I just worked on an amazing photo shoot at the historic Hudson Opera House upstate in Hudson, NY. The photographer is
David Bowles who is the director
Oddities on Science Channel. As you know, that is my favorite show and I was one of the featured buyers in Season 3 in an episode called "Seeing Scars."
We've been planning this shoot for a few months and finally we synched up this week. We went up to the location bright and early and worked some magic together! The space is incredible, I have to say, I felt like I didn't have to work as hard in a venue like that. The venue did a lot of the work. I just had to stand there, although I am still sore all over the next day like after every photo shoot I do.
The space is simply amazing. It was abandoned and left to disrepair for years before a group of locals got together to save it. It used to be a vaudeville theater among many other things, and the stage is HUGE with three dressing rooms on each side. In one of the upstairs dressing rooms you can see remnants of old show posters on the wall. When I first walked in the space I got a really good feeling. No weird haunted
ghostly feelings as in some old historic buildings. This place had a happy
feeling... like an inspired sensation as if good things have happened to
people here. Since the shoot came out so beautifully, I think the ghosts of the past were happy we created such beautiful pictures there!
See the set at my web site >
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| This image looks so familiar to me...am I thinking of something from Georges Meliés? |
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| You can see the artist's name here. |
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| Some old chairs were scattered around. They looked fantastic. |
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| Two old pianos on the stage. |
It's actually a bright and cheerful looking place. When you said "abandoned Opera house upstate" I was thinking "Phantom of the Opera," but it's actually quite homey and as you said, cheerful looking in the pictures.
ReplyDeleteIn my hometown of Rahway, New Jersey, we have this great old 1920's film palace that was restored and became the Union County Arts Center. Hopefully something similar could happen here.
I will look into that location! Hopefully they don't charge performing artists a lot of money to use their space. And yes the opera house had a lot of light that streamed in from all the tall windows. I bet at night it might feel less cheerful!
ReplyDeleteHi Calamity, here's information on the Union County Arts Center:
ReplyDeletehttp://ucpac.org/html/about_ucpac.cfm
I should say I have no idea how much they charge. When I was a kid we called it the Rahway Theater and it was quite run down.
Nice pics, Calamity! I especially like the one of you standing in front of that wall with the torn posters. The shoot powerfully evokes the enduring vitality of burlesque from the 19th century to the 21st. You and David did an awesome job. :)
ReplyDeleteThis means SO much from you DurianDave! Thank you!!
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