Giles Hoover

Photography and design for print production

Tag: gallery update

  • Updated Gallery: Downtown Macon

    Updated Gallery: Downtown Macon

    It’s hard to understate how much downtown Macon has changed for the better in the last fifteen years: new residents (and lofts), new restaurants, new shops, a high-end hotel, and more — all without losing its feeling of an historic Southern city.

    Balconies, 389 1st St.
    (Sign of) Hotel Forty-Five, 401 Cotton Ave.

    On the subject of Southern, I’m glad to see the completion of the new Cotton Avenue Plaza, a pocket park that replaces not only an awkward intersection but one that had, at its center, a Confederate celebratory statue. Something everyone can share is a big upgrade:

    Cotton Avenue Plaza (with Lawrence Mayer Building)

    Meanwhile, it wouldn’t be a gallery post without some of my signature detail photographs:

    Flower Detail #2, Mulberry St.
    Eyes on Cherry St. (Window)

    The downtown gallery (2022–23) is now up to 132 photographs — check ’em out. (Once you’ve followed the link, click on any photograph for a larger, captioned version.) And, if you’re interested in the city’s downtown evolution, see also the 2020–21 and 2008–2018 galleries.

    As always, thanks for stopping by.

  • Updated Gallery: Downtown Macon

    Updated Gallery: Downtown Macon

    I had the occasion to have lunch downtown yesterday, a day of simply beautiful spring weather — which I absolutely used as an excuse to take the camera for a spin.

    The vast majority of the time, I use what I call my standard lens: 35mm. (Some would argue that 50mm is the “standard,” but I really prefer the wider angle of view due to its additional context.) This time, however, I was using Leica’s superb — and, sadly, no longer available — 90mm macro. The detail, the color, everything about this lens excels:

    Leaves and Berries, Poplar & New Sts.
    Veteran’s Flame and Flag, Macon-Bibb Government Center, 700 Poplar St.

    It’s sometimes a challenge to be creative in an area you’ve photographed often, but I enjoy trying to spy new details:

    L.C. Rick’s Place, D.T. Walton Sr. Way & Poplar St.
    Kudzu Signs and Building Cornice, 512 Poplar St.

    Or revisit favorite architectural items:

    Post and Turret, 690 Poplar St.

    23 new photographs have been added to the Macon Downtown (2022–2023) gallery, bringing the total to 110. (Don’t forget about the 2008–2018 and 2020–2021 galleries, either.)

    Remember, once in a gallery, clicking on any photograph will start a slide show, with much larger images, titles, and more. Peruse and enjoy!

  • Gallery Update: Milledgeville, Georgia

    Gallery Update: Milledgeville, Georgia

    Spring has sprung here in Middle Georgia:

    Downtown Dogwood

    Gerald and I took advantage of a warm and cloudless March day for a lengthy photostroll which started in Milledgeville — lunch — and wandered northeast, starting at the nearby O’Quinn Mill:

    Old O’Quinn Mill (Wheel)
    Old O’Quinn Mill (Siding Detail #2)

    The old mill building is situated on, natch, O’Quinn pond — a man-made addition to Town Creek:

    O’Quinn Pond Dam (Town Creek)

    There’s a dock and old farm buildings in the complex, which these days is a picturesque event venue:

    O’Quinn Mill on Town Creek

    We continued on to Sparta, then returned through Eatonton, stopping in both towns for photographs. (Updates coming tomorrow and Wednesday: stay tuned.)

    Meanwhile, take a look at the updated Milledgeville gallery, now up to 100 photographs spanning the last twelve years. Enjoy!

  • Gallery Update: Jackson, Georgia

    Gallery Update: Jackson, Georgia

    Spring is beginning to blossom here in Middle Georgia, which means it’s time to restart the traditional Sunday drive and photostroll. This week’s destination was the small city of Jackson, seat of Butts County, and home to a typically pretty downtown square:

    Jackson Historic Square (20 Oak St.)

    The courthouse, as is often the case in Georgia, takes center stage:

    Confederate Butts Forever
    “Dream,” Not Necessarily Reflected

    No, I usually don’t make political commentary. Why do you ask?

    Anyway, there are several examples of my architectural studies, including these:

    Butts County Courthouse Tower (B&W Study)
    Smoking Column Detail, 10 3rd St.

    I didn’t realize that Jackson was the filming location for Stranger Things — a stand-in for Hawkins, Indiana:

    Jackson is Hawkins (Police)

    Check out the full gallery for Jackson, including yesterday’s photographs and those from last year, which include some from nearby Jackson Lake, in the updated gallery.

  • Gallery Update: Dublin

    Gallery Update: Dublin

    Named for the city in Ireland, Dublin in Georgia is an hour or so southeast of Macon. It’s my third trip there, and, like last time, I enjoyed Gerald’s company.1He seemed to enjoy the trip, rain notwithstanding, but apparently the creative juices didn’t flow. (Sorry, man.) Details here.

    It has a photogenic downtown, too:

    Corker (of a) Building, W. Jackson St.
    Fountain and Holiday Tree, N. Monroe St. and Bellevue Ave.

    The Welcome Park includes a clock and bell complete with clover, reminding visitors that the name is, in fact, a tribute:

    Dublin Welcome Tower #1

    As has become typical, my favorite — “best” is debatable, of course — shot is a close-up that’s almost an abstract. In this case, a turquoise box car in the appropriately-named Railroad Park:

    Pull Down for Camel, Dublin Railraod Park

    Just off the main drag we found an item thankfully not yet painted over:

    Aqua Fox, Jefferson and Madison

    . . . Which may, in fact, be a holdover from a bygone era. In fact, I’d be remiss if I didn’t call this subject out:

    Laurens and Dublin Mural (No Biases Shown), S. Lawrence St.

    The only people of color depicted here are Native Americans, relegated to viewing (probably from afar), and two Blacks, very much shown “in their place.” (Dublin still prominently features a Confederate memorial, as well.) Let’s hope that this small city continues its journey into the 21st century, one step at a time.

    See the updated gallery here. As always, once in the gallery, click on any photograph to start a slide show.

    • 1
      He seemed to enjoy the trip, rain notwithstanding, but apparently the creative juices didn’t flow. (Sorry, man.) Details here. ↩︎
  • Updated Gallery: Milledgeville

    Updated Gallery: Milledgeville

    The small city of Milledgeville, on the banks of the Oconee River in nearby Baldwin County, is a favorite for photography. In this case, Gerald and I stopped on our way home from Sandersville, and spent some time wandering the historic district.

    Aged Signage, 101 W. Mcintosh St., Circa 1911
    Fall Color, First Presbyterian Church (#1), S. Wayne St.
    (Extended) Weathervane, Old Courthouse Building, 201 W. Hancock St.

    I especially liked this gate:

    Gate and Stairs (Going Up), 129 S. Wayne St.

    We were these the day after (part of) the Deep Roots Festival, which meant some street decorations lingered:

    Deep Roots Festival Balloons, S. Wayne St.

    Oh, and happy Halloween:

    Happily Haunted Window, S. Wayne St.

    See all my photographs from Milledgeville in the updated gallery. Thank you for visiting. See you in November!

  • Updated Gallery: Sandersville

    Updated Gallery: Sandersville

    As promised yesterday, there’s more from Sandersville. This time, the City Cemetery, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

    Sandersville’s City Cemetery National Register Sign

    Some beautiful statuary within:

    Not all of the plots are marked with statuary, but some have beautiful markers.

    Sandersville the site of a skirmish on Sherman’s March to the Sea, and according to the official history, probably took place in the cemetery grounds itself.

    A plot marker in marble, together with the U.S. and Georgia flags.
    The St. Paul AME Church, seen through the fall foliage.
    Long-leaf pine is typical of this area, and provides some lovely shade.

    An enjoyable time on a beautiful fall day. See all of the photographs from Sandersville in the updated gallery here.

  • New Gallery: Sandersville, Georgia

    New Gallery: Sandersville, Georgia

    Sandersville, seat of Washington County, was the photography destination this past weekend. Gerald and I wanted to get out and enjoy this beautiful stretch of fall weather, and this small city — with its National Register-listed cemetery (more on that tomorrow) — hadn’t yet been explored.

    Dr. Gate, W. Haynes St.

    There was a pleasant little park off what I’m calling Courthouse Square (it doesn’t seem to actually be named that):

    Park Arch, S. Harris St.
    Park in the Square, S. Harris St.

    The Washington County Courthouse is a beautiful and historic building, like many here in Georgia:

    Washington County Courthouse #3

    Can’t close without a plug for the home team:

    Drink Coke, Get Waves

    See all of the photographs from Sandersville in the new gallery, and stay tuned for more tomorrow. Thanks!

    See also: Gerald’s journal post on the trip.