Sunday, February 23, 2025

Flight Lock Squall | 02.23.2025


Flight Lock Squall | 02.23.2025
Waterford, New York 

Description: A snow squall passes over an empty Lock E6 in the Flight Locks at Waterford, New York.

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Restoration Obscura Case Study: Restoring the Face of a Fallen Airman

Restoration Obscura Case Study: Restoring the Face of a Fallen Airman 

Photographs are more than just images; they are echoes of the past, tangible proof that someone lived, that they smiled, that they stood in the sun. But time is unkind, and so is history. Some faces vanish into obscurity, their stories lost to yellowed newsprint and crude reproduction techniques.

For S/Sgt. Alfred F. Waichunas, that was almost his fate.  

Al was just 21 years old when he was killed in action on April 10, 1945, during a bombing mission over Germany. As the flight engineer and top turret gunner aboard the B-17 Moonlight Mission, he had a critical role—overseeing the aircraft’s mechanical systems and defending it from enemy attacks. But when German Me-262 jets struck his formation near Berlin, the aircraft took fatal damage. In the tight confines of the top turret, there was no room for him to wear a parachute. When the plane was torn apart in midair, he fell 15,000 feet to his death.  

His body was first buried in Germany by fellow crew members, then repatriated to the United States in 1953. But his only widely available image—a small obituary photo—was printed using the harsh halftone screens of 1945, reducing his face to a crude pattern of dots. The technology that recorded him was the same that erased him.  

The Challenge: Reconstructing a Face From Dots  

Newspapers of the 1940s relied on halftone printing, a process that transformed photographs into a grid of tiny ink dots. In 1945, most newspapers used 65-line screens, meaning only 65 dots per inch—coarse, imprecise, and unforgiving. Shadows were swallowed, details were lost, and young men like Al, whose faces appeared in the Killed in Action columns, became little more than ghosts in ink.  

Restoring such an image is not just a matter of cleaning up a scan. A halftone isn't a photograph—it’s an abstraction of one. Simply enlarging it only amplifies the pattern, and traditional sharpening techniques fail because there is no true detail to enhance. The only way to bring Al's image back was to rebuild him, pixel by pixel.  

Starting with his obituary photo, I worked through seven rounds of edits, many by hand on a tablet with a stylus, carefully filling in the spaces between the halftone dots to accurately recreate his face. This process required refining, smoothing, and reconstructing the missing details while staying true to his likeness.  

Once the image was smooth enough, I introduced it to machine learning algorithms, allowing AI to analyze his face and render him in a period-accurate setting. The final result: a fully realized, colorized image of S/Sgt. Alfred Waichunas, standing beside an aircraft in 1945.  

This is the only color image of him that has ever existed.  

Why It Matters  

The past is not just made of facts, dates, and records. It is made of people. People who laughed, who dreamed, who stood on runways waiting for their next mission, unaware that history would reduce them to paragraphs and grainy images.  

This is why I created Restoration Obscura.  

With years of historical photography research and restoration experience, I’ve dedicated my work to bringing the lost stories and images of heroes like S/Sgt. Waichunas into focus—and into color. This is more than restoring photographs. It is restoring memory. It is giving the past the dignity it deserves.  

Because history is not just something we remember. It is something we see. And some stories—some faces—are too important to fade away. We owe them that much.

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved

Restoration Obscura



John Bulmer Photography Presents: Restoration Obscura

Photographs are more than just images—they’re fragments of time, glimpses into lives once lived, stories waiting to be rediscovered. But time isn’t always kind. Some photos fade, others are damaged, and many vanish into obscurity, tucked away in forgotten albums or buried in archives. Restoration Obscura is my way of bringing those lost moments back to life.

The name is rooted in photography itself. The camera obscura, Latin for "dark chamber," was the earliest form of capturing an image—an ephemeral projection of the world, fleeting and intangible. Restoration Obscura is about reversing that process, taking what has faded into the dark and making it permanent once more. Using groundbreaking technology, deep research, and a lifetime of experience as a photographer, I don’t just repair old photos—I uncover their stories, ensuring they live on.

Every scratch, every crease, every faded detail is part of a larger history. Whether it’s a family portrait worn by time, a piece of local history hidden away, or a rare photograph waiting to be rediscovered, I see these images for what they are: tangible connections to the past, ready to be shared again.

Because history isn’t just in books—it’s in the faces, the places, and the moments captured long ago. Restoration Obscurais about making sure those stories are never lost to time.

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Antiquity Project: The Hall of Springs


Antiquity Project // The Hall of Springs
Spa State Park, Saratoga Springs, New York
Large Format Image 

This is the latest image in my Antiquity Project series—a large format photograph of the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs, New York. This ongoing series documents historic and iconic locations throughout the Capital Region using traditional photographic techniques and compositional aesthetics that reflect the craftsmanship of the past.

Photographers of the late 1800s approached their work with a methodical eye, carefully composing each frame with an understanding of light, shadow, and spatial depth. They embraced long exposures, allowing time itself to etch details into their glass plates and film. Every photograph was an act of patience, requiring deliberate framing and an understanding of how architecture interacts with its environment. These techniques shaped how we remember the past—through grand, atmospheric images that conveyed a sense of permanence and place.

That same philosophy guided my capture of the Hall of Springs, a structure built in 1935 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s vision for Saratoga Spa State Park. Designed to reflect the neoclassical elegance of the Roosevelt and Lincoln Bathhouses, the Hall of Springs was once the grand entrance to the park’s legendary mineral baths, where visitors came to “take the waters” for their reputed healing properties. With its sweeping colonnade and soaring windows, the Hall has since evolved into a premier event space, but its grandeur remains unchanged. A reminder of Saratoga Springs's storied past. 

Shot on large format film with a long exposure, this image captures the Hall of Springs in the way photographers of the past might have seen it—not just as a building, but as a living piece of history, where light and time converge.

You can view the entire Antiquity Project here.

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Antiquity Project: Harmony Mills by Gaslight Carte de Visite


Harmony Mills by Gaslight Carte de Visite // 2025
Cohoes, New York

This image is a modern recreation of a carte de visite of Harmony Mills in Cohoes, New York, part of my ongoing Antiquity Project. Captured yesterday morning, I have digitally transformed it into a scene that could have been photographed in the late 1800s. The horses were added in post-production to complete the historical setting, while the rest remains largely unaltered, aside from atmospheric enhancements for dramatic effect. 

The original image and the intermediate effect image are in the comments.

 
What is a Carte de Visite?
A carte de visite (CDV) was a small photographic print, typically mounted on a card, that became widely popular in the mid-to-late 19th century. Introduced in France by André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri in 1854, CDVs were commonly used as portraits exchanged among friends and family, or collected in albums as keepsakes. Their affordability and standardized size allowed photographers to produce multiple copies efficiently, helping them establish a sustainable business. The widespread appeal of CDVs turned photography into a more accessible and profitable profession, enabling studios to thrive in an era when having one’s portrait taken was a luxury. They are still quite common at antique dealers.

The History of Harmony Mills
Harmony Mills, a defining landmark of Cohoes, New York, was once the largest textile mill complex in the United States. Constructed between the 1830s and the late 19th century, it became a powerhouse of industrial production, primarily manufacturing cotton textiles. The mills took advantage of the powerful Cohoes Falls on the Mohawk River, using hydropower to drive their machinery. At their peak, the mills employed thousands of workers, many of whom were immigrants drawn to Cohoes for economic opportunity.

By the early 20th century, the decline of the textile industry led to the gradual closure of the mills, and the buildings fell into disuse. However, they remain a striking example of industrial architecture, with their brick facades and iconic clock towers still dominating the city’s skyline. Today, Harmony Mills has been repurposed into modern loft apartments, preserving its historic character while serving as a reminder of Cohoes' industrial heritage.

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved


Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Antiquity Project: Ruins of the Central Warehouse



Antiquity Project: Ruins of the Central Warehouse
Albany, New York
Large Format Image 

Long Exposure
Built in 1927, Albany’s Central Warehouse was a 500,000-square-foot cold storage facility located near Montgomery Street. Designed to preserve perishable goods like meat, fish, and dairy, it played a vital role in regional commerce due to its proximity to railroads and the Hudson River. Its thick, reinforced concrete structure and windowless design ensured optimal temperature control for the era.

As Albany’s industrial era faded, the warehouse fell into disuse, becoming largely abandoned by the 1980s. Efforts to repurpose it were hindered by ownership disputes, unpaid taxes, and bureaucratic challenges. Over time, the decaying structure became a controversial landmark, viewed by some as a relic of the past and by others as an eyesore.

In February 2025, the Advance Albany County Alliance assumed control of the property and is currently evaluating bids for its demolition, sparking debate over whether to erase or preserve this piece of Albany’s industrial history.

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved


Monday, February 10, 2025

Antiquity Project: The Twin Bridges


Antiquity Project: The Twin Bridges  
Colonie, New York 
Large Format Image 
Description: Winter storm clouds passing over the Twin Bridges captured in light and silver.

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved
 

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Albany in the Snow | 02.06.2025


Albany in the Snow | 02.06.2025
Albany, New York 

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved

Sunday, February 2, 2025

Antiquity Project: The Fortress




The Antiquity Project: The Fortress
Troy, New York
Large Format Image 

This series is part of my Antiquity Project, capturing landscapes reminiscent of the late 1800s through traditional photography techniques. Photography of that era emphasized expansive views, revealing as much detail as possible. The Fortress, with its imposing form and historical significance, is a perfect subject for the project.

Troy’s “Fortress of Shoddy” stands as a striking reminder of the city’s industrial heyday. Located at 1 Jackson Street in South Troy, this six-story Romanesque Revival structure was built in 1902 as a warehouse for the United Waste Manufacturing Co., a leading producer of “shoddy”—fabric made from recycled wool and cotton scraps. Once essential for workwear and even military uniforms, shoddy’s reputation for poor quality led to the industry’s decline.

The building’s fortress-like architecture, complete with corner turrets, a central tower, and massive brick walls, symbolized the strength of Troy’s industrial power. Surviving hazardous conditions, including a deadly fire in 1908, the structure has since served various purposes. Its raw, timeless design—with towering beams, vaulted corridors, and minimal windows—offers the perfect opportunity to capture images that could have been taken in the late 1800s. The Fortress stands as a symbol of Troy’s industrial past and an ideal subject for my Antiquity Project.

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved

Blue and Gold | 02.01.2025


Blue and Gold | 02.01.2025
Grafton, New York

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved


Tomhannock | 02.01.2025


Tomhannock | 02.01.2025
"Winter is not a season; it’s an occupation of silence."

© 2025 John Bulmer Photography, John Bulmer Media, and Nor'easter Films
www.bulmerphotography.com
www.johnbulmermedia.com
www.noreasterfilms.com
All Rights Reserved