Witherspoon Street

The fog and dim light seemed like a good day to use Kosmo Foto Agent Shadow.

From The Kiosk, I walked over to Witherspoon Street. Things were different on this street. There was more activity. I stood outside the Princeton Public Library on the corner of Witherspoon Street and Paul Robeson Boulevard, observing this part of the downtown come to life.

Despite the eerie surroundings, people walked confidently, their feet moving along the familiar pavement with a sure-footedness born of frequent repetition. Some walked with purpose, while others meandered slowly, perhaps taking in the strange and mysterious beauty of the fog. As I looked up Witherspoon, the buildings that lined the street disappeared into the mist.

bicycle rack outside the Princeton Public Library
Outside the Princeton Public Library · Monday 26 December 2022 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2

The bicycle rack with the jumbled bicycles looked twisted and mangled like a dead animal's entrails. The metal frame that was once straight and sturdy was now bent out of shape, contorted into grotesque angles that seemed almost unnatural. The scene was made even eerier by the dense fog.

Near the bicycle rack, a man sat, his phone in one hand while he warmed the other inside the pocket of his hoodie. The man seemed lost in another world, engrossed in whatever held his interest in his electronic brick.

The Kiosk, Nassau Street

The fog and dim light seemed like a good day to use Kosmo Foto Agent Shadow.

As I walked north along the southeastern side of Nassaudense near Palmer Square, the viscous fog enveloped me like a comforting blanket. The air was thick with moisture, and the heavy veil of mist muffled the sound of my footsteps. The Kiosk, a small wooden kiosk surrounded by benches, was barely visible in the haze, but its familiar silhouette was visible in the dim light.

 Kiosk at Palmer Square, Winter, Fog
Monday 26 December 2022 · Minolta XD-11 · MD Rokkor-X 45mm F2

I could feel the dampness of the fog on my skin and the chill in the air. The usually bustling shopping mall was eerily quiet as if the mist had dampened all sound and movement. Usually so vibrant and full of life, the trees were now ghostly apparitions, their branches and leaves shrouded in the mist. A man stood up from the bench and walked away, head down, staring at his electronic brick.

As I continued walking, I felt like I'd entered a different world of mystery and enchantment. The fog had transformed the familiar into something strange and new, and I walked more slowly, savouring each moment in this ethereal realm.

Mercer White Oak, Princeton Battlefield Park

Mercer White Oak was a historic tree at Princeton Battlefield Park that stood tall amidst the park's rolling hills and lush fields. The tree was named after General Hugh Mercer, who died from wounds he received at the Battle of Princeton during the American Revolution. The tree became a symbol of the battle and a testament to the bravery of the American soldiers who fought there. The tree was one of the largest and oldest white oaks in the state of New Jersey, with a massive trunk and sprawling branches that provided shade for visitors to the park. The Mercer White Oak was not only a natural landmark but also a crucial part of the park's rich history, serving as a reminder of the sacrifices made during the American Revolution.

The Mercer White Oak tree was about 300 years old when strong winds ripped it apart in March 2000. Soon after the tree's death, an arborist planted an 8-foot sapling from a Mercer Oak acorn inside the former tree's stump. That fenced-in young oak tree is the one that is seen in Princeton Battlefield Park today.

On this misty, foggy day, the tree takes on an ethereal quality, shrouded in a mysterious veil of white. The fog seems to wrap around the trunk and branches of the tree, adding to its already stately presence.

This is one of several frames from one of the four cartridges of Kosmo Foto Agent Shadow 400 35mm film I bought last year. The film was developed in Tennessee at Boutique Film Labs and scanned at home using an Epson Perfection V600 and VueScan software. The negatives were converted as part of my workflow using Negative Lab Pro.