--- title: BROAD STREET IN FLUX slug: broad-street order: 7 description: Case study — the first canonical collaborative FLUX project. Philadelphia, May 10, 2026. --- # BROAD STREET IN FLUX Case study. First canonical collaborative FLUX project. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. May 10, 2026.
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--- ## PROJECT RECORD ``` DATE: 2026-05-10 PHOTOGRAPHERS: Dante Sisofo, Dylan Stone ROUTE: Cheltenham Avenue → Philadelphia Navy Yard DISTANCE: ~11 miles FRAMES: 50 total (35 Dante Sisofo / 15 Dylan Stone) CAMERA: Ricoh GR IIIx IMAGE CONTROL: High Contrast B&W FILE TYPE: Small JPEG GPS: Embedded via GR World (Ricoh app) DURATION: ~7 hours (07:45 → 15:31) ``` --- ## CONCEPT Two photographers. One street. One day. Both moved north to south across the full spine of Philadelphia — Cheltenham Avenue at the northern boundary to the Navy Yard at the southern terminus — documenting the city in real time from two separate positions on opposite sides of Broad Street. Every photograph contains the exact date, time, and GPS coordinates of the moment it was made. The GPS data is not a tag added in post. It is embedded in the original JPEG at the moment of exposure via the Ricoh GR World mobile app. The goal was not to make "good photographs." The goal was to make a complete temporal and geographic document of a city in flux. This project functions as: - a street photography archive - a GPS-mapped document - a chronological sequence - a zine - a reproducible methodology --- ## STEP_01 — CAMERA SETUP ### Camera **Ricoh GR IIIx** The Ricoh GR is the correct tool for this protocol. Small. Fast. Pocketable. Shoots small JPEG. GPS-compatible via Ricoh app. ### Image Control Settings ``` Image Control: High Contrast B&W High/Low Key: -2 Contrast: +4 Highlight Contrast: -4 Shadow Contrast: 0 Sharpness: +4 Shading: +4 Clarity: +4 Grain: ON Grain Size: 2 Toning: OFF ``` These settings produce a high-contrast monochrome output in-camera. No post-processing. The JPEG is the final file. Reference: [Ricoh_GRIV_Monochrome_Settings_Dante_Sisofo.pdf](../media/broad-street/downloads/ricoh-gr-monochrome-settings.pdf) (20 MB) ### Shooting Rules **Small JPEG only.** No RAW. No large JPEG. Small JPEG files transfer faster, automate faster, archive more efficiently, and produce no editing backlog. **Move continuously.** Do not double back. Do not overthink. Photograph what is in front of you. Respond to light, gesture, form, and movement. --- ## STEP_02 — GPS WORKFLOW This is the most technically critical step. If GPS is not configured correctly, the automation pipeline breaks. All downstream outputs — captions, CSV, maps, zines — depend on GPS coordinates embedded in the JPEG metadata at capture time. ### GPS Test Session Before the project walk, a GPS test session was conducted on May 3, 2026 — one week prior. 42 test frames were made on foot near Philadelphia to confirm that GPS coordinates were accurately embedded, persisted through camera sleep/wake cycles, and survived the transfer pipeline. The test confirmed accurate GPS embedding across an extended walk. Source: `source/in-flux-broad-street/gps t3est/` ### Ricoh GR World Setup — On Camera ``` Menu → Wrench Icon → Wireless Communication Wireless LAN: ON Action Mode: ON Pairing: Execute Pairing Smartphone Link with Store Location: ON ``` ### Ricoh GR World Setup — On iPhone ``` Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → GR World Allow Location Access: Always Precise Location: ON Inside GR World App: App Settings → Background Location Information Transmission: No Time Limit App Settings → Location Information Transmission Frequency: High ``` ### Confirming GPS Is Active Indicators of confirmed GPS recording: - Camera shows connected status - Satellite icon active in viewfinder - Blue iPhone location arrow active (visible in status bar) - Test photographs contain populated GPS EXIF fields Test before the walk begins. Make 1–2 test photographs and verify GPS fields in EXIF. Do not begin the project walk until GPS confirmation is complete. --- ## STEP_03 — THE WALK ### Start ``` Meet time: 07:00 Start point: Cheltenham Avenue (northern boundary, Philadelphia / Cheltenham Township) Direction: South End point: Philadelphia Navy Yard ``` ### Methodology Dante photographed one side of Broad Street. Dylan photographed the opposite side. Rules during the walk: - Keep moving south - Do not double back - Minimal street crossing - No discussion of what to photograph - No synchronizing shots The sequence of capture becomes the structure of the archive. The order of the walk is the order of the zine. ### Sequence First frame: 07:45:58 — 1436 West Cheltenham Avenue, West Oak Lane, Philadelphia Last frame: 15:31:24 — Philadelphia Navy Yard area Total duration: approximately 7 hours 46 minutes. --- ## STEP_04 — IMPORT AND FOLDER STRUCTURE ### Folder Structure Created Before the Walk ``` BroadStreet_InFlux/ ├── Dante/ │ └── Photos/ ├── Dylan/ │ └── Photos/ └── Output/ ``` After the walk, each photographer transferred their photographs from the camera to their laptop via the Ricoh GR World app or direct USB connection, then dragged the files into their respective Photos/ folder. ### Canonical Archive Structure After processing, photographs were renamed to the canonical FLUX filename convention: ``` broad-street-in-flux_{seq:03d}_{photographer-slug}_{YYYY-MM-DD}_{HH-MM-SS}.jpg Examples: broad-street-in-flux_001_dante-sisofo_2026-05-10_07-45-58.jpg broad-street-in-flux_003_dylan-stone_2026-05-10_07-57-08.jpg broad-street-in-flux_007_dante-sisofo_2026-05-10_08-24-37.jpg ``` Sequence numbers are assigned chronologically across both photographers combined. Gaps in a single photographer's sequence indicate frames by the other photographer during that time window. --- ## STEP_05 — AUTOMATION PIPELINE A single script execution reads all JPEG files, extracts EXIF metadata (including GPS), performs reverse geocoding to convert coordinates to street addresses, generates captions, and produces all downstream outputs automatically. ### What the Script Does ``` INPUT: JPEG files from Dante/ and Dylan/ OUTPUT: broad-street-in-flux-google-my-maps.csv GPS + address data for Google My Maps broad-street-in-flux-captioned-zine.pdf Captioned zine PDF ``` ### Caption Structure Every photograph is automatically captioned: ``` 2026:05:10 08:24:37 6831 North Broad Street, East Oak Lane, Philadelphia, PA Dante Sisofo ``` Caption components: timestamp, full street address (from GPS reverse geocode), photographer name. No manual captioning. No manual sequencing. Reference script: [auto-script.pdf](../media/broad-street/downloads/auto-script.pdf) ### Archive JSON The archive generator produces a structured JSON manifest: ```json { "filename": "broad-street-in-flux_007_dante-sisofo_2026-05-10_08-24-37.jpg", "originalFilename": "R0022840.JPG", "photographer": "Dante Sisofo", "photographerSlug": "dante-sisofo", "date": "2026-05-10", "time": "08:24:37", "address": "6831 North Broad Street, East Oak Lane, Philadelphia, PA", "lat": 40.05787, "lon": -75.140704 } ``` 50 entries. Every frame. Archive: [archive.json](../media/broad-street/downloads/archive.json) --- ## STEP_06 — GPS MAP (PROTOTYPE) GPS coordinates embedded in the photographs were used to plot the walk geographically. This was an early field test of GPS-mapped photography workflows — not a finalized automated system, but a manual prototype that confirmed the data was usable. ### Early Mapping Workflow The automation script exported a CSV of GPS coordinates and street addresses. That CSV was manually imported into Google My Maps to visualize the route. ``` 1. Script generates: broad-street-in-flux-google-my-maps.csv Columns: Latitude, Longitude, Address, Photographer, Timestamp 2. Google My Maps → Create new map → Import CSV Place markers by: Latitude / Longitude 3. Google Photos album imported separately Photographs manually attached to approximate capture locations ``` This confirmed that GPS embedding was working correctly across 11 miles and 7+ hours of walking — and that the coordinate data survived the full transfer and processing pipeline. The Google My Maps export is a prototype visualization, not the canonical archive interface. The live archive at `flux.dantesisofo.com/broad-street/` is the primary access point. The CSV is preserved as a secondary geotagging artifact. This early mapping work helped define what an automated FLUX project generator would eventually need to produce: coordinates, addresses, and spatially indexed photographs, generated without manual import steps. CSV file: [broad-street-in-flux-google-my-maps.csv](../media/broad-street/downloads/broad-street-in-flux-google-my-maps.csv) --- ## STEP_07 — ZINE PRODUCTION The captioned zine PDF is generated automatically by the script. ### Print Settings ``` Paper Size: 8.5 × 11 in Orientation: Landscape Double-Sided: ON Flip On: Short Edge ``` ### Assembly ``` Stack sheets. Two staples on left side. ``` The object should feel temporary, reproducible, distributable. The zine is not precious. The zine is evidence. --- ## STEP_08 — ARCHIVE GENERATION The HTML generator (`generator/flux-generator.html`) produces a complete static archive website from the photographs and metadata. The archive includes: - Chronological image grid - Photographer filtering - Map integration - Downloadable PDF - Downloadable ZIP of originals - Metadata manifest Archive: `archive/index.html` (local package) Live: [flux.dantesisofo.com/broad-street/](https://flux.dantesisofo.com/broad-street/) --- ## OUTPUTS ### Digital ``` archive/index.html Live archive web page archive/broad-street-in-flux_dante-sisofo_dylan-stone.pdf Project PDF (31MB) archive/data/archive.json 50-entry GPS manifest archive/data/metadata.csv Metadata CSV archive/downloads/photos.zip All originals (236MB) documents/broad-street-in-flux-google-my-maps.csv GPS coordinates CSV (prototype map export) ``` ### Physical ``` Printed zine (staple-bound, 8.5×11, landscape) Loose photograph stack (50 prints, unbound, chronological) ``` ### Video ``` video/broad-street-behind-the-scenes.mp4 167MB — behind the scenes documentation video/broad-street-in-flux-book.mp4 32MB — zine flip-through ``` ### Audio ``` audio/15th-street-philadelphia-city-hall-station.m4a Field audio, 15th Street ``` --- ## LIVE ARCHIVE [flux.dantesisofo.com/broad-street/](https://flux.dantesisofo.com/broad-street/) Chronological grid. Photographer filter. Downloadable PDF. Downloadable originals ZIP. GPS manifest. All 50 frames. --- ## DOWNLOADS [broad-street-in-flux.pdf](../media/broad-street/downloads/broad-street-in-flux.pdf) — 31 MB — full project PDF [flux-generator.html](../media/broad-street/downloads/flux-generator.html) — 60 KB — offline HTML generator [broad-street-in-flux-google-my-maps.csv](../media/broad-street/downloads/broad-street-in-flux-google-my-maps.csv) — GPS coordinates CSV [archive.json](../media/broad-street/downloads/archive.json) — 50-entry GPS manifest [metadata.csv](../media/broad-street/downloads/metadata.csv) — metadata manifest [auto-script.pdf](../media/broad-street/downloads/auto-script.pdf) — automation script [ricoh-gr-monochrome-settings.pdf](../media/broad-street/downloads/ricoh-gr-monochrome-settings.pdf) — 20 MB — camera settings document photos.zip — 236 MB — all 50 originals — available at [live archive](https://flux.dantesisofo.com/broad-street/) --- ## PROTOCOL DISCOVERIES What this project confirmed or clarified about the FLUX protocol: **GPS must be confirmed before the walk begins.** A one-week pre-test session (May 3, 2026) was necessary to confirm GPS embedding worked correctly across camera sleep/wake cycles and extended walking sessions. The test is not optional. **GR World must be set to "No Time Limit."** The default background location transmission limit causes GPS data to stop being embedded after a set period. This setting must be explicitly changed before the walk. **Small JPEG is the correct file type for this workflow.** RAW files would have added processing time, storage overhead, and editing friction with no benefit for a high-contrast in-camera monochrome workflow. **Chronological interleaving of two photographers works.** Assigning sequence numbers across both photographers simultaneously — based on capture timestamp — produces a coherent combined sequence. The archive reads as one document, not two separate sets. **The automation pipeline must be tested before the walk.** Running a test import and verifying GPS extraction, reverse geocoding, and caption generation before the project date eliminates uncertainty during processing. --- ## LESSONS LEARNED **What worked:** - Ricoh GR World GPS workflow: reliable, accurate, embeds coordinates in real time - Automation pipeline: one script execution generated all outputs - Chronological interleaving: the combined sequence reads as one coherent document - High-contrast monochrome: consistent visual language across both photographers - DIY zine assembly: cheap, fast, reproducible **What would change:** - Dylan had fewer frames (15 vs 35). A clearer briefing on target frame count per photographer would produce a more balanced archive. - The route took longer than estimated (~7.5 hours vs ~4 projected). Future walks should build in more time or establish checkpoints. - The `gps t3est/` session revealed that GPS embedding is not automatic without explicit setup. This step should be formalized in any participant kit. --- ## REFERENCES | Asset | Location | |-------|----------| | Camera settings | [ricoh-gr-monochrome-settings.pdf](../media/broad-street/downloads/ricoh-gr-monochrome-settings.pdf) | | Automation script | [auto-script.pdf](../media/broad-street/downloads/auto-script.pdf) | | GPS coordinates CSV (prototype) | [broad-street-in-flux-google-my-maps.csv](../media/broad-street/downloads/broad-street-in-flux-google-my-maps.csv) | | GPS setup screenshots | `media/screenshots/gps/` (local package) | | Prototype map screenshots | `media/screenshots/maps/` (local package) | | Generator screenshots | `media/screenshots/generator/` (local package) | | Physical zine photos | `media/book/` (local package) | | Field documentation video | [embedded above](#step_03--the-walk) | | Zine flip-through video | [embedded above](#step_07--zine-production) | | GPS manifest | [archive.json](../media/broad-street/downloads/archive.json) | | Live archive | [flux.dantesisofo.com/broad-street/](https://flux.dantesisofo.com/broad-street/) | | Project PDF | [broad-street-in-flux.pdf](../media/broad-street/downloads/broad-street-in-flux.pdf) | --- FLUX_PROJECT_v1.0 — flux.dantesisofo.com/wiki/broad-street/