Urban Exploration: The Arnold House Nursing Home. Detroit, Michigan
Captain's Log.
Star Date: until the end of time
GMorning!!
It's Sunday! That's my fun day!
Lol!
Welcome to today's episode of my blog. It's going to be a great show! Tons of images to share with YOU, my viewing audience! So, without further ado, ON WITH THE SHOW!
A week ago, today, I went urban exploring for the very FIRST time and I must say that I'm HOOKED! It was quite an experience and gave me some insight and I learned from some of the other photogs who went along. There was a total of 10 in our group. Everyone came from different walks of life and levels of expertise! I followed/shadowed the organizer of the group. The cameras ranged from expensive DSLRs to point and shoot! I was not the only photog that had snapped images with the iPhone! I noticed that our leader, Alanna St. Laurent was shooting with her iPhone! I was like: "Cool"! We went out before sunrise to an abandoned building in Detroit. It was the former Arnold House Nursing Home and at one point in time, was considered to be the best facility for seniors. It was very cold and the snow did fall and the wind blew! Hard! Whiteout conditions but as quickly as the wind and snow started, it stopped! Since, all the windows were broken and there was nothing to block the wind, fingers became cold very quickly! Doors were banging from the wind and it reminded me of the perfect setting for a horror film! There was quite extensive damage from the scrappers and the floor was covered in debris! Alanna had informed the group beforehand via email, that some scrappers were killed when the room they were gutting, had the ceiling collapse on them!! We were told to bring flashlights and they came in handy! I felt safe at all times and we were very careful! Stairwells were missing railings and the steps were covered in rubbish! Elevators shafts were left opened! Someone in our group had mused that when the power was cut, that possibly that's the reason why the shafts remained opened. No one ventured very far to shoot in dangerous areas! The rule of thumb is: Be Aware of your surroundings at ALL times! Me, personally, I was more concerned of coming across rats the size of a small dog! Which luckily, none of us had encountered! Saw a raccoon and that was it! There was extensive evidence of scrapping and illegal dumping! We felt at one part, squatters might have taken up temporary residence in the building. OK! OK! Enough of me yakking! Lol! Let me post the images!
I chose to shoot in black and white. I felt it to be fitting for the setting. I did bring my 35mm, my Canon Powershot and my trusty iPhone!
Sidebar: Don't leave home without your iPhone!
I didn't want to keep switching between apps so, I decided to shoot exclusively with +645 Pro. I used the f4 film stock and the 6x9 film back and also the ubiquitous 645 film back. No flash and the white balance was set for low light. I took advantage of natural light which was quite sufficient once the sun rose! I felt that I had made a good call regarding my choices when the host of our excursion stated out loud to the group:" I hope you're shooting with black and white". I will be honest and say that a lot of the images uploaded were shot using the Canon PowerShot. I did edit with +Snapseed and I felt that in post production, the images WERE exactly what I had envisioned in my mind's eye! Yay me! It doesn't always work that way.
I really want to go on another exploration and I continuously receive invites from +Motor City Workshops in regards to urban exploring!
There was a bit of drama and what kind of photographic shoot isn't complete without some sort of hiccup! Poor Alanna! Alanna, myself and Lidya, another photog, had climbed into Alanna's car to get warm! We were already 3 and 1/2 hours out. Lidya forgot her scarf and her gloves didn't keep her hands warm! I was doubled layered as far as my hands went but the layers were bulky! I ended taking my gloves off more than I kept them on!
Sidebar: texting gloves WORK but one sacrifices WARMTH! Hence, my fingers were very nearly frozen! The three of us are in the car, Alanna turns the key over to hear...clicking!! Oh No! Her battery was FLAT! Thank goodness, that 6 men were with us! I know, I know! Just because you're female doesn't mean you're helpless! Well, our plan was to stay "warm" whilst the men froze their butts off trying to jump start the car! Lol! Wink! Wink! There's a method to our madness! Yes, the car DID eventually start after many unsuccessful tries. Later on that day, Alanna messaged all of us via the Website that she had to buy an alternator!
All's well when it ends well!
Alrighty then, that's all the time we have for the show! I certainly hope that you enjoyed today's episode! Please feel free to leave a comment in the box below, tweet and share on Facebook!
If you like my blog, please follow.
Until we meet again,
May the Force be with You!
Star Date: until the end of time
GMorning!!
It's Sunday! That's my fun day!
Lol!
Welcome to today's episode of my blog. It's going to be a great show! Tons of images to share with YOU, my viewing audience! So, without further ado, ON WITH THE SHOW!
A week ago, today, I went urban exploring for the very FIRST time and I must say that I'm HOOKED! It was quite an experience and gave me some insight and I learned from some of the other photogs who went along. There was a total of 10 in our group. Everyone came from different walks of life and levels of expertise! I followed/shadowed the organizer of the group. The cameras ranged from expensive DSLRs to point and shoot! I was not the only photog that had snapped images with the iPhone! I noticed that our leader, Alanna St. Laurent was shooting with her iPhone! I was like: "Cool"! We went out before sunrise to an abandoned building in Detroit. It was the former Arnold House Nursing Home and at one point in time, was considered to be the best facility for seniors. It was very cold and the snow did fall and the wind blew! Hard! Whiteout conditions but as quickly as the wind and snow started, it stopped! Since, all the windows were broken and there was nothing to block the wind, fingers became cold very quickly! Doors were banging from the wind and it reminded me of the perfect setting for a horror film! There was quite extensive damage from the scrappers and the floor was covered in debris! Alanna had informed the group beforehand via email, that some scrappers were killed when the room they were gutting, had the ceiling collapse on them!! We were told to bring flashlights and they came in handy! I felt safe at all times and we were very careful! Stairwells were missing railings and the steps were covered in rubbish! Elevators shafts were left opened! Someone in our group had mused that when the power was cut, that possibly that's the reason why the shafts remained opened. No one ventured very far to shoot in dangerous areas! The rule of thumb is: Be Aware of your surroundings at ALL times! Me, personally, I was more concerned of coming across rats the size of a small dog! Which luckily, none of us had encountered! Saw a raccoon and that was it! There was extensive evidence of scrapping and illegal dumping! We felt at one part, squatters might have taken up temporary residence in the building. OK! OK! Enough of me yakking! Lol! Let me post the images!
I chose to shoot in black and white. I felt it to be fitting for the setting. I did bring my 35mm, my Canon Powershot and my trusty iPhone!
Sidebar: Don't leave home without your iPhone!
I didn't want to keep switching between apps so, I decided to shoot exclusively with +645 Pro. I used the f4 film stock and the 6x9 film back and also the ubiquitous 645 film back. No flash and the white balance was set for low light. I took advantage of natural light which was quite sufficient once the sun rose! I felt that I had made a good call regarding my choices when the host of our excursion stated out loud to the group:" I hope you're shooting with black and white". I will be honest and say that a lot of the images uploaded were shot using the Canon PowerShot. I did edit with +Snapseed and I felt that in post production, the images WERE exactly what I had envisioned in my mind's eye! Yay me! It doesn't always work that way.
I really want to go on another exploration and I continuously receive invites from +Motor City Workshops in regards to urban exploring!
There was a bit of drama and what kind of photographic shoot isn't complete without some sort of hiccup! Poor Alanna! Alanna, myself and Lidya, another photog, had climbed into Alanna's car to get warm! We were already 3 and 1/2 hours out. Lidya forgot her scarf and her gloves didn't keep her hands warm! I was doubled layered as far as my hands went but the layers were bulky! I ended taking my gloves off more than I kept them on!
Sidebar: texting gloves WORK but one sacrifices WARMTH! Hence, my fingers were very nearly frozen! The three of us are in the car, Alanna turns the key over to hear...clicking!! Oh No! Her battery was FLAT! Thank goodness, that 6 men were with us! I know, I know! Just because you're female doesn't mean you're helpless! Well, our plan was to stay "warm" whilst the men froze their butts off trying to jump start the car! Lol! Wink! Wink! There's a method to our madness! Yes, the car DID eventually start after many unsuccessful tries. Later on that day, Alanna messaged all of us via the Website that she had to buy an alternator!
All's well when it ends well!
Alrighty then, that's all the time we have for the show! I certainly hope that you enjoyed today's episode! Please feel free to leave a comment in the box below, tweet and share on Facebook!
If you like my blog, please follow.
Until we meet again,
May the Force be with You!
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