It’s been a while — too long, in fact — but with a completely new storage and editing system in place, it’s time to get back to taking, editing, and posting photographs from Middle Georgia and beyond.
This time, it’s the nearby city of Forsyth, specifically its historic train depot. Interestingly, Forsyth was the first city in Georgia to get passenger train service, in 1838, and the lovely station wears its years well.
Tracks and Train Depot, E. Johnston St. and Railroad Ave., Forsyth
Both the depot and its features are examined, in general and in detail:
Forsyth Train Depot (Roof and Chimneys), 104-114 E. Adams St., ForsythForsyth Train Depot (Train Car Detail #3), 104-114 E. Adams St., ForsythForsyth Train Depot (Train Car Detail #5), 104-114 E. Adams St., ForsythAntique Fire Truck (Detail #7), 104-114 E. Adams St., Forsyth
And, ever watchful:
Forsyth Train Depot (Bronze Dog Sculpture), 104-114 E. Adams St., Forsyth
This edition discusses new type, mergers and items set free, and visits with both some photo contest winners and winning poster designs. (And if you haven’t seen my annual Favorite Book Covers post, keep scrolling.) But first…:
Former President Carter
Commonwealth Club, San Francisco, 2013. Photograph by Ed Ritger. (CC 2.0.)
One of the strongest voices of reason left us on December 29th, 2024: former President Jimmy Carter. He’s the first president I actually remember, and one of the things I’ve appreciated about recent years is the growth of his stature from undeserved fill-in-label-here to treasured humanitarian.
I’d like to share a couple of items that are meaningful to me. First is his commitment to Habitat for Humanity — and not only as a speaker and fundraiser, but someone who contributed by actually swinging a hammer:
Former President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. Photo via Habitat for Humanity.
Into their 90s and still working. Take it from David Letterman:
While we’re on the subject of David Letterman, this September, 1993 appearance shows both humanity and humor:
Another quick item is this 60 Minutes tour of his office — something that always speaks volumes about a person:
SLTF Bergamot Grotesk, an Art Deco-style, all caps headline face is a striking new option from Silverstag. This is trendy, of course — Art Deco is in — but timeless at the same time, and something I hope I have an opportunity to use.
Another is a new version that’s instantly a beautiful classic, Milla, hand-developed and a joy to look at:
Hoping for the perfect book project for this one.
Mergers … and Freedom
If you’ve not heard, Getty and Shutterstock have proposed a merger. This is, put simply, both understandable and … not good.
The rise of artificial intelligence has likely played a role in the merger; the combined assets of Shutterstock and Getty are a treasure trove of training data for AI companies. However, while AI licensing deals are an opportunity, it could also be an issue for stock photo companies as customers may decide to use AI image generators like Midjourney or DALL-E rather than pay for individual pictures.
— Matt Growcoot, PetaPixel
For the record, I completely agree with PetaPixel‘s Jason Schneider when he opines that it’s “yet another step in a race to the bottom.” The deal could possibly attract antitrust notice from the U.S. government; here’s hoping.
But it’s also hopeful — and slightly wonderful — that it’s new year, which means a new crop of items are now freed from the constraints of copyright. Kottke lists some of his favorites, and points us to a fantastic post from Duke University’s Center for the Public Domain, which has lists and links aplenty. (My favorite: Tintin.)
Special Bonus #1:This is Colossal, in 2016, also pointed us to another collection of freely-available items, this time from the New York Public Library. Great stuff.
Special Bonus #2: In a three-fer for This is Colossal, they also highlight a new campaign from the U.S. National Archives asking those who can read cursive — no longer a requirement in school, a completely daft decision we’ll leave for another time — to contribute some time translating historical items. (And that’s not all you can do.) Become a Citizen Archivist today.
Florida Atlantic University.University of Wisconsin at Madison.
The new year is off to a good start, too:
UCLA.UPenn.
UPenn’s fall ’24 poster is in the same vein and also rocks. Check out all the winners — and watch this space for more.
Winning Photography
I’m threatening to get a Raspberry Pi — the ol’ fashioned ad-blocker route is less and less effective, and a more robust alternative may be added — and was interested in this PetaPixel story about the desktop photos the system uses as standard: “[w]alking through a train station in New Zealand, Greg Annandale looks up to see his photo on an information screen. The Raspberry Pi computer powering the board has gone back to the desktop wallpaper which Annandale shot of a road in Iceland.”
That would be this one:
Road, Sólheimasandur, Iceland. Photo by Greg Annandale.
Couple of others:
Pia Fjord, Patagonia. Photo by Greg Annandale.Cordillera Darwin, Patagonia. Photo by Greg Annandale.
Next, I promised NASA would put in another appearance. How’s this:
Photo by Don Petit/NASA.
In what Ars Technica senior space editor calls “the best picture ever taken from the International Space Station,” we have something special indeed. “In this image, one can see the core of the Milky Way galaxy, zodiacal light (sunlight diffused by interplanetary dust), streaks of SpaceX Starlink satellites, individual stars, an edge-on view of the atmosphere that appears in burnt umber due to hydroxide emissions, a near-sunrise just over the horizon, and nighttime cities appearing as streaks.”
Wow.
To round things out for January, we have a couple of photo contests whose winners caught my eye. We’ll start with The Society of Photographers and their photographer of the year 2024. My faves:
Architectural Photographer of the Year award. Photograph by Andre Boto.Events Photographer of the Year award. Photograph by Mark Lynham.
While I wish their selections were more extensively labeled and/or titled, it’s still awesome to see the raw talent highlighted with well-deserved accolades. See the PetaPixel story or the contests’ website for more.
Lastly, some life in the wild, courtesy of the UK’s Natural History Museum People’s Choice Award:
Annoying Neighbour, Kiskunság National Park, Hungary. Photograph by Bence Máté.
“Eyeing one another” fails to do this one justice. And then there’s the Villarrica volcano:
Earth and Sky, Pucón, Chile. Photograph by Francisco Negroni.
But it’s the patience of this shot that wins it for me:
Edge of Night, near Vancouver, BC, Canada. Photograph by Jess Findley.
“Jess quietly watched the owl for several nights to understand its habits.
“He set up an invisible beam that would trigger a flash when the owl flew out of the barn. Simultaneously, a slow shutter speed gathered ambient light cast on the clouds and barn.
“On the tenth night, all the moving parts came together as the owl left to begin its hunt.”
That little town — more a hamlet, really — is called Deepstep, and I’ve marked it for a stop since. On the way home from Augusta (part 1, part 2), I finally had the opportunity.
Alonzo G. Veal & Son (What We Don’t Have, We Can Get), 9665 Deepstep Rd.Veal & Son Building Detail #1, 9665 Deepstep Rd.
What a great little spot.
Gate and Field, 9665 Deepstep Rd.Outbuilding and Pine, 9731 Deepstep Rd.
The gallery’s only eighteen photographs, but absolutely a worthy addition to the newly revised Middle Georgia group. Those galleries cover everything from Pine Mountain in the west to Sandersville in the east, Madison in the north to Dublin in the south.
Indeed, I’ve rearranged pretty much all of the Georgia galleries:
The new Georgia gallery group: five items instead of three, all featuring rearranged contents.
As mentioned yesterday, I’ve been meaning to get to downtown Augusta with a camera for years. Actually, that not correct: I’ve been meaning to get to downtown Augusta . . . period. I’d never been there, despite living 130 miles away for almost two decades, despite having been nearby, despite — well, you get the idea.
Statue at James Brown Plaza, Broad St. and Augusta Common
So it was a pleasure to get to the home of Woodrow Wilson, James Brown, Jessye Norman, and countless others — and see a city a lot like so many others in the American South, a city that’s struggling with identity, history, vacancy, gentrification, and so many other issues prevalent in the 2020s.
The Confederates and the Albion, Broad St.
One of them is the continued presence of a huge Confederate memorial, a shame in a majority-Black city — and just in front of the Lamar Building, soon to be luxury apartments. What message are Augusta, and its new luxury residents, sending?
Miller and Lamar, Broad St.
Nonetheless, the day’s efforts resulted in some satisfying images, from architecture to neat details:
Augusta Cotton Exchange Building #1, 32 8th St.Miller Theater (Entry Detail), 708 Broad St.Edgar’s Above Broad (Logo) Sign, 699 Broad St.
Augusta is a riverfront city I’m looking forward to returning to. In the meantime, please enjoy a total of 128 photographs in the newly-posted gallery.
Gerald and I were in Georgia’s lower Chattahoochee River valley yesterday, visiting the city of Columbus — and ran across a couple of treasures. Naturally, there was a camera handy.
The first is the best restaurant I’ve enjoyed in a long while: The Animal Farm.
The Animal Farm, 105 W. 12th St.
If you’re in or going to be going to Columbus anytime soon, I cannot recommend it highly enough. The food was superlative, the service excellent, and the ambiance simultaneously upscale, casual, and fresh.
The second — and no less tasty — stop was the Ma Rainey Museum of the Blues. This period house downtown is small but demonstrates a remarkable comeback from the (literal) wreckage they started with in the ’90s. I’d originally wanted to return to the Columbus Museum, but it’s being renovated; Gerald’s suggestion here was pitch-perfect.
Ma Rainey House, 805 5th Ave.Ma Rainey House Marker, 805 5th Ave.Bust and Albums, Ma Rainey House, 805 5th Ave.Record Player Detail, Ma Rainey House, 805 5th Ave.
Inside, Gerald and I enjoyed a lengthy conversation with Xavier, a guide who was knowledgeable and enthusiastic; he absolutely made us want to explore more blues history. (I’m also going to be listening to some Ma Rainey on Tidal.)
Meanwhile, gallery of Columbus photographs is deep and varied, spanning almost fifteen years and 180 items — check it out.
Macon County, Georgia, hosts Montezuma, a railroad crossroads on the Flint River. Officially dating to 1851, it was named after the Aztec leader by soldiers returning from the Mexican-American War.
Montezuma Sign (Crepe Myrtles), S. Dooly St.
I’ve been meaning to stop with a camera for a while, but it’s always been a pass-through on the way elsewhere — the route from Macon to Andersonville, Americus, and all points southwest go through Montezuma — but it’s taken until now to actually stop.
Bench Detail, Montezuma Methodist, N. Dooly St.
Like a substantial part of rural Georgia, Montezuma has fallen on increasingly hard times; the population continues to drop1See Wiki’s article., the empty storefronts multiply, and many of the beautiful old Southern houses need some attention:
Slight Repairs Needed, 510 S. Dooly St.
There’s an attractive downtown, though, with old brick buildings and a wonderful historic railroad depot:
Museum Sign, Old Railroad Depot, Dooly & E. Railroad Sts.Bracket Detail #1, Old Railroad Depot, Dooly & E. Railroad Sts.
Did I mention that it’s a railroad crossing? There are two sets downtown:
Railroad Apparatus #4, Dooly & E. Railroad Sts.
Despite the population loss and storefronts marked “for rent,” however, all isn’t lost. There are some new businesses opening:
Sweet Window, 127 Cherry St.
I’ve posted 55 photographs in the new Montezuma gallery — peruse and enjoy. And, as always, thanks for stopping by.
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.
After leaving Zebulon (see below) last Thursday, I continued northeast into the beautiful spring morning. My destination was Senoia, a town of about 5,000 that has a lovely, old-time feel, and is usually busy due to its “touristy” nature. There’s a film studio (!), and major productions like Driving Miss Daisy and The Walking Dead have used it for a location. Plus, given its proximity to Atlanta, it’s a popular day trip for city dwellers looking for a getaway.
Gerald and I were there last April, and while I had a camera with me, I only took a few photographs and didn’t like any of them. But a church window had stuck in my head, we enjoyed the visit, and I determined to return.
This time: success. Starting with that church window:
Church of God of Prophesy (Window #1), Main and Johnson Sts.
Elsewhere in the historic district, fantastic Southern porches await:
The Veranda Historic Inn, 252 Seavy St.
While amongst the dogwood blossoms, there was even a porch for our feathered friends:
Bird House, 128 Travis St.
But it’s downtown that folks come to visit:
Shops and Eats on the Hill (#2), Main St.Book Light (Reflecting Tour), 53 Main St.Giraffe at Foxhollow, 7 Main St.The Classic Market, 30 Barnes St.
Plenty of history here, too:
The Museum and the Water Tower (From Baggarly Way)Light and Lights Detail, 61 Main St.
A total of 57 photographs — clearly, it was a good time — have been posted to the Senoia gallery. No matter the weather where you are, wander a picturesque small town on a beautiful spring day.
We’re having an absolutely beautiful March here in Georgia — apologies to places that absolutely aren’t — and I’ve been trying to take advantage by getting out and taking photographs.
The latest photostroll starts in the small town (pop. 1225) of Zebulon1Named for Zebulon Pike, the general and explorer (for whom Colorado’s Pike’s Peak is named, among other things), in Pike County, northwest of Macon, with the typical courthouse square:
Pike County Courthouse, Barnesville St.
The building, from 1895 and on the National Register of Historic Places, is wonderfully detailed, sporting columns aplenty and lots of Colonial Revival details:
Pike County Courthouse (Column Detail #1)Courthouse Square Composition, Barnesville and Thomaston
The small downtown is well-kept and bustling in a way that small downtowns should be:
Confession: For the last several years, I’ve been avoiding Eatonton. Its four-lane bypass is notorious as a revenue generator for Putnam County, so when heading north to Madison or Athens I have been taking the prettier Monticello route instead.
My mistake. In almost twenty years of living less than fifty miles from this gem — and perhaps because of that bypass — I’d not explored downtown. It’s definitely earned another visit.
Residence Above Maggie Lane (Mind Your Step)Putnam County Courthouse (Tree)
I also wasn’t aware that Alice Walker (The Color Purple) and Joel Harris (Uncle Remus) were locals — the latter explaining the prevalence of rabbits hopping about:
Rabbit (Paper Jeff)
Interesting art, too:
The FolksArt, 119 S. JeffersonSelz (The “Sole” of Honor), 107 N. Madison
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.
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.
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 1911Fall 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:
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.
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:
