Eastern State Penitentiary Photo Tour
Apr 3, 2019 08:41:37 #
Fstop12 wrote:
My wife and I was a few years ago. It's an interesting place to photograph if you are into Urban Grunge.
We hand held are camera's so we didn't have to mess with our tripods. It got very busy there with tour
groups. You can take a guided tour, or you can just do it yourself with headphones that give you the history.
We enjoyed it. Here are a couple of images taken there. The first one is Al Capone's Prison cell.
We hand held are camera's so we didn't have to mess with our tripods. It got very busy there with tour
groups. You can take a guided tour, or you can just do it yourself with headphones that give you the history.
We enjoyed it. Here are a couple of images taken there. The first one is Al Capone's Prison cell.
Yes. This was Capone's first prison cell! Pretty swanky!
Apr 3, 2019 08:42:06 #
Oh, I forgot to mention. Take photos of the locks and the keys if available. A very rare sight. But most of all, follow the rules and ask if you can take a photo before doing so. Yes, you will be a nuisance but the photos will be worth it.
Apr 3, 2019 09:05:14 #
berchman
Loc: South Central PA
Fstop12 wrote:
My wife and I was a few years ago. It's an interesting place to photograph if you are into Urban Grunge.
We hand held are camera's so we didn't have to mess with our tripods. It got very busy there with tour
groups. You can take a guided tour, or you can just do it yourself with headphones that give you the history.
We enjoyed it. Here are a couple of images taken there. The first one is Al Capone's Prison cell.
We hand held are camera's so we didn't have to mess with our tripods. It got very busy there with tour
groups. You can take a guided tour, or you can just do it yourself with headphones that give you the history.
We enjoyed it. Here are a couple of images taken there. The first one is Al Capone's Prison cell.
Nice shots.
Apr 3, 2019 09:27:07 #
mwsilvers
Loc: Central New Jersey
kevindunne wrote:
Has anyone photographed this place? Any tips?
Planning on doing it April12th.
Thanks,
Kevin
Planning on doing it April12th.
Thanks,
Kevin
Been there. I got some shots I'm happy with. I didn't take any tour, My wife and I just walked through on our own with a guide map and headphones. The problem with a formal tour is you will be with other people and getting a particular shot in the generally tight spaces of the prison without someone in the image could be difficult, and by the time you're in a position to get the shot you want, the tour may have moved one. Many of the spaces are dark so I recommend a fast lens if you have one. However, I was able to get quite a few shouts with my 35mm f/2 lens stopped down to f/7.1 and f/8. Both of these images were stopped down.
Apr 3, 2019 09:33:53 #
mwsilvers
Loc: Central New Jersey
Bigmike1 wrote:
Never considered taking a camera into a prison. I toured the Utah State Prison in the 1960's with a criminology class from Brigham Young University but not one of us had a camera. I was just a poor student at the time anyway and could hardly afford a roll of film.
Eastern State Penitentiary is a museum. It was built in the 1800's and was considered a model for prisons at the time. It was either the first, or one of the first, modern prisons in the world. It may look pretty horrible by current standards but in its day it was an enlightened form of incarceration.
Apr 3, 2019 09:35:26 #
mwsilvers
Loc: Central New Jersey
dparker708 wrote:
Better check to make sure cameras are allowed inside. Having worked in a California State Prison, I doubt it.
Its not an active prison, its a museum, and cameras are very much allowed.
Apr 3, 2019 10:22:46 #
kevindunne wrote:
Has anyone photographed this place? Any tips?
Planning on doing it April12th.
Thanks,
Kevin
Planning on doing it April12th.
Thanks,
Kevin
I have seen lots of shots from their. It is one of those places kept in a state of "arrested decay" and if you like shooting urban decay, you will get lots of great shots there. Don't miss Al Capone's cell!
Apr 3, 2019 16:39:16 #
Apr 3, 2019 16:41:05 #
Apr 3, 2019 16:42:12 #
kevindunne wrote:
Has anyone photographed this place? Any tips?
Planning on doing it April12th.
Thanks,
Kevin
Planning on doing it April12th.
Thanks,
Kevin
Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP) is a fabulous to visit and photograph. I went in Sept 2017 and loved it. I didn't take a tripod, but if you use one, there's a $10 fee. In their cell blocks, there's an Artist Installation called "Other Absences" that was interesting to me. The artist drew portraits representing victims who were murdered by men and women who ultimately were incarcerated at ESP. Also, be sure to check out the hourly tours (no extra charge) to visit areas that aren't open to the public, except for the times listed. Fascinating place. If I ever get back to Philly, I would visit ESP again.
https://www.easternstate.org/
Other Absences art installation
murals in Chaplain's Office painted by a prisoner (behind the scenes tour)
Apr 3, 2019 17:21:27 #
Jusayen
Loc: Oak Ridge,New Jersey
This jail would discourage any sane individual from breaking the law,but that was then and now is now!
Haunting photos.
Haunting photos.
Apr 3, 2019 19:58:35 #
Bigmike1
Loc: I am from Gaffney, S.C. but live in Utah.
Wouldn't it be sort of dangerous to take a camera into a prison? Considering the people, who inhabit the place someone could steal the camera. (:
Apr 3, 2019 22:42:56 #
kevindunne wrote:
Has anyone photographed this place? Any tips?
Planning on doing it April12th.
Thanks,
Kevin
Planning on doing it April12th.
Thanks,
Kevin
You will need a tripod, and shoot with the intent of either merging HDR images or using luminosity masking to resolve the extreme contrast. Having focus stacking under your belt is also good, but you'll need to understand how to manually adjust the masks in post processing. The end result of all of this will just blow your mind, and it's totally worth the effort.
Apr 4, 2019 01:58:35 #
Bigmike1 wrote:
Wouldn't it be sort of dangerous to take a camera into a prison? Considering the people, who inhabit the place someone could steal the camera. (:
It hasn't had an active prisoner since 1971 although its reputed to have things lingering there :)
Apr 4, 2019 06:10:15 #
I suggest bringing a tripod and shooting with the intention of utilizing HDR for your final work. Fstop12 is correct that it can get very busy with tour groups so I advise you get there at or before 10 to be able to set up using tripod. Nice work Fstop12.
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.