Christmas, 2006. Our entire family at the time.

When we began living on Deer Run Farm in north Georgia's McLemore Cove, some or all of our children would spend several days with us at Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Fourth of July, and often, Labor Day, right up to our last Christmas at the farm in 2020. Those were wonderful, memorable times. 

The photo in front of our fireplace was made at Christmas, 2006, the last time our complete nuclear family was together in one place at one time. Son Don is at left, with Devlin at his feet. His wife, Kim, is holding Marlee. Next is Rob's son, Michael, on the floor in front of Louise. I'm next, and son Shawn is beside me. Rob's daughter Jennifer is in front of Shawn. Her brother Nathan is beside her. The pretty lady in red is Rob's wife Bonnie, and next to her is our son Rob. Standing behind them is their son Robbie.

In following years we often had most of the family together at holidays, but never all of them at once. And naturally, it became more difficult as their numbers increased.

Devlin is now working on a doctorate in nuclear science. Marlee is in her 3rd year of pre-med. All Rob's children are married now. Jennifer and her husband have five (delightful) children, Robbie has three, and Michael has one. Nathan's wife Hannah, has one in the hanger. All Rob's sons have embarked on successful careers. Jennifer, of course, has a fulfilling and challenging career in motherhood.

If you will excuse a grandfather's pride, these are all great people and it has been a privilege for us to have had a part in their lives.

(The photo was made with a Canon EOS 5D Classic camera on a tripod. Lighting was a studio strobe bounced out of a large umbrella.)

Click on the link at left for information about ordering original signed prints from the Rock City Barns book.

If you like my pictures, visit my online gallery at https://davejenkins.pixels.com/  

Signed copies of my book Backroads and Byways of Georgia are available. The price is $22.95 plus $4.95 shipping. My PayPal address is djphoto@vol.com (which is also my email). Or you can mail a check to 8943 Wesley Place, Knoxville, TN 37922. Include your address and tell me how you would like your book inscribed.

Photography and text copyright 2025 David B.Jenkins.

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

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

Tags:   photography    digital photography   Thanksgiving    Christmas     Deer Run Farm    Canon 5D Classic camera    McLemore Cove    North Georgia     Family

A Time To Be Thankful

 Canon 5D Classic with Canon EF 24-85mm lens.

 I found this little tableau beside a back road in northeast Georgia's Fannin County on November 6, 2008 as I was on one of my photo-rambles in the Georgia mountains (which I greatly miss -- both the rambles and the mountains). 

Louise and I also greatly miss our home in the northwest Georgia mountains. But we're in Knoxville now, close to one of our sons and his family, and we have much to be thankful for. As we join them this Thanksgiving Day we will remember the many years of great Thanksgivings with all our family at our home in McLemore Cove. We have had a blessed life in so many ways, and we are deeply thankful.

We wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who check in at this blog from time to time, and bid you to take Mr. Turkey's advice and COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. 

Click on the link at left for information about ordering original signed prints from the Rock City Barns book.

If you like my pictures, visit my online gallery at https://davejenkins.pixels.com/  

Signed copies of my book Backroads and Byways of Georgia are available. The price is $22.95 plus $4.95 shipping. My PayPal address is djphoto@vol.com (which is also my email). Or you can mail a check to 8943 Wesley Place, Knoxville, TN 37922. Include your address and tell me how you would like your book inscribed.

Photography and text copyright 2025 David B.Jenkins.

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

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

Tags:   photography    digital photography   Thanksgiving     Fannin County,Georgia    Canon EF 24-85mm lens    Canon 5D Classic camera    McLemore Cove

Noticing Things: Trees I have Known

 Horned Tree, Lookout Mountain, Georgia.

As I've written many times on this blog, one of the most important things a photographer does is notice things. If we are alive and in tune with the world we will see things that other people simply don't notice. With our open eyes and open minds and ready cameras and some imagination, we can capture those things of interest and show them to the world. Here are a few trees I happened to notice that illustrate my point.

This Praying Tree was found in a pasture in southwest Georgia. Looking a little bit like a totem pole, it lifts its arms in supplication to the heavens. 

The Rise of the Swamp Monster was found beside a rural highway in northwest Georgia. (Most of northwest Georgia is rural, for that matter.)
 

 

 

 

 

 

Beside the road to Covered Bridge State Park in east central Georgia, this tree is desperately, tenaciously Clinging to Life. Perhaps struck by lightning or heavy winds, denuded of all its limbs, save one, the tree relies on its one good limb to keep itself alive.

The equipment: The Horned Tree was photographed with an Olympus E-PL1, my first mirrorless camera. The other photos were made with a Canon 5D Classic with various Canon lenses. All were digital.

See my October 3rd post for information about ordering original signed prints from the Rock City Barns book.

If you like my pictures, visit my online gallery at https://davejenkins.pixels.com/  

Signed copies of my book Backroads and Byways of Georgia are available. The price is $22.95 plus $4.95 shipping. My PayPal address is djphoto@vol.com (which is also my email). Or you can mail a check to 8943 Wesley Place, Knoxville, TN 37922. Include your address and tell me how you would like your book inscribed.

Photography and text copyright 2025 David B.Jenkins.

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

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

Tags:   photography    digital photography   Trees     Georgia    Olympus E-PL1 camera    Canon 5D Classic camera 

Serendipity Revisited (Repost from 2020)

Demented Spider

GA Hwy. 193, Walker County, Georgia

Serendipity, which Mr. Webster defines as "an apparent aptitude for making fortunate discoveries accidentally" plays in important role in my photography. You may call it luck if you like, but after years of doing this, I find that the harder I work, the luckier I get. Of course, I can't command those happy accidents to appear whenever I wish, but I have found there are certain things I can do that make it much more likely that Lady Luck will show herself.

Be Ready to Shoot

Kayaks at 15th Century Portuguese Fort

Ceauta, Spain

I'm presupposing that you will have a camera with you. Lady Luck may indeed tease you with wonderful things when you don't have a camera, and sometimes it's enough just to see it. But it isn't a photograph if you don't photograph it. Moreover, it isn't enough to have a camera with you; you must also be ready to use it. If your camera is in a bag or case, you'll miss many opportunities. Photographing the 15th century Portuguese fort at Ceauta, a Spanish city on the Morrocan coast of Africa for a missions organization, I was already in position with the right lens on my camera when several kayaks emerged suddenly and unexpectedly into the moat from under the bridge on which I was standing. I had already taken an incident exposure reading, so nothing remained to be done except recover from surprise and accept serendipity's gift.  (Olympus OM, 24mm Zuiko, Fujichrome 100.)

Serendipity Often Comes Disguised as Difficulty
 

Morning Comes to the Village

Mayalan, Northern Guatemala

Having just spent the coldest, most uncomfortable night of my life trying to sleep on two split-log pews pushed together to make a bed in the little church in the remote northern Guatemalan mountain village of Mayalan, there was no reason to lie abed when dawn came. The sun was just clearing the treetops and the ancient Indian village was coming to life. If I had been more comfortable I would have missed not one, but many great photos. (Olympus OM, 75-205 Vivitar zoom, Fujichrome 100.)

Look for the Incongruous

Boynton Beauty Salon

Boynton, Georgia

One of the things the camera does best is highlight the inconsistencies and incongruities with which life abounds. The beauty salon was photographed not far from my home in North Georgia in the mid-70s, using a Nikkormat, 50mm Nikkor, and Kodachrome.

The Best Iron Works in Town

Orange Walk Town, Belize

The tired chair, which belied the name "THE BEST IRON WORKS IN TOWN" was found in Orange Walk Town, Belize. (Olympus OM, 85mm lens, Fujichrome 100D film.)

See my October 3rd post for information about ordering original signed prints from the Rock City Barns book.

 

If you like my pictures, visit my online gallery at https://davejenkins.pixels.com/  

Signed copies of my book Backroads and Byways of Georgia are available. The price is $22.95 plus $4.95 shipping. My PayPal address is djphoto@vol.com (which is also my email). Or you can mail a check to 8943 Wesley Place, Knoxville, TN 37922. Include your address and tell me how you would like your book inscribed.

Photography and text copyright 2020-2025 David B.Jenkins.

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

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

Tags:   photography    film photography     Olympus OM film cameras   Vivitar 75-205mm zoom lens Olympus Zuiko lenses       Fujichrome 100D film     Guatemala    Belize     street portraits      Missions photography    documentary photography    Spain    Ceuta    Nikkormat camera    Nikkor lenses    Kodachrome film