I was invited to present at the Lehigh Valley Photography Club. The weekend creativity clinic included a Friday evening presentation and day long workshop on Saturday. The group was given access to a plant building chock full of equipment, tools, and machinery from the industrial age in this country. My father worked at Bethlehem Steel in Baltimore (Sparrows Point) for 45 yrs, so I had an immediate kinship with the Steel culture in Bethlehem. Although, the plant in Baltimore will be leveled in the coming years, the plant in Bethlehem is being preserved. I mean, LOOK at this place! It has come full circle to have a futuristic look to it. So much so, that the plant was used as the backdrop for Terminator 3!
After an enjoyable day photographing in the plant area, the group photographed at the historic St. Michael’s Cemetery. The cemetery is high on a hill overlooking a diagonal line of old row homes with the plant in the background. The city has many ethnic areas, not unlike Baltimore city, and every ethnicity has their churches, many spires of which are visible from St. Michael’s cemetery.
Given the large number of photographers in the workshop, I chose to leave my bag and tripod in the car, and only shoot iPhone. Aside from a few grab shots for me, the iPhone is a tremendous teaching tool which was used to show subject and composition ideas in real time as I worked from student to student.
I’d like to thank Ed Vatza for inviting me to Bethlehem and look forward to a return visit as soon as I can find a few open days. Also, great thanks to our very knowledgable and helpful guides Michael Piersa, and Frank!
Here’s a gallery of iPhone images from the trip. Click on the image, including the lead image, for an expanded view.
Apps used were Hipstamatic (John S and kodot), True HDR, PhotoForge 1 (Oil Paint & Watercolor), Snapseed, AutoStitch, AvgCam Pro (multiple Exp.), Dynamic B&W, Camera+ (Clarity)
After a few short trips and the holidays, we’re off to our Cuba photo tour!
Have a great Holiday Season and we’ll see you online!
Tony
It’s right up your alley, Authur. Thx, man.
I thought I was over the iPhone bug – well, I’m out the door today with it again thanks to this collection!
Tony! Great to check in with you via the blog. Great stuff here. I stood on that hill last year with Sam Abell and Rick Holt, trying to position ourselves in the exact spot that Walker Evans did when he made his iconic photograph. But seeing your work brings me right back to the realization of just how paramount creativity is in what we do. You’ve always been an inspiration and you’ve done it again! I’m eager to go now and walk around Lisbon with my camera! (I’m in Portugal now…) Big hug to you both, Keron
Great stuff Tony. Have wanted to photograph Bethlehem for a long time – even more so now…
Thx a LOT, K! That’s the first time I shot iPhone for an entire day for a long time.
Great work, love your shots here. Looks like it was a fun weekend!
Thx, John. Ed did a great job with the upfront work and everything moved seamlessly throughout the day. It was an outstanding day!
And you and the iPhone did a tremendous job. Ed Vatza is a class act! Looks like you had a great workshop.