Abyssgazing

Mystery House

I drive through Kentucky once or twice a year and, usually, I drive by this very old stone house that sits along US 23.

I first stopped by to photograh it in 2002.  Considering it's been more or less open to the elements since then, it looks alright.  I hope someone rescues it soon, though.

Additional photos can be found here.

The photo at the top is taken with the Hipstamatic app using the Matty ALN lens and Ina's 1969 film. The circa 2002 photo at the bottom is for reference and is not an iPhone image, of course.

Winter Sky

I was driving through West Virginia on Thursday.  It was a beautiful crisply chilly day.  A bit of snow had fallen the previous night, so I couldn't resist taking a short side trip to Grandview.   I was the only human around, so it felt a little strange walking out to the overlook.  Creepy, but in a good way if you know what I mean.

The sky and treetop image is a straight iPhone photo, the image of Grandview is a Hipstamatic using the Tejas lens and Ina's 1935 film.

 

Plummy!

I got my first Blythe doll five years ago, but I haven't taken too many photos of her (or the other two I have).  Blythe is a big deal on Flickr and recently I thought I'd like to get in on the fun, so here's one of Plummy.  Her kitty is handmade by Violet Pi and her outfit is by moshi moshi.  The iPhone photograph is altered with TiltShiftGen.

Yes, I still play with dolls.

Cadillac Mountain Colors

We drove up to the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia NP in mid-October.  The summit was completely fogged in--there's supposed to be a view of Bar Harbor in the background of this image, but it was only mist this day.  It was dreamy and magical.  

The colors were so beautiful.  I would love to match them up with some Jamieson Sheltland Spindrift wool and knit a Fair Isle piece to commemorate the experience.  Someday.  

This image was taken with the iPhone camera and fiddled around a bit in the TiltShiftGen app.

Glass Doorknobs

This was taken at a flea market a few weeks ago using the Hipstamatic app and that other "Cowboys and Aliens" lens--Matty ALN--and the Ina's 1935 film.

Christmas Begins...

We decorated the Christmas tree last night.  One of the old Shiny Brite ornaments is featured in this photo taken with the Hipstamatic app using the Libatique 73 lens (a Cowboys and Aliens tie-in!*) and Ina's 1969 film.

*I really like both of the Cowboys and Aliens lenses--the other--"Matty ALN"--imparts a green glowing starburst effect.

Clouds

I took this photo of the clouds reflected onto the surf directly with my iPhone camera.  No post-processing apps, no nothin'.

Cape May Hipstamatic

This photo was taken at the Congress Inn at Cape May, NJ, with the Hipstamatic app using the Tejas lens and Ina's 1969 film,

Shore Leave

This is an iPhone image I caught at a flea market and processed in the Photogene2 and Picture Show apps.

 It's pretty spooky.  Totally aside from that disturbing little sailor doll, I find the early 50s television look sorta creepy.  Although I'm trying to unpack it here, I'm not sure I have the vocabulary for the task.  Despite their being in black & white, certain old shows seem more "real" than a black & white movie of the same vintage somehow.  For me, it is looking through a window to the past and I don't mean that metaphorically, but literally, in the sense that the surface of the screen is "transparent," perceptually, and I'm looking through it into another space and time.  I think its the kinoscopes I'm talking about.

Yes, I suffer from kinoscopophobia (I just made that up, I don't see my malady listed).

Invariably, when I see old clips, I feel I'm looking at ghosts.  I feel as though I'm seeing something I'm not supposed to see--something dead, ruined, and unclean from another dimension.  It's their world and I'm not welcomed in it.

I used to hate running across an old show like that late at night by myself.  Nightmare fuel.

Film and modern video seem married to the picture plane (I mean, there's nothing especially scary about "I Love Lucy"), but those kinoscopes wobble and undulate like a breathing creature.  The figures shapeshift in and out of focus.  I almost feel I could reach out and enter their space, but of course, why would I want to?

Now, please--enjoy "Shore Leave".

The Lighthouse at Cape Neddick, Maine

After trying with some difficulty to navigate through the nearby town's pumpkin festival, we arrived at the lighthouse with only scarce few minutes of daylight remaining.  I had my phone set to randomize the Hipstamatic settings--this shot turned out to be the Lucifer VI lens with Float film.  I love the grungy old Viewmaster look.  It has a sort of Through the Viewfinder appearance, as well.