Revisiting Eagle Mill Road

So Amanda's pissed. So much so that she just can't talk about herself except in the third person. Whatev.

So since Advanced Photo Imaging closed at 3pm Saturday I couldn't get there in time, and Sunday they are always closed. . . and I wasn't sure about the holiday. And for some odd reason I miscalculated and thought my critique was on tuesday instead of wednesday. So I thought I had to take them to Rite Aid to get them back in time. Big. Mistake.

The prints I got back look terrible. I think they simply scanned the negatives and made digital prints from that, so surprisingly enough the scans look better than the prints I have. . . they are just disgusting and grainy. Although even the scans are still pretty blown out light wise, and some of the color is really crappy. So hopefully I will be able to take the negatives to API and get better prints. Let this be a lesson to you all. . . Rite Aid sucks. . . don't trust them with your art. . .

But despite that unfortunate bit of news this is one of the best locations I have ever been to.

Driving home from Portland after Christmas break we took the Ashland exit, and got on to Eagle Mill Rd. Mysha pointed out a house you could see from the road up a little drive. I decided I needed to go photograph there, and two weeks later it happened.

My friend Jared volunteered to drive me out to this location, so he and I, along with Maia and Chesaer, made the trek out. Pictured below: Jared.

Maia and Chesaer waited in the car while Jared and I walked up to the house. Just walking up the drive I got excited, it was all dirt with grass growing between tire tracks. Love it! We bypassed some signage warning us away and came upon this:

Even better yet it was surrounded by a sort of creek/ditch, it quite literally looked like a moat. We had to cross an old rickety bridge to get to the other side. On the side closest to the house some blackberry brambles grew up creating a sort of archway we had to duck under to get past. It was very story-book-esque, I almost lost a kerchief and my sweater got stuck.

View from the house from the bridge you have to cross to get to it.



I started out in a little room facing out towards the little creek. If the light from the windows wasn't blown out you'd be able to see trees in the distance, maybe even the mountains. Look I was decapitated! I don't particularly care for the pic above but the one below is nice. . .

I like the light on my hand.

I had also noticed this crazy shack outside, once the sun started to set I realized I better get out there to check it out. . .

I crawled under it. . . (wicked witch of the east, anyone?)

. . .and into it. . .

. . .and all around inside.


Only frame like this. . . camera was on just a few inches off of the ground. I wish I didn't look so awkward because otherwise it's a super cool image.

One of my favs. I could see my own breath so I would time my breathing so that I would exhale when the shutter clicked. . . it didn't show up in any of them. Oh well.




You can barely see me. Just the way I like it.

Towards the end I was trying to just snap off context frames so I could finish my roll of film, but I kept noticing frames that looked so cool I couldn't pass them up! So this is one of those.

All in all this was a most excellent location, a wonderful photographic event for me! I can't help feeling like these are getting better, although I guess the real test will be when I print them in 16 x 20 myself. . . which will hopefully only lead to better print quality, more control over color, etc. Which reminds me I need to research what kind of filters hoper needs.

Thanks again to Mysha for pointing this location out, Jared for driving me out there, and Maia and Chesaer for waiting patiently in the car. And remember, when you're driving by that old abandoned building. . . think of me. . .