad displays on all of its pillars. Broad painted lines marke a crosswalk and and a no gridlock zone. A small house-like building is across the intersection and a shop with a covered walkway is to the right. A few pedestrians are waiting to cross.
November 11, 2025 at 3:45 PM
ianausten.bsky.social
A defiant C-Band satellite dish on proud display, if not in use, at the former hotel and tavern in Golden Lake, Ontario on Hwy 60. It's now SRO apartments as far as I can tell. (Mamiya 7ii, 43mm f4.5, Kodak TRIX)
A squat building with narrow, high windows in the foreground. Behind is a two story building with a sloping roof and a sign reading tavern. The squat building has a very large satellite dish on its roof. The sidewalk and road out front curve distinctly to the left.
November 10, 2025 at 3:47 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
Inside one of the news media vans following Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada in Gyeongju, South Korea. (Leica M Monochrom, 50mm f1.2 Noctilux ASPH)
Night scene of a windshield being sprayed with cleaning fluid by a driver wearing a cap. A dashcam screen is below the rear view mirror and a phone with a map on the screen is near his right hand.
November 9, 2025 at 10:10 PM
ianausten.bsky.social
Granite glory for a trio in an entrance to the headquarters of the Canadian National Railway and Central Station, Montreal. I have photographed about 700 phones (I know, I know.) But these are the first I've seen with that extra bezel on the front. (HasselbladSWC, Zeiss38mmf4.5 Biogon, KodakTRIX)
Three payphone in stainless steel kiosks with glass dividers and their phone directories long removed. They are in an alcove with polished dark stone walls.
November 9, 2025 at 3:45 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
The Madrid 2.0 service centre, Quebec Autoroute 20 near Drummondville. The photo L shows the original Madrid which it replaced in 2012. It featured monster trucks and life size-ish dinosaur statues now replaced by McDonald's, St. Hubert and Couche Tard. (HasselbladSWC, Zeiss38mmf4.5 Biogon, KodakTX)
A Télébec payphone mounted on a wall next to a ATM. Above them is an insect light. to the left is a photo of a former hotel with portraits made to resemble Polaroids beneath it.
November 8, 2025 at 3:09 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
Chatham, Ontario. It appeared to still be in business. (Leica M Monochrom, 50mm f1.2 Noctilux ASPH)
A plywood sign topped by a knight's helmet beside a factory on an otherwise residential, tree lied street. Somewhat faded lettering reads: White Knight, Est. 1976, Auto Detailing, Shampooing. The last line of type is unreadable.
November 8, 2025 at 12:24 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
Windsor Station, Montreal. The doors to the payphones are locked, seemingly permanently. Once the headquarters of the Canadian Pacific Railway, its tracks now end a few blocks west and the building is an office tower and, below, a transit terminal. (HasselbladSWC, 38mmf4.5 Zeiss Biogon, KodakTri X)
Part of a marble walled space with dark bands at the baseboard and ceiling. Two payphones sit behind glass and wood doors with brass fixtures. A pattern from the glass ceiling is reflected of of them.
November 7, 2025 at 3:51 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
For everyone who is wondering how to say "Fuji Film" in Malay. Kuala Lumpur. (Leica M Monochrom, 35mm f1.4 Summilux ASPH)
A shuttered storefront. The sign above reads: (obscured) Gambar Super Photo Centre. FILEMFUJI. Part of a FujiFilm logo is visible as are Chinese characters.
November 7, 2025 at 2:56 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
The Central Market, Kuala Lumpur. It's one of the most prominent (and busy) British colonial relics. (Leica M Monochrom, 35mm f1.4 Summilux ASPH)
A light colored, stucco wall at night. Steel window panes form grids in two windows, one of which has frosted glass.The doubled up shadows of three people are on the wall.
November 6, 2025 at 3:33 PM
ianausten.bsky.social
First Baptist Church in Chatham, Ontario. In 1858, the American abolitionist John Brown came here to plan a guerrilla war against slavery in the U.S. and to recruit people to his cause. Their unsuccessful attempt to seize an armory led to Brown's hanging. (Leica M Monochrom, 35mm f1.4 SummiluxASPH)
Two windows with pointed arches frame an institutional clock above a photograph of a worship service. A sideboard is topped with silver plates and trays used during services.
November 6, 2025 at 12:04 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
Busan, South Korea. As we drove past it, the parking garage appeared to be largely filled with luxury cars (Leica M Monochrom, 50mm f1.2 Noctilux)
A parking garage booth festooned with signs in Korean, lights and the roman letter P. Two police officers are at the left.
November 5, 2025 at 6:30 PM
ianausten.bsky.social
I spent just over a week following Canada's prime minister around parts of Asia. I found exactly one pay phone -- and it's kind of a cheat at that. That photo has yet to be developed. But I did find this call box in the former city centre of Kuala Lumpur. (Leica M Monochrom, 50mm f1.2 Noctilux ASPH)
A call box with the number 48 painted in large numerals on the outside. To the right are quite battered, pulled down steel shutters. A glimpse of a brightly lit restaurant is to the left.
November 5, 2025 at 4:11 PM
ianausten.bsky.social
The VIA Rail Canada station, Chatham, Ontario. Signs on the hoarding warn about asbestos, not surprisingly. (Leica M Monochom, the CCD one, 50mm f1.2 Noctilux ASPH, YG filter.
A railway station platform near dusk with dramatic cloud. A single passenger well up the platform is standing on a painted striped warning line. The tracks are to the right. The station, on the left, is covered in protective plastic.
November 5, 2025 at 4:26 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
The Belle Vista Motel in Marmora, Ontario in August 2016. Once a highlight of Highway 7, It sat on top of a ridge so it may have had a wonderful view out the back. The motel is now closed. (Leica M Typ 262, 35mm Summicron M ASPH)
A night scene of a portion of a white stucco motel. On its roof a spot lit sign made of lumber simply says MOTEL. A chair and two tables are in front of a room. A pick up truck is parked out front. The spotlights on the sign have lit up part of a large tree to the left.
November 5, 2025 at 3:43 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
And one more payphone form Mexico City, this time outside of a day care center. Someone thought it a good idea to plant a garden in front of the phone. The repair to its wire does not look promising either. (Leica R8, 21mm f4 Super Angulon, Kodak Tri X)
A payphone mounted on a white stucco wall. It says Telmex Infinitum on its kiosk. Its wire appears to have once broken and been mended with electrical tape. Some small plants in mulch are right in front of it next to a large tree.
November 4, 2025 at 4:46 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
The Canadian National Railway trestle in Parry Sound, Ontario is as busy as it is big. (Deardorf 8x10, 190mm f6.3 Kodak Wide Field Ektar, Kodak Portra 160)
An enormous and old concrete base supports towers of lattice work steel. The side of a hill is lushy overgrown.
November 4, 2025 at 4:41 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
A very sad payphone in Mexico City without a receiver or its cord. I had to break the "no people with the phones" rule. Otherwise I'd still be there waiting for everyone to go away. (Leica R8, 21mm f4 Super Angulon R, Kodak TriX)
A payphone kiosk at a busy intersection. A bus stop is to the left. And illuminated ad for Yves St. Laurent has MYSLF in large letters. There are many, many trees and buses. Two young women are at the far right.
October 24, 2025 at 2:52 AM
ianausten.bsky.social
Continuing the hunt for payphones in Mexico City: A kiosk in unusually good repair near the National Folkloric Dance school and a dance theatre. (Leica R8, 21mm f4 Super Angulon R, Kodak TriX)
A backlit, silver payphone kiosk projecting a long shadow on the sidewalk. Immediately behind it is a street which has been turned into a parking lot. A map and direction sign is to the right. Fruther back are a fence and trees at the edge of a park.
October 23, 2025 at 1:25 PM
ianausten.bsky.social
Now some Mexico City phone action. This one earns its keep by propping up a bicycle cafe. (Leica R8, 21mm f4 Super Angulon R, Kodak TriX)
A cargo bicycle, with a loose rear fender, carrying coffee for sale, leans against a phone kiosk in hard morning sun on a very wide sidewalk next to a busy street. A double decker bus and many trees are in the background.
October 22, 2025 at 10:07 PM
ianausten.bsky.social
Construction equipment spending the night in the bush along South Portage Road, Lake of Bays, Ontario (Leica M Monochrom, 35mm f1.4 Summilux ASPH)
A small loader and roller are tucked into the edges of a logging road leading to a gravel road. The scene is dark, lit by whatever evening sun is making it over a hill and through the trees.
October 9, 2025 at 3:28 PM
ianausten.bsky.social
Bayview O Train Station, westbound platform, Ottawa. (Leica M Monochrom, the M9 based original, 50mm f1.2 Noctilux ASPH)
A cylinderical payphone booth on a concrete platform in frton of a window. A suicide prevention help notice is to its left. A cabinet to the right has fire hose connections and an extinguisher. A phone pictograph is above a push button emergency call station. A illuminated sign further ride is overexposed. Trash and recycling receptacles are underneath it.
October 8, 2025 at 10:16 PM
ianausten.bsky.social
The second payphone at the Wolfe Island Ferry terminal in Kingston, Ontario. It's impossible to tell from the outside if the adjacent new terminal building will boast this feature. Although it seems unlikely. (Leica M Monochrome, 35mm f1.4 Summilux ASPH)
A glass sided payphone kiosk in a small entranceway. Recycling and trash bins are below it and some sort of fire alarm indicator panel is to its right. Lettering, reversed in the photo, on the window reads, in English and French: "Ferry users only."
October 2, 2025 at 3:45 PM
ianausten.bsky.social
Aboard the Ontario government ferry from Wolfe Island to Kingston. (Leica SL Typ 601, 35mm f1.4 Summilux M)
A night scene from a ferry boat deck. A large moon is glinting off the ripples of a lake. An open steel staircase, lit from the top, dominates the scene and casts a prominent shadow. To the right a yellowy light illuminates an alcove to a steel door with a large wheelchair accessibility symbol on it.
September 27, 2025 at 9:35 AM