Phillips Library Peabody Essex Museum in Salem (Posterized)

Phillips Library Peabody Essex Museum in Salem (Originally uploaded by randubnick)

Earlier in the week, I decided to go for a morning walk in Salem, Massachusetts. (I had some errands to run, and it would be on the way.) Salem is just over the bridge from Beverly, normally a ten-minute drive, but during October, it might as well be on the moon! Salem has tourists year-round, but the Halloween activities and grid-lock traffic begin in October, and peak on the 31st. But it was still very early in the month, and very early in the day, so I decided to go for it. I was glad I did, because I had a great walk, and Salem is beautiful in October. As I was walking near the Peabody Essex Museum, I saw this building. (I believe this is the Phillips Library, but in any case, it is part of the Museum.) I really liked the first view I had of the building as I walked along, so I took a picture from the same vantage point, behind the wrought iron fence post. Later, back home at the computer, I cropped the photo, and adjusted the contrast. Then I opened the image in Painter IX, where I used some digital pastel to eliminate a distracting sign, and then posterized it. I think this photo captures what appeals to me about Salem. People flock to Salem for Halloween fun, and witches, of course. But I like the narrow streets and old buildings. That is magic too, just a different kind, a sense of history so strong that you can almost believe in time travel.