Posts

Showing posts from July, 2013

Inside the Abandoned National Silk Dyeing Co.: Paterson, NJ's Forgotten Textile Mill (Photos)

Image
  The text message from my friend J was simple: a list of addresses in Newark and Paterson. An invitation. An urban treasure map with Xs marking forgotten places. I picked the one on Piercy Street. Pulling up, I saw the building wasn’t exactly hiding. It was a behemoth of brick and colorful lettered graffiti, a whole city block of decay. A door gaped open next to an old loading dock, but the scene gave me pause. Mounds of illegally dumped trash lay along the floor of the loading bay. This part of Paterson has a tough reputation, and the open doors felt less like an invitation and more like a dare. I took a deep breath and stepped inside. The air was thick with the smell of dust and damp. I found myself in a vast, open space littered with plastic containers and skeletal metal shelving. I moved deeper, drawn toward the old boiler house section. Before I reached it, I walked into a room that stopped me cold. Everything was stained a deep, blood red. A fine crimson powder coated the fl...
Post a Comment
Read more

Camera Repair by Rick Oleson

Image
Rick Oleson is recognized in the photography and vintage camera enthusiast communities for his extensive knowledge and skill in repairing and refurbishing classic cameras. With a deep understanding of both the mechanical and optical components of a wide range of camera models, Rick has become a go-to source for those seeking to restore their cherished photographic equipment to working order. His work often involves intricate processes, such as disassembling, cleaning, recalibrating, and sometimes machining replacement parts for cameras that are no longer supported by their original manufacturers. On his Flickr page, Rick Oleson shares detailed photographs that document the meticulous steps involved in each repair job. These images not only serve as a visual record of his restorative work but also as educational material for hobbyists looking to learn more about camera mechanics. From common fixes like replacing light seals and mirror dampers to more complex tasks like rangefinder alig...
Post a Comment
Read more

Graffiti Cans (Decades Old)

Image
Takumar 55mm Bokeh - Old Graffiti Cans The amount of empty, derelict and rust out cans shows the amount of layers of covered art pieces forever lost to new artful pieces never to be seen again. Graffiti art is like love lost. It is there one fleeting moment and the next moment it is gone forever. Gritty street art does not always last forever. Brooklyn is in the house! Lens Info: Super-Takumar 55mm 1:1.2 @ f/2  © Digital Ink'D Photography
Post a Comment
Read more

My Führer...

Image
Underground German American Führer 1 - Buddy, what you looking at? Underground German American Führer 2 A very colorful portrait I call the German Hitler. This boxed looking portrait reminds me of the Führer in a whimsical caricature light. I am so pleased to release these never before seen graffiti people rarely see this deep in Brooklyn where I live. It really shows the character and flavor of these unknown artists whose works most people will never know about except those who traverse this graffiti line I frequent. Bringing these artworks to life and spreading it to the masses is a duty. What is so different from a Rembrandt and a Picasso in a museum to a tagged wall filled with such vibrant works of color and composition? I hope you like it as much as I do because it brings a smile to my face trying to figure out what mood and mindset the artist came to creating such pieces. Lens Info: Super-Takumar 55mm 1:2 @ f/2  © Digital Ink'D Photograph...
Post a Comment
Read more

Forever Young, Forever Lost & Forever Forgotten

Image
Old Schenectady Avenue Subway line This old Brooklyn rail line will be lost forever. Tracks of a bygone era when subway trains rolled endless along its track. Man and machine rolling along the steel so effortlessly. Millions of hard working Brooklynites traversing each corner back and forth. Night after night. Day after day. Now all is lost. Service gone no more lumbering along the narrow tracks. Nature has come to take back its rightful place. Eating away tirelessly at its anti-rust core. All nature can do is hide it away from sight until that final day comes when it shall be no more.  Lens Info: Super-Takumar 55mm 1:2 @ f/2  © Digital Ink'D Photography
Post a Comment
Read more

Popular posts from this blog

Inside the Abandoned R&S Strauss Auto Service Center (Photos)

Image
  I was driving towards what used to be the Consumers Park Brewery when something caught my eye—the wooden gate doors of the old auto parts store were wide open. Someone had broken in. The building had been vacant for years, even as new construction surged all around it. Right next door, a fresh, modern structure had risen, but this place remained untouched—a relic of the past hollowed out and forgotten. I pulled over without hesitation. These moments don’t come often. A while back, another shuttered dealership had been left open for months, its entrance exposed. Graffiti artists had made their mark on the metal gates, turning the abandoned space into an urban canvas. I had thought about exploring it, but before I could, the gates were suddenly chained shut overnight. The opportunity was gone. Not this time. This time, I wasn’t letting the moment slip away. I stepped inside, finally getting a look at what had been hidden behind those rolled-down gates and green plywood barriers. An...
Read more

Exploring the Abandoned Aerosol Techniques Factory in Milford, CT (Photos)

Image
When I arrived at the former Aerosol Techniques factory, I was filled with a mix of anticipation and curiosity. Meeting a group of new friends for a day of urban exploration in Connecticut, we had a lineup of intriguing abandoned sites on our agenda. Our itinerary included the hauntingly beautiful Seaside Sanatorium, a former hospital, along with a few other potential spots that we were less certain about. We chose the factory as our starting point, mainly because it offered easy access and was conveniently situated next to a Lowe's hardware store. Walking along a well-trodden path, our group made a seamless transition onto the property. The sense of camaraderie was palpable as we embarked on our adventure with eager enthusiasm. The factory grounds, long deserted, were a canvas for countless graffiti artists. Every inch of the building was adorned with vibrant and eclectic street art, each piece telling its own story. This rich color and creativity set the perfect stage for our imp...
Read more

United States Naval Air Propulsion Center (NAPC)

Image
This place holds a special meaning for me. I’ve visited several times, determined to explore every corner and uncover its secrets. But no matter how hard I tried, I never quite managed to see it all. The main front building, the one closest to the road? Never got inside. The massive cooling building in the back with its giant fans and smaller outbuildings? Missed that, too. And then there was the tank farm—a cluster of 22 rusty tanks tucked away in the upper right corner of the property. For some reason, no one ever took pictures of those tanks, even though they sat quietly in the shadows. I only noticed them recently, flipping through my old research notes. That’s when it hit me: I’d never taken the path that led there, too hesitant to get close to the Trenton-Mercer Airport’s fence line. I wasn’t here to get in trouble. I was here for the peaceful, empty buildings, not to risk getting caught wandering near airport grounds. Still, being there felt like stepping back in time. Walking t...
Read more

Abandoned Mystery Hotel

Image
A curious case of no found history. Today I present the 'Mystery Hotel' because the only relevant real estate information that could be found for this property all points to the category listed as hotels and classed as a miscellaneous hotel for land use pertaining to commercial & office buildings. Nothing could be found either in the Department of Buildings database using two known addresses for this property. I searched and searched for property records pertaining to the past uses and occupants of this commercial building but came up empty. Hopefully, in the future when development comes to this property I can write up a new update. But for now, enjoy these exterior shots I shot a few weeks ago. Former Hotel Entrance Cross Street View Now just used to store local school buses. About a month ago, there was a visible entrance inside the driveway. Someone had broken through the cinder blocked doorway and made their way inside probably to scrap for meta...
Read more