Antiquity Project: hop Truck and the steamboat Lac du Saint Sacrement

 

Antiquity Project: Shop Truck and the steamboat Lac du Saint Sacrement
Lake George
Large Format Image

Shop Truck and the steamboat Lac du Saint Sacrement rest side by side at the pier in Lake George, New York on a cold morning with the snow-capped Southern Adirondacks in the background—a scene steeped in history and perfectly suited to the Antiquity Project. Captured with a large-format view camera using century-old technology, the image captures a moment that could easily belong to the past. The steamboat’s name, Lac du Saint Sacrement, pays homage to the lake’s original settler title, given by Jesuit priest Isaac Jogues in 1646. Meaning "The Lake of the Blessed Sacrament".

Hand Colored Version, Image 1

For more than two centuries, the Lake George Steamboat Company has been woven into the fabric of the lake’s history. Established in 1817 with the James Caldwell, the company’s first steamboat marked the beginning of a new era in transportation, carrying passengers and freight along the pristine waters of Lake George. The James Caldwell was a modest vessel by today’s standards, taking eight hours to complete its route, but it represented a significant advancement for the region at the time. Over the years, the company expanded its fleet, introducing vessels that became iconic symbols of life on the lake.

Hand Colored Version, Image 2

The Mohican II, launched in 1908, has endured over a century and remains one of the oldest passenger vessels still in operation in the United States, a living artifact of another era. The Lac du Saint Sacrement, launched in 1989, reflects a more modern chapter in the company’s story, with its name hearkening back to the lake’s original title given by Isaac Jogues in 1646. The company has weathered challenges that mirror the broader currents of American history, from the economic devastation of the Great Depression, which saw several steamboats retired, to the wartime reductions in service during World War II.

Yet, the steamboat company has always found a way to adapt and endure. Its history is not merely one of business but of transformation, reflecting the evolving relationship between people and the landscapes they treasure. 

© 2024 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved  

Antiquity Project: Vaudeville Amrquee

Antiquity Project: Vaudeville Marquee
Schenectady, New York
Large Format Image

Vaudeville was once the heart and soul of entertainment in Schenectady, New York. In its heyday, the city buzzed with excitement as theaters came alive with laughter, music, and awe-inspiring acts. Proctor’s Theatre, a crown jewel of the time, opened its doors in 1926 and quickly became the place to be. Locals and out-of-towners would gather under its glowing marquee, eager to see everything from slapstick comedians and soulful singers to magicians who made the impossible seem real. Though the vaudeville era has passed, the spirit of those performances lives on in Schenectady with this classic marquee.

This image is part of the Antiquity Project, captured with a vintage view camera, an optic mounted on the end of a large bellows with focus controls on both ends. The project aims to create traditional photographs of iconic landmarks in the Capital Region as if they were taken 100 years ago. Each image is composed with the aesthetics of the period in mind, aiming to convey the essence of the scene rather than capturing intricate details. The series is a collection of images that closely resemble photographs from a century ago, created using much of the same technology available during that era.

© 2024 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved  

Tough Turkey Day in Troy, New York | 11.28.2024

 

Tough Turkey Day in Troy, New York | 11.28.2024
Troy, New York 

© 2024 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved  

Antiquity Project: Cohoes Falls

Antiquity Project: Cohoes Falls

Large Format Image

This is the second installment in my Antiquity Series, a project that uses 100-year-old technology to capture images that feel as though they’ve been pulled directly from the past. This photograph was taken with a 4x5 view camera, a straightforward yet precise device featuring a large bellows and focus controls on either end. The image is composed on a ground glass screen, appearing upside down until captured—a process requiring patience, skill, and the use of a focusing hood to block out extraneous light while composing the shot.

The composition of this image is a deliberate nod to the classic landscape photographers of the time, reflecting their dedication to balance, scale, and light. Framed to emphasize the grandeur of Cohoes Falls, it captures both the natural wonder and its surrounding elements in a way that evokes the awe those photographers sought to inspire.

The Falls
Cohoes Falls, the second-largest waterfall in New York State, spans roughly 1,000 feet across and rises up to 90 feet high. Situated on the Mohawk River, a vital waterway in northeastern New York, the falls straddle the city of Cohoes and the town of Waterford.

Known to the indigenous Mohawk as “Ga-ha-oose,” meaning “the place of the falling canoe,” the falls carry with them a legacy of legend and history. One tale speaks of a chief’s daughter who drifted over the edge while asleep in her canoe, her story forever tied to the cascading waters.

The first European settlers to encounter Cohoes Falls in the 17th century were captivated by its power and scale, long before Niagara Falls became widely accessible. To early Americans, the falls represented not only natural beauty but also industrial potential, shaping the development of the surrounding communities.

By using technology and techniques authentic to the period, this photograph honors the early photographers who sought to preserve such wonders for future generations reminiscent of what you would find in 100-year-old guidebook.

© 2024 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved  

Antiquity Project Series 1: Albany

 

Antiquity Project Series 1: Albany

Large Format Images

These images were captured using a view camera, a large-format device with bellows and adjustable front and rear standards, renowned for its ability to produce detailed and precise images. Dating back to the 19th century, this traditional camera design adds a fascinating contrast to the modern cityscape—it’s quite the experience carrying it through contemporary streets, and it certainly turns heads.

Series 1 presents Albany as it might have been photographed a century ago. Using the same composition techniques and an eye for documentary-style imagery, I’ve aimed to recreate the visual language of that era. Photographers of the time sought to “show the scene” as fully as possible, often focusing on detail and completeness. To stay true to that approach, I’ve worked to omit all traces of modern life, producing images that likely look much as they would have 100 years ago—captured with the same kind of photographic gear.

Working with primitive analog photography has profoundly influenced my approach to modern photography. The deliberate process of setting up a view camera, carefully composing each frame, and waiting for the perfect moment demands patience, precision, and a deeper understanding of light and form. This slower, more intentional style sharpens the eye for detail and storytelling. It’s a reminder that the roots of photography—seeing, composing, and connecting—transcend time and technology.

© 2024 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved    

Photographer's Notebook | Week of November 17, 2024

Photography Notebook | Week of November 17, 2024.

Images captured over the past week in various locations. Photography is the art of observation. It’s about discovering the interesting in the ordinary and realizing it’s not about what you see but how you see it.

© 2024 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved    

 

Photographer's Notebook | Week of November 10, 2024

Photographer's Notebook | Week of November 10, 2024

Albany on a smoky afternoon. I know this city as well as anyone could, yet these series aim to capture the familiar in unexpected ways. It’s an exercise in defamiliarization—a technique from literature and art that presents the everyday in new ways and perspectives, transforming the ordinary into something surprising. These images bring me back to those early art school assignments: foundational, familiar, captured without any commercial intent. This approach invites us to step outside habitual perceptions and see the familiar with fresh eyes.

© 2024 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved    

Photographer's Notebook | Week of November 3, 2024

Photographer's Notebook | Week of November 3, 2024
Various locations including Albany, Saratoga Springs, and Hagaman, New York. 

I carry at least one camera with me everywhere, in addition to my phone. Most days, I have either a film Nikon F series, a Leica, or a Nikon mirrorless on hand. Sunday afternoons are my favorite time to photograph cities. Thoreau said, “It’s not what you look at that matters; it’s what you see.” Photography, at its core, is the art of observation. One of the things I love most is to view the familiar landscapes of the Capital District as if I were seeing them for the first time, capturing them with fresh eyes. It’s a great way to rediscover and truly get to know your city.

© 2024 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved