Silk Mill Basement Cones1

4487-92 Basement topaz nx 72dpi, originally uploaded by Donnie Fulks.

From my second visit to the Silk Mill. The basement level. Further away from these windows on the end wall it was incredibly dark needing exposures a few minutes long. There are many types of spinning machines in the old mill- would be interesting to know how they worked. The metal cones shown here must have been used on the machinery next to this area. In adjacent storage rooms are bins of cardboard cones that I surmise were the cores to spools of thread and may have fit over these metal cones during the manufacturing process.

Grafitti Underground Abstract

IMG_3937 72 dpi, originally uploaded by Donnie Fulks.

Paint ballers also frequent the Underground leaving vivid colors behind as well. This old electric box has been targeted many, many times leaving this riot of color. Captured and processed in the iPhone with a number of photo apps.

iPhoneography, as this genre' of photography has been dubbed, has become an art form unto itself recently. I've found it, like most other pros I know, to be an addictive type of photography that expands photographic vision and creativity. Imagination is the limiting factor to end results. The editing power of the apps in the phone is astonishing. I recently had the honor of being invited into a select pro iPhone users photo group for sharing photos and techniques.

Eastern State Penitentiary

3994-98 hdr effxpro topaz nx 72dpi B, originally uploaded by Donnie Fulks.

Visited here last month with a Tony Sweet Workshop. We spent most of the day one Saturday here. ESP is another HDR shooters paradise offering hundreds of decayed cells capture, including Al Capone's nicely furnished cell. ESP closed in 1974 as a prison and the rapid amount of decay is astonishing. In the mid 1990's it opened again as a tourist attraction. Work is underway to stabilize the massive prison complex from further decay. Our group paid to get into areas still closed to the public.

Graffiti Underground

3450-54 hdr efexpro topaz nx 72dpi B, originally uploaded by Donnie Fulks.

This is a fascinating location for High Dynamic Range photography. This image required blending 5 separate exposures together to render all of the light and dark tones. Once a barge coal dock in Philly since the '60's, it is an abandonded massive concrete structure stretching several hundred feet long along the water front. The graffiti art is continually painted over with new art so each visit reveals something new. The "rock" or large chunk of concrete in the foreground of this photo I have been accredited to have found by pro photographers who have visited there many times. I "found" it in one of the corners of this huge complex.

The Broom

4545-47 Broom topaz nx 72dpi, originally uploaded by Donnie Fulks.

The Broom has had a long rest since the Silk Mill in Lonaconing, MD closed in 1957. My Grandfather's job during the Great Depression was sweeping factory floors and I remember quite a few lessons in the proper use of a broom. The user of this broom did not have the benefit of such instruction as the broom is not worn evenly.

Cable Mill House Basket

IMG_2241, originally uploaded by Donnie Fulks.

An HDR iPhone shot created with a number of apps and blended together.

Misty Morning on the River

IMG_2761, originally uploaded by Donnie Fulks.

Taken with the 6x6 cam, on the iPhone. The iPhone kick still in full swing.