Category Archives: Film Filter

Cemetery, Charleston, Film Filter, Landscape, OM System

Masonic Lodge No. 1 / 1735

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  • Established and organized in 1734, receiving its formal warrant in 1735 and holding its first official meeting on October 28, 1736, at Shepheard’s Tavern (Corner of Church and Broad Streets).

  • Significance: It is recognized as the oldest Masonic lodge in the South.

“I don’t want to belong to any club that will have me as a member”; Groucho Marx.

The Freemasons Lodge’s have been around since 1599, formed in Scotland. Rather than have their own cemetery the various Lodge’s have sections in some Charleston cemeteries. There may be a private Freemason cemetery locally since southern cemeteries didn’t really exist like up north. Savannah had the first in 1750, Charleston was this one in 1850.

Masonic Lodge No. 1 / 1735
Masonic Lodge No. 1 / 1735

While most old wrought iron fences are rusting away, the Freemasons are usually well maintained. There is one I know of in Magnolia Cemetery that is damaged.

Masonic Lodge No. 1 / 1735
Masonic Lodge No. 1 / 1735

This is one of the more intricate iron post and fence I’ve seen.

Masonic Lodge No. 1 / 1735
Masonic Lodge No. 1 / 1735

Specs; OM-1 (1), Olympus 40-150 r, Lightroom, DxO Filmpack.

Cemetery, Charleston, Film Filter, Historical, Landscape, Marsh, Monochrome, OM System

W. J. C. (1858)

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I’m not really sure why, but the old nondescript headstones I find intrigue me. Most off to the side, on their own, their story long gone.

The least I can do is photograph them, give them some recognition.

W. J. C.
W. J. C.

Specs; OM-1 (1), Olympus 40-150 r, Lightroom, DxO Filmpack.

Cemetery, Charleston, Film Filter, Landscape, Marsh, OM System, Swamp

Charleston, South Carolina, Salt Marsh

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On the other side of this tree line is the Cooper River and Charleston Harbor.

The old Magnolia Cemetery winds through the marsh, above ground mausoleums on the edge of the water. Charleston is at sea level and all this could be washed away.

All this land was originally the Umbra  Plantation, a rice plantation until the US Civil War.

Charleston, South Carolina, Salt Marsh
Charleston, South Carolina, Salt Marsh

Specs; OM-1 (1), Olympus 40-150r, Lightroom, DxO Filmpack.

Cemetery, Charleston, Film Filter, Historical, Landscape, OM System

The Urn

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The Urn has always been part of funeral art and design going back to the Egyptian burial practices. The other day while walking through the old cemetery outside of Charleston I made an effort to photograph ones I came across. The result was interesting.

The Urn
The Urn

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The Urn
The Urn
The Urn
The Urn
The Urn

Specs; OM-1 (1), Olympus 40-150 r, OM 100-400 II, Lightroom, DxO Filmpack, DxO Silver Efex, Topaz.

Cemetery, Charleston, Film Filter, Historical, Landscape, Monochrome, OM System

Buried 1860 / Bonfils Photography 1860

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In the style of Felix Bonfils, (1831–1885). 

I photographed this simple headstone, surrounded by hand made brick, the other day. There was not much information except for the date 1860. There was little to the image but I liked the scene for that reason. An unknown person buried here in 1860 just makes for an interesting image and story (to me).

I wanted to finish the photo in an old style. The date 1860 is how I described a film filter I have saved in DxO Filmpack a while back. That was the connection for this photograph…and long story 😂😂.

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One of the early photographers, Felix Bonfils, began commercial photography in 1860  at the Levant in Lebanon for the French Army. Later opening Maison Bonfils photography studio in Ottoman Syria, now Lebanon.

Bonfils became the name and style in photo history known for the thousands of detailed albumen prints, stereoscopic views, and architecture and landscape photographs across Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Greece, and Turkey. Below is one of the styles described as a Bonfils photo. I use this film simulation often when I want old looking photographs.

Buried 1860 / Bonfils Photography 1860
Buried 1860 / Bonfils Photography 1860

Specs; OM-1 (1), OM 100-400 II, Lightroom, DxO Filmpack.

The combination of the OM-1 (1) and OM 100-400 II is not something I would usually use for this image however I ran a Firmware Update on both and wanted to test the results. All worked fine, in spite of me (another long story)

Alligator, Film Filter, Historical, Marsh, OM System, Wildlife

Old 35 mm Film – Kodachrome 25

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Disclaimer… this was shot with a mirrorless camera, not film.

I use an editing software from DxO named Filmpack. One of the key functions is a library of film simulations. There must be 300 primary filters. They are fairly accurate, at least from what I can tell.

Rather than try to have old film look to my photographs I tend to modify a film look and save it as a starting point for standard editing.

However below I just did a regular Filmpack simulation. The photo seemed to lend itself to one.

I just published this for any old film shooters to view. There are still a few of us around, and it’s popular again… though I can’t imagine why.

Old 35 mm Film - Kodachrome 25
Old 35 mm Film – Kodachrome 25
Black And White Photography, Close-up, Film Filter, Landscape, Monochrome, OM System, ON1

Fall Is Here

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This one of those things that always reminds me of fall. A Milkweed seed pod, bursting with little ‘parachutes’.

I don’t think this is the variation native to South Carolina. We had some native Milkweed behind our house, it didn’t look like this. Of course the Monarch Butterfly’s made short work of our plants.

This plant was photographed on the Middleton Plantation property. There are huge formal gardens there, I don’t think having only native plants is part of their plan.

Fall Is Here
Fall Is Here

Specs; OM-1 (1), OM 12-200, ON1, DxO Filmpack