Haunted Hill View Manor Photo Workshop – Sunday, November 3, 2024

Description

Date: Sunday, November 3, 2022
Time: 10:00a-2:00p
Cost: $100
Max Participants: 15
Location: New Castle, Pennsylvania

Located on the edge of New Castle in western PA, you’ll find the historic Hill View Manor. This site opened in 1926 as the Lawrence County Home for the Aged. It served, in part, as a working poor farm, as well as housing the mentally ill and older residents with no family. Some people lived nearly their entire lives in this building.

In the late 1970s, a major remodel of the building was undertaken and an entire wing was added. At this time, the name was changed to Hill View Manor as the site was primarily a skilled nursing home. Despite this remodel, there are still a lot of great historical touches in the older portion of the building.

In 2004, Hill View Manor was closed to the public, and while it has been owned since that time, it has never again been open for any sort of regular usage since then. In fact, you can still see signs on the wall dating from 2004.

Today, the site is known as Haunted Hill View Manor and is open regularly for paranormal tours and events. However, this is, to the best of my knowledge, their first photography-specific event. This means that, for the first time, a group will have the ability to explore the site with the specific intention of photography.

This is a very large building that has portions built in the 1920s and others built in the 1970s. There are a variety of areas to explore here including dozens of patient rooms, a salon, an electrical room, community rooms, and spaces that are reminiscent of a hospital.

For the most part, the space is empty of furniture, though some rooms have been set up to honor those whose spirits never left according to the site. This creates some very eerie photography opportunities within the space.

Our visit to the site will start with a tour of the facility, which will include information on its history and rules for the rest of our time, as well as some information on the site’s supposed hauntings. A staff member will be on-site for those who want more information on the building’s history or paranormal activity.

One VERY IMPORTANT NOTE for those participating in this workshop. The site very strictly controls photos and videos that are taken here, and they normally claim non-exclusive rights to use all photos and videos produced. For THIS EVENT ONLY, they have agreed to waive all ownership claims for non-commercial photography taken during the workshop. Any commercial photography usage needs to be cleared with the site owners and will require credit to “Haunted Hill View Manor”.

Note that this does not apply to video taken during the event. Any video that you choose to take follows the normal rights and usage restrictions included in their waiver. Drones are not allowed to be operated from the property without separate permission from the site’s owners.

If you are unable to agree to these terms, please refrain from signing up for the event.

Make a weekend of it and sign up for my Yellow Dog Photo Workshop (1 hour away) on Saturday, November 2. There is a morning session and an afternoon session.

This workshop will be a bit less structured than some of my other workshops due to the nature of the site. However, I will be available throughout the day and will be wandering through the property trying to check in on as many people as possible during the event.

That being said, for anyone who wants or needs some assistance with photos, I will provide as much instruction as I possibly can during the event.

As for site safety, the site is fairly clean and there are few hazards here compared to most similar types of places. That being said, this is not a pristine site and a variety of hazards are present here. Those sensitive to poor air quality may want to consider wearing a mask. All participants will be required to sign two waivers (one for me and one for the site) denoting the risks associated with exploring this property.

Also note that this site is only partially handicap-accessible. There is no elevator to the basement, second floor, and third floor of the building, so participants will have to use the stairs to access them.

Due to site rules, no one under 18 is allowed on this workshop. Furthermore, all attendees must purchase a ticket even if they won’t be shooting photos.

Since the picture-taking opportunities are primarily indoors, the workshop will go on if there is rain or inclement weather unless the forecasted weather creates dangerous conditions for participants. If we must cancel the workshop, we will try to reschedule it. If you are unable to attend the rescheduled date, you can apply your amount paid to another photo workshop or receive a full refund.

This workshop also has a minimum number of participants required for it to go on. Should that minimum not be met at least 10 days prior to the workshop, all monies will be refunded.

If you have any other questions regarding refund policies, suggested equipment, or anything else, read our FAQ page. You can also message me using the form below.

Check out our other Pennsylvania Photography Workshops here.

About the Instructor

Jim Cheney is the writer, photographer, and creator of Uncovering PA. He is an award-winning photographer who has photographed all 67 counties in Pennsylvania. Jim’s photography focuses on creating unique images utilizing long-exposure shots of waterfalls, sunsets, sunrises, and cityscapes. He also has an interest in abandoned photography.

You can see more of his work on the UncoveringPA Instagram page or on his personal Instagram, JimCheneyPhotography.

Click here for a list of equipment used by Jim.