Saturday, May 31, 2014

The range of textures among these cabin remains is extreme.   These restored walls have been stuccoed with a material made from sand and oyster shell based lime.  The National Park service (using volunteers, I think) has done some wonderful work with a few cabins whose walls now look as they likely did when new.  The lintels are impressive, too, as I think they may have been hand hewn at least somewhat after being sawn.  They look authentic anyway.   Originally, the windows would have had wooden shutters to keep out as much nasty weather (and flying critters) as possible. Sooner or later I'll make an appointment with the person in charge of the plantation to get my facts checked, although I've read enough to believe I've been fairly accurate. 






Thursday, May 29, 2014


As strong and durable as tabby is, it is perpetually vulnerable to vegetation that so easily finds a foothold on its rough texture, and organic composition.  This is the only plant I've seen on any of the walls, and I'm loathe to report it to the rangers, or tear it out myself.  I don't think this one little guy will do any harm as long as he doesn't make friends with any newcomers.  I want to photograph it again in different light, but I had to be sure I had at least this one lest it be gone when I visit again.

Update:  I have replaced the photograph I posted with this one that is better I think.





Monday, May 26, 2014

One would think I could find nothing else to photograph given the persistence of Kingsley as my subject.  And, in a way that's true.  The last part of the trip there is visually more interesting than anywhere else in this area that I'm familiar with.  But, I am so intent on getting to the cabins I have ignored everything else that's interesting along the way.  I will insist to myself that that must not continue, and when something attracts my attention, I will stop and make a photograph if at all possible.  Nonetheless, here are some more of the cabins. 











Thursday, May 22, 2014

Every time I finish a roll of film at Kingsley and pack up my kit, I see something I know I need to photograph the next time I visit.  I'm itchy in that way just now remembering something I saw as I was leaving a few days ago that I don't want to miss.  I go back and forth between abstracts and 'documents', but the abstracts are the most visually interesting. So, I'll probably return tomorrow, because I can, but I expect that will provoke yet another visit in the next few days.  Too bad I can't rent a room there, and encounter the place afresh every day for a while. 






Tuesday, May 20, 2014

In addition to the single cabin that's been almost entirely restored, there are several others that have been whitewashed with lime based stucco, and had lintels and brick fireplaces reconstructed or replaced (the lintels, I think).  The beams look hand hewn, and fit snugly on the tabby walls that support them.  Florida weather breeds mildew in abundance, so the 'dirty' look of the unrestored tabby is quite dramatic after one hundred plus years. The walls that have been stuccoed and whitewashed, though, are equally dramatic in their newly pristine condition. 






Sunday, May 18, 2014

During my rainy day trip to Kingsley, I exposed two rolls of film.  When I posted the two pictures last Thursday, May 15th, I had not developed the second roll.  That was accomplished yesterday, and I like some of those images more than the others.  So, I'm posting a new one, and a different (wider) view of what I posted before that I think I like better.  If this were a website and not a blog, of course, I'd only post the one I preferred, but you may be interested in seeing both and making your own choice.

Ultimately, I'll have to choose the best of all I take during the year, and they will comprise the series I'll try to do something with.  I was beginning to think I'd end up repeating a lot of ideas, but each time I visit, I see something I hadn't seen before.  I want to go again when there's a lot of rain to explore one of those new ideas that didn't get photographed last week, but did get noticed.





Thursday, May 15, 2014

I've been wanting to make a photograph within the lone, restored Kingsley cabin during heavy rain to capture the runoff from the gutterless roof.  It was finally possible today, and my luck was spot on as I arrived there, walked to the cabin, set up my kit, and framed a first image just as the rain began in earnest.  The cabins originally had wooden shutters, but the windows were glassless.  In summery weather, it must have been oppressively humid and buggy to live here..but,  the manor house was no less so in that era before even the idea of air conditioning existed.





Tuesday, May 6, 2014

This photograph may be the last Kingsley image I post for a while.  I don't expect to return there until there is a weather change that might include fog, heavy rain, or some unusual light.  It's all too easy to find abstractions that are enhanced by strong shadows, but they become repetitious and not worth redoing when they're too similar to what I've photographed already.  The other good reason to stay away for a bit is to let my visual impressions of the place ferment and ripen.  When I visit again,  I'll either see things with deeper insight, or with an entirely new viewpoint, but I hope I'll come away with something fresh. 





Sunday, May 4, 2014

I've been waiting for a rainy day to make a particular photograph at Kingsley, and Friday, May 1st was such a day.  But, by the time I'd set up there was only drizzle, and the torrent of rain running off the gutterless roof of the one restored, model cabin just didn't happen.  So, another time for that.  Nonetheless, I trudged around in the light rain holding an umbrella over the camera and pod and found these.  It's good to photograph certain subjects in flat light as the contrast is reduced a great deal, but there is still plenty to deal with.