So a funny thing happened last weekend.
Well, let me backtrack just a bit.
There are two things I've been wanting to do:
Well, let me backtrack just a bit.
There are two things I've been wanting to do:
1) Learn how to work with models and how to shoot portraits, and
2) Visit beautiful but creepy Preston Castle in Ione, California.
Luckily, I had the opportunity to attend a "Photographer's Day" at Preston Castle with my friend Rodney. We were very excited to put our (very different) photo skills to the test in this gorgeous building.
So you can see what I'm talking about, here is a panorama shot that Rodney took with his IPad of the front of Preston School of Industry (AKA Preston Castle).
I would like to link to the history of the school, but alas, there doesn't seem to be one website (including the "official" Preston Castle Foundation site) that has all the stories and facts. So your best bet is to Google it and read the different pages and blogs that might catch your interest.
But one thing that is pretty much agreed upon is that the Castle is haunted by at least one or two spirits. One of the restless spirits is almost certainly that of Anna Corbin, a housekeeper for the school who was violently murdered on the premises.
As some of you may know, I do consider myself to be somewhat "sensitive" to supernatural/spiritual things. That being said, I did have a couple of weird instances in the Castle and I don't have a logical explanation for either of them.
When Rodney and I first arrived, we headed to the basement to scope it out while most of the other 30 or so people stayed on the first floor. I spent a few moments just walking around the various rooms with an eye for what might make an interesting picture.
As I walked into a room with barrels lining the wall and turned towards a closet in that room, I was briefly stopped in my tracks by a feeling of intense fear. I actually left that room immediately and didn't return to even check out the rest of the rooms around it.
After reading over the last couple days about the murder of Anna Corbin, I realize that her bludgeoned body was found somewhere in the immediate vicinity of that spot where I felt that intense fear. Accounts differ, but all agree that somewhere in basement near the kitchen is where she was found.
Honestly, I let that feeling-that I had felt so briefly-color the photos that I was first taking in the basement. Including the creepy shower and toilet room that are strangely located just beside a huge recreation room and separated only by glass windows and half walls!
(Yes, creepy effect added by me in that last photo. Haha!)
Anyway, I knew a little bit of the history before going in, but to be honest, when I found out that they had provided a couple of models for us to shoot if we chose, all thoughts of spirits went out of my head. I have some "model shots" in this post, but I'm mainly going to focus on the Castle.
The next three photos are in the basement on the opposite side from the scene of the murder.
In the first one, I was trying to capture the cool roof, but I'm not sure it translates very well.
I sat on the floor in one room to get this shot with the cool doorways and arches. In a happy coincidence, another photographer had just taken a photo and they walked in front of the window just as I snapped.
I thought it kind of looked like a forlorn hug while looking out the window hoping to escape. I actually liked the idea so much that I used it in a couple of my model shots.
Judging from the desks (a lot of antiques are still in the Castle) and a chalkboard on the wall ahead of them, this was a schoolroom. Seems a little weird to have school in the basement, but what do I know.
These are my models bringing my creepy ideas to life.
This is Aubrey. And this was my first shot in tricky lighting. My main regret from the day was I do prefer to shoot handheld with ambient light (mainly because I don't have much in the way of lights) so I had to bump my ISO to 1600. A lot of my shots are a bit too grainy for my personal taste, but it does work for the creepiness.
And this is Sarah.
After finishing in the basement, we headed back up to the first floor. I had seen a beautiful blue room (Which I like to call the Blue Room) and I definitely wanted to get some shots in it.
When Aubrey, Rodney, and I got there, Sarah was already there with another photographer and they were taking some shots by the window. I asked if it was okay if we came in and shot as well and she asked if she could also have Aubrey in her pictures, so we agreed to share space and models.
While she and Aubrey were getting on the same page, I got this photo of Sarah looking out the window. It's one of my absolute favorites of the day. But I have so many favorites! lol
I really like the contrast between the two girls.
I really love this picture...but maybe not this edit. When I was taking the shot, I told Aubrey that it looked like a different girl in the broken mirror. So I changed the color of the clothes in the reflection to try to get that look. What do you think?
For this next shot, there was another photographer, Laurie, who was working with Sarah and having her walk down the hallway. I asked if I could get some shots too. She said she was done and so I asked Aubrey and Sarah to walk together, again because I love the contrast in their looks. Perfect combination of soft and strong! And their coloring is reflected in the yellow, white and browns of the hallway.
Lines are always a great addition to photos. They can be used to direct the eyes to the main subject or provide contrast to it. I also like that you can see the "Exit" sign between them when I first I was a bit upset that it was "ruining" my photo! But now I call this Exit.
Aubrey on the stairs. Again using the lines to direct the eye to her face.
I believe there was another ghostly encounter here which manifested in a "blown" photo with a shadow of Aubrey to my right of her. But I was not using a flash and, in order for the shadow to be where it is, a photographer with a strobe would have had to be standing pressed against the wall directly beside me.
There is a logical explanation (another photographer's strobe) that doesn't explain the illogical placement of the shadow.
I believe there was another ghostly encounter here which manifested in a "blown" photo with a shadow of Aubrey to my right of her. But I was not using a flash and, in order for the shadow to be where it is, a photographer with a strobe would have had to be standing pressed against the wall directly beside me.
There is a logical explanation (another photographer's strobe) that doesn't explain the illogical placement of the shadow.
Only my friend, Rodney, was on the landing of the stairs with me and he was behind me and just a little closer to the wall. Plus, he checked all his photos and didn't take one at this moment. So I feel like there is still a ghostly possibility. :-)
Aubrey's clothes had a steampunk vibe to them which I tried to capture in some poses and places.
I told her with the sunglasses on, she looked like a mad scientist, which we put into use later in some playful photos.
I told her with the sunglasses on, she looked like a mad scientist, which we put into use later in some playful photos.
I kind of wanted her to get in the tub, which she was game to do, but a docent overheard us wondering if we were allowed (they had told us not to sit on any of the antique chairs, windowsills, tables, etc.) and quickly told us "please don't!". So we did the next best thing?
I honestly couldn't get the colors right in this room and so turned this into a sepia-toned black and white with a little extra ghostly illumination on Aubrey's face.
Library
Dormitory (The colors gave me a little trouble here too. But there will be a photo in the next post which I really like and I was able to get the colors right.)
Awww, here's my mad scientist! Lol! Love this shot.
Infirmary
Only the first two floors (plus the basement) were open to the photographers and looking through the ruins of a cordoned-off room you could see why! This is looking up to the third floor and it pretty much was open all the way down to the basement.
This beautiful (or creepy YMMV) doll was in one of the furnished bedrooms.
It was very close in the Castle and quite hot despite some windows being opened. We had four hours access to the Castle, but I was only inside for about 2 before I thought I might faint.
Rodney and I walked around the back of the Castle (running into Laurie again!) and found the Cornerstone Time Capsule,, which was buried in 1894, opened in 1994, and then some items added to it and reburied. I suppose it will be reopened in 2094. I'll probably be dead but there could be a breakthrough in modern medicine.
And we will appropriately finish off with a beautiful panorama of the back of Preston Castle courtesy of Rodney!
Such a fascinating and beautiful place! I can't wait to share more of my photos with you!
xoxo
