A Wedding in the Rain

  Bowen and Ashley. May 8, 2010

 

It was hot and muggy on May 8, 2010, as only south Georgia can be hot and muggy, even in the spring. The overhanging clouds threatened any second to dump their load. I was at Valdosta, and I was there to help photograph a wedding.

As a member of a "second-shooters" (freelance assistant photographers) group on Facebook, I had contacted a photographer from Atlanta who had posted a request for a second-shooter to help cover a large wedding at a venue near Valdosta. It was a chance to pick up a little cash while doing something I enjoy, so I adjusted my plans for a photo-trip around the perimeter of Georgia to put me in Valdosta on the big day. 

The minister was under a large tree, probably a live oak, as the wedding guests took their places in lawn chairs and the bridesmaids began their procession. I was behind the minster and to one side, against the tree, photographing each bridesmaid, and finally, the bride, as she entered on the arm of her father. Seconds after she clasped hands with her groom, the skies dropped their load.

The father of the bride holds my umbrella over the happy couple.

 Fortunately, I had my handy-dandy golf umbrella beside me. I quickly unfurled it and passed it to the father of the bride, who held it over the happy couple as they repeated their vows. A wedding day I'm sure they'll never forget!

I was up against the tree and somewhat sheltered, so I kept on making picture after picture.

After a bit the rain stopped and everyone had fun at the reception. But it was still hot and muggy, as only south Georgia can be hot and muggy. Fortunately, this was the one night on my trip that I, as mentioned in my previous blog post, stayed in a motel and not in my car.

(Canon EOS 5D Classic and 70-200 f4L Canon lens.)

The second edition of Backroads and Byways of Georgia is almost ready to ship. Watch this space for ordering instructions.

Check out the pictures at my online gallery: https://davejenkins.pixels.com/  Looking is free, and you might find something you like.

Photography and text copyright 2023 David B.Jenkins.

I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday unless life gets in the way.

Soli Gloria Deo -- For the glory of God alone.

 

Flower Bed

Dewey White's flower bed.

During the first decade of this century I rambled around much of north Georgia and made some pictures I was happy with. Also, there was one trip to south Georgia along old U.S. Highway 41 in 2006 with my friend the distinguished graphic artist and abstract photographer Michael Largent, that resulted in a number of good photographs. Or at least, photographs that I liked.

In 2010 I sold second-usage rights for some photos I had made for an architectural firm to the contractor who had built the buildings and received a nice check. By this time my ideas for a book about Georgia backroads were taking shape in my mind. (A different book -- not Backroads and Byways of Georgia.)  I decided to use the money to drive all around the perimeter of the state, photographing whatever caught my eye and interest.

I laid down the rear seats of my old reliable 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan, threw in an air mattress, sleeping bag, and some clothes and hit the road. I slept in the car every night but one, usually in Walmart parking lots or truck stops, and was very comfortable. With no TV to watch, I was asleep early and awake with the sunrise.

I drove down the east side of the state, along the coast, and then, at Midway, picked up U.S. 84 inland to Waycross. Staying on 84, I went through Valdosta and Thomasville. When I reached Decatur County in the southwestern corner of the state it was obvious I couldn't go much further west in Georgia. So I turned north on Georgia 262, which ran along the east side of the county. Before long, I found an old white metal bed frame above a wood-framed planter beside the road.

I turned into the adjacent driveway, got out, and made a photo. In a few minutes the owner of the property showed up. He introduced himself as Dewey White, and of course, wanted to know what I was doing. An interesting man with a quirky sense of humor, he was a retiree. With some pride, he showed me his well-equipped wood-working shop where, among other things, he made wooden cutout figures. We talked a bit, he showed me some of his work, and I made his photograph. Then it was time to move on to the next interesting sight along Georgia's backroads.

Life is full of unusual and interesting things if you keep your eyes and mind open. 

Dewey White and some of his woodwork.

 (The photograph of the flower bed was made with a Canon EOS 5D Classic, the portrait of Dewey with a Canon EOS 20D)

The second edition of Backroads and Byways of Georgia is almost ready to ship. Watch this space for ordering instructions.

Check out the pictures at my online gallery: https://davejenkins.pixels.com/  Looking is free, and you might find something you like.

Photography and text copyright 2023 David B.Jenkins.

I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday unless life gets in the way.

Soli Gloria Deo -- For the glory of God alone.

The Harrisburg Covered Bridge

The Harrisburg Covered Bridge, Sevier County, Tennessee

 In early 2019 I I submitted a story idea to the editor of Blue Ridge Country magazine: I would revisit the Rock City barns in the Blue Ridge mountains that were in my book Rock City Barns: A Passing Era and see how many of them were still standing. The proposal was accepted and I spent a weekend following the trail of the old barns in Tennessee and North Carolina. The article was published in the May/June, 2019 issue of the magazine. I found nine barns still standing, but that's a story for another blog!

As I was traveling north out of Sevierville on Tennessee Highway 339, I happened to see on my right an historic marker for Harrisburg Covered Bridge. Naturally, I turned right and went looking! It was just a short distance to the bridge, which appeared to be in excellent condition and in regular use.

The bridge was built in1875, making it the oldest covered bridge in Tennessee. Crossing the East Fork of the Little Pigeon River, the bridge uses the King Post Truss design. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and in 2004 was renovated and strengthened, making it possible to carry loads of up to 15 tons.

(The bridge photo was made with a Fuji X-T1 camera and the Fujinon XC16-50mm f3.5-5.6 lens.)

The second edition of Backroads and Byways of Georgia is almost ready to ship. Watch this space for ordering instructions.

Check out the pictures at my online gallery: https://davejenkins.pixels.com/  Looking is free, and you might find something you like.

Photography and text copyright 2023 David B.Jenkins.

I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday unless life gets in the way.

Soli Gloria Deo -- For the glory of God alone.

The Last Little Rock City Barn in Texas

Richard Haynes and the last little Rock City barn in Texas.

Most folks are surprised to learn there were once Rock City barns in Texas. Rock City had three on their records, but Clark Byers says there were more, including one near Tyler that belonged to an oil millionaire who was so cheap he wouldn't have indoor plumbing. But that was a long time ago, and Clark doesn’t remember the location of any of them.

So, as far as can be known at this time, the last Rock City barn in Texas is on Richard Haynes' little spread on U.S. 80 west of Marshall. Richard and his wife Vallie (who was born on the place) are getting along in years now, but he still runs 17 head of registered Black Angus cattle on his 67 acres and keeps the big yard mowed -- practically a full-time job in itself. 

This is his second barn to carry the “See Rock City” message. The first was one of traditional design which was pulled down in the early ‘60s and replaced with the present “pole” barn. Rock City obligingly applied their sign to the new barn as well, and that’s the way it’s stayed. It’s pretty faded now, as well it should be – it was last repainted around 1967. 

(From my book Rock City Barns: A Passing Era.)

(By March, 1995, when this photo was made, I had a pair of Canon EOS A2 cameras. I unfortunately did not record the lens used, but judging from the perspective it could have been the Canon EF 24mm f2.8. The film was Fujichrome 100D)

The second edition of Backroads and Byways of Georgia is almost ready to ship. Watch this space for ordering instructions.

Check out the pictures at my online gallery: https://davejenkins.pixels.com/  Looking is free, and you might find something you like.

Photography and text copyright 2023 David B.Jenkins.

I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday unless life gets in the way.

Soli Gloria Deo -- For the glory of God alone.