Morey Mansion, Redlands, California
Jan, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This is a photo of the beautiful, Victorian-style Morey Mansion in Redlands, California. It was built in 1890 by David and Sarah Morey for $20,000 which they amassed after they sold their citrus nursery. It's been owned several times since then and has been used as a private residence, a movie set, a bed and breakfast, and has even been the subject of a paranormal activity study. As it turns out, Sarah died of an illness in 1901. David was so overcome with grief, that he never set foot in the house again. Instead, in less than a year from when Sarah died, he shot himself in the head while in the Del Coronado Hotel in San Diego. Since that time, it has been rumored that much of the house is haunted. In 2009, the TV reality show "The Othersiders" featured the mansion in an episode in which they said they found evidence of different kinds of unusual activity. Other residents of the home disagreed and said that hadn't noticed anything of the sort.Time
I took this shot in the middle of the afternoon, which is admittedly an odd time of day to do that. It was my only opportunity, however. One of our daughters was in Redlands Community Hospital, which is just down the street a short distance from the mansion, having her first baby. I had only a few minutes to spare, so I had to make them count. :)Lighting
I used a circular polarizing filter and a lens hood. Fortunately, it was a fairly cloudy day, so the shadows weren't terribly harsh. Also, the sun was at an angle that wasn't too hard to work around. I didn't use any key, back, or fill lighting at all: just simple, natural light.Equipment
I used a Canon 1100D (Rebel T3) camera and a Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 kit zoom lens. Nothing fancy, but they do a nice job for my needs. I didn't use a tripod at the time, but I would have under different circumstances.Inspiration
The city of Redlands is a real gem in Southern California even today, and the Morey Mansion exemplifies those qualities. It hearkens back to a time when orange groves were plentiful and the smell of orange blossoms wafting on a warm breeze was soothing and inspiring. It's hard to drive or walk by the mansion without feeling compelled to stop and think about where we've come from and where we're headed.Editing
Using Photoshop, I brought out a little blue sky from among the clouds to add a bit of color and interest from an otherwise fairly overcast day. I also bumped up the color of the roof tiles a little. I increased the exposure in general some to bring out more detail, especially in the trees. Other than that, the photo pretty much took care of itself.In my camera bag
I don't have anything special in my bag: Just my Canon 1100D (Rebel T3) camera body, two kit lenses (Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 zoom and Canon EF 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom), a Neewer NW670 speedlight with a wireless trigger and receiver, an Amazon Basics monopod, and a really nice Ravelli APGL4 professional 70" tripod with adjustable pistol grip head. (If you're looking for a really sturdy, easy-to-use tripod, check this one out on Amazon. My wife got it for me for around $65. It's normally $400! I'm not an Amazon or Ravelli affiliate, just a very satisfied user of this tripod.)Feedback
I love the Morey Mansion, in particular, and historic districts in small towns, in general. There are so many buildings, streets, works of art, and people that are just bursting with character and stories that it's hard not to find something of interest and beauty. A friend and mentor of mine encourages me to take a walk and stop every 10 or 15 steps, look around, and take a picture of something. By doing so, it helps to open our eyes and see mundane things from a totally different perspective that adds variety and depth to our portfolio.
