February 2014 – Denise Bush's Photo Blog

Fifth Time In The Pen
Photo trip number five to Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary Museum was during a special offer for photographers, in the hours pre and post twilight. I searched for subjects that I had not photographed before and found a few to my liking. First I looked outside while there was still some light and found some architectural elements from 1903 that were now weathered and worn and hiding secrets within. In one cell there were some puzzling bowls… some look like toilets and others more like planters. A mysterious red glow emanated from a left-behind box and I captured the glow that only I could see. I found a desk, bathed in warm desk-lamp light while the cool tones of twilight streamed in from above. As I walked around alone looking and thinking about those who had spent time there, I sensed the presence of lingering spirits.

On my way home from a photography outing, I stopped at a place I had been eyeing for years. Maybe I was waiting for time to make it just right. On close inspection I saw some details that I liked. A colorful, granny square afghan hung in one window and lace curtains in others. The peeling paint and old styling called to me to photograph the rich textures years had left behind. Lonely, the old house told me a story of its last resident while I listened and recorded it with my camera.