I went to Northern State Hospital (NSH) after work today, let’s get the reason why I went there out of the way. I started a macro blog (>>Macro Aberration<<) back in March and have only posted two images since (the second being…yesterday)! I decided last night to start posting there again (I just love macros)! Anyway, the idea was to post a macro shot here and providing you a link. Mind you, today’s image over there will be the same as this one… 😛 >>Macro Aberration<<
On to the REAL story!
I only took 9 images today. Nine, IX, Sanga, Negen, Neuf…Nine! While I love to take my time, study what I am shooting, check out different angles, what does the subject look like if I take a step to the right (and do the time warp)? Nine, it’s SO not like me. I got to NSH late today, it was getting dark. Ever been to a place that’s found to be haunted by Ghost Hunters when it’s getting dark? I should have taken the hint when there was NO ONE to be seen or heard, no cars, no dogs barking in the background, no crickets…was really creepy quiet. After I took a few shots of this little creek, I decided to head into this one cluster of buildings (it’s the closest one to the creek) to get a macro shot as I knew the building, it’s the old bakery. There’s tables all over the place with cool things just kicking it! When I go out shooting by myself, I always listen to my Zune (MP3 player). When I entered the building, I got this really…foreboding feeling, turn around David, go back to the creek! Did I? Nope, I just took my headphones off, turned off my Zune and proceeded to setup the shot. I was ready. It was SUPER quiet. Ever have someone slightly run a few fingers on the top of your head, barely touching your scalp? THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED, I looked up immediately (okay, I lie, I freaking JUMPED) and saw this dark shadow disappear near the window. I heard nothing, not a peep, not a flap or a tweet. I keep trying to rationalize this by thinking it was just a bird…but there were no birds in there, there was no sound…
Has this happened before? Not to this extent! Both Jolene and I have had…”odd” things happen in this cluster of buildings before. Jolene’s run-in happened almost a year ago today, check it out here -> Whistle In The Dark
Will I go back by myself? Hell ya, I love that place too much not to (hard headed I suppose)! 🙂 Sorry for the lengthy post, I just had to share….enjoy…
…d
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David Williams Photography 
Great pic and story, I love places like that! If you are scared you know it counts, haha!
Thank you for visiting and commenting, glad you liked the image! 😀
That’s a great story – but I would definitely be too scared to go back there on my own!
I like your macro shot a lot, the shallow depth of field and the details are very beautiful. So are the gentle tones in your photograph.
I really do love going there, I still am in amazement that I only captured 9 images that day! Thank you for your comment Martina.
Yikes! Great story, David. I’m glad you will not allow yourself to be scared away. The creep-factor is a small price to pay for a great shot! 🙂
Creep factor, I like it Caryn! Thank you for the comment.
Yikes! I can feel my hair standing upright as I read this. I don’t know if you saw this, but the last time I was out there with Mike, I captured what looks like faces in the wall of one of the buildings. http://emilygoochphotos.wordpress.com/2011/04/15/do-you-see-the-face/ It was creepy. I haven’t been back there since and I don’t think I will. I felt a lot of sadness and pain when I walked through there…
Wow, now how on earth did I miss your post??? The cluster you took that shot in is different than the one Jolene and I were…experiencing things. Like I mentioned before, I normally feel VERY at peace there.
I’ve had many encounters like you described. Science is unable to explain these things, but science doesn’t know everything. Right?
I really like your subject in this shot. Nice detail.
I would tend to agree with you, there are some things that just are! Thank you for your comment.
Really good focus on the fluffy growth stuff. And lovely soft colours.
Thank you, the fluffy stuff is what originally captured my eye!
I had a similar experience many years ago-never been able to explain it but it most definately was real.Creepy!I´ll be heading over to your Macro blog,Macro is my favorite style too!Nice shot by the way.
Thank you for comment and for your continuous visits Adrian. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to explain this, perhaps sometimes things are just better left without an explanation eh?
perfect interpretatio of selective focus, great context
Thank you Fabrizio!
What is so interesting, is that when I’m looking through my viewfinder NOTHING scares me. I have been in all kinds of weird situations with my camera, and to this day, the feeling I got when in that same building was the only one to ever cause me to put the camera away and leave. Your story makes my skin crawl, because I’ve felt it- and I know you! You never put your camera away either. Wow. I kind of want to go back there with you. But kind of not. Super creepy!
You are right, I never do put my camera away…save this time! 😀 We really need to research that one cluster of buildings, I wonder how many other people have had odd things happen to them in the cluster. Let me know when you want to go, I am so there! 😀
OMG. The hair on my neck went up just reading this. I had a similar situation out exploring an abandoned school, and widely deemed as haunted by local legends. The signature haunting was you could hear children laughing, then interrupted with screams. So there I am, in the middle of nowhere, by myself, in a room with a tripod doing long exposures when I started hearing laughter. I heard it close by, I heard it far away, it kept moving. I was frozen. I finally packed my stuff and headed outside to “safer ground.” I thought maybe someone else had stopped by (quite common when exploring abandoned stuff). Couldn’t find another car. Then I started hearing screaming and I about pissed myself. Then some kids popped out behind a building. They had stashed their car in the woods and were just out doing kids stuff. They freaked out when they saw me. Turns out it was just two giddy girls with boyfriends trying to scare them. But before that revealing, I had never been so freaked out. I know what you must be feeling. It’s one thing to have a snake or encounter a crazy dog. The uncanny, the inexplicable, that stuff goes right to the spine.
Love the image. Those dark things look like dried blood. (And hey, another Zune user! I think there are like 10 of us). I can’t believe though you are opting by yourself in that hospital!
Damn Brandon, I am sure encounters such as these will always linger with us! Glad to hear it was just kids. Zune, let me tell ya, I love the Zune Pass…can’t go wrong with it! And yes, I still have every intention to continue to head out there by myself, perhaps though, not so much when it’s starting to get dark!
Holy sh*t! 🙂 Great story, David. Love it! And you could not keep me away from such a place. Love the image too. That creepy growing stuff is kinda gross, which is just so cool. 🙂 Off to check on your macro blog.
Ohhh trust me Katie, my little episode WON’T keep me away! Thank you for your comment.