Abandoned Bible Camp

...with permission

I’ve been plugging away with my typical early-off season workflow - a couple of engagement sessions out in the cold, some studio sessions, some relaxation time. It’s been nice. In the past two weeks I’ve accepted a few engagement shoots that were a little out of my normal travel range just for something to do. Last week it was the White Mountains, this week it was the Sebago Lake region. I met the couple at the top of a really big hill and had a nice shoot. We spoke about their wedding, which I’ll be photographing next fall, and they told me that their venue is a bible camp that the bride-to-be attended as a kid. They also told me that if I wanted to check it out it wasn’t far from where we were shooting that day and it would be empty this time of year. “You won’t see anyone but if you do tell them we sent you.” Explore an abandoned bible camp with permission? Don’t mind if I do. I will say, since these are nice people that I’ll be working with again in the future, that I’m not posting this with any malice or to make fun. It’s just an interesting cultural thing that I’m not accustomed to.

The couple also pointed out that the camp and the church associated with it have a little tucked away space at the park we were shooting at. Some of the shots below were from that space and some are from the camp itself.

I had my 4x5 camera with me and took some pictures with that too but it’ll be a few weeks before those are developed and scanned.

Even with permission it was a little eerie to be exploring this camp. I didn’t encounter anyone but I was a little jumpy. I get jumpy anyway when I’m carting my big, dumb 4x5 around. The sun was going down and it was getting cold. It was pretty exciting though! I want to explore more stuff! I think I’ll enjoy it more with a crew. Who wants to explore some stuff with me?

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I should give another reminder that Photo A-GoGo is coming up. Friday, December 12th from 6-9 at Maine Studio Works in Portland. I would love to see you there!