In the spring of 1990, Baltimore free-lance photographer Janis Rettaliata contracted with the Orioles to shoot a series of "fine-arts photos" of the Camden Yards stadium construction. It was to be a record for both the team and owner Eli Jacobs. From April 1990 to April 1991, she put in 175 hours on site, shooting 338 rolls of 36mm film. She then hand-printed the photographs. Janis, who also shot the construction of the Gallery at Harborplace, Signet Tower, 250 W. Pratt St. and Commerce Place, says she wants to make people aware that "construction is artistically interesting."

I told Janis I had only eight pages to display the progress of her work, so to please narrow down the selection of photos a bit. She ended up bringing us about 180 of the very best of them. Starting on Page 18 are the very best of those very best.

With Janis' photo essay, you'll find another and very different stadium story by Sun reporter Mark Hyman. Since the fall of 1987, Mark has been writing serious and insightful news pieces about the construction of the new stadium, so this time we thought we'd give him a chance to do something a little bit different. He took it.