As the title suggests, this post has more images from Maury County, Tennessee. It also adds to my interim from my recent documentary posts regarding current politics. This is also a break from film. The images in this post were taken with my DSLR. These photos have been sitting on my hard drive, so I thought I would shared them in a blog post.

I’m really glad that Spring has finally arrived. The downside is that I now have to crank up the lawnmower and deal with all the insects and critters that come along with the warm weather. Oh yea, I’m not too fond of Tornado season neither, so let’s take a moment to reflect on a colder, calmer, critter-less morning back in January.

 

Old City Dam – Columbia, Tennessee – Olympus E520 / 14-54mm f2.8 / SNS HDR (5 frames)

 

I’ve photographed this dam numerous times. Each shot has its own character. The thing I like about my current shot is that I can actually feel the cold when I gaze at this image. The snow and mist along with the frosted trees in the background really work on the senses to give the viewer a good sense of the environment portrayed in the photograph. The next two photographs were captured on one of my spur of the moment ventures. When I get that feeling, I must to get my fix.

Every town or city has that iconic building, structure, statue or sign that everyone recognizes. After just a glimpse of that icon, the viewer knows exactly the location of the photograph. There are two buildings that I believe most everyone in Maury County knows, one is the Court House and the other is an old building that has been the front for many businesses over the years. The significance of the court house is evident, but the second building might need a little explaining.

The second building is unique because its North face is a “ghost sign”. This basically means that wall was used for advertisement for the business. While the business is long gone, the painted signs still remain. You will have to forgive me for my “mansplaining”, but I had to educate myself on the term. This particular building has several signs, some prominent and some faded. The wall reveals businesses that range from hardware and supplies to groceries. Currently the building is used as a bicycle shop. There may be some other dwellings or businesses on the back side. This wall is positioned at one of busiest corners on the square. It’s always seen when taking a stroll around the town square. The composition of my picture only catches part of the building, but even that is enough to know what it is.

 

Columbia Square – Columbia, Tennessee – Olympus E520 / 14-54mm f2.8 / SNS HDR (5 frames) / ShiftN

 

I cropped this to create a “banner” look. Those who are familiar with the area know that this shot definitely says “Columbia”. My wife is currently using it for here Maury County Historical Society Twitter page. This next picture is evidence of something my wife has been saying for sometime. I’ve noticed over the years that more and more people are starting to visit the downtown area of Columbia. I see less empty storefronts and the storefronts with nothing to show have a “Coming Soon” sign hanging on the window. My wife schooled me on how Columbia used to be the “IT” place back in the day. She says that Columbia is starting to make a come back. Being a member of the historical community keeps her near the pulse of the town.

 

Columbia Square – Columbia, Tennessee – Olympus E520 / 14-54mm f2.8 / SNS HDR (3 frames)

 

I played around with some long exposures for this next picture. This is where digital photography shines. You can keep experimenting until you get it right.

 

Columbia Square – Columbia, Tennessee – Olympus E520 / 14-54mm f2.8

 

A few miles North of Columbia is the town Thompson’s Station. It’s technically in Williamson County, but I really didn’t have a better place to place this photo so I added to this post. I took this picture while I was on my way to Nashville to do some street photography. While I was taking the picture below, a gentlemen out for a morning walk approached me. We had a long talk about his past. After our conversation, I asked for his portrait. He agreed and I pulled out my Olympus OM1 loaded with Ektar 100. His portrait came out very nice. You can see his picture and read about the encounter in my blog post titled “Face to Face-v3”.

 

Red Caboose at City Hall – Thompson’s Station, Tennessee – Olympus E520 / 14-54mm f2.8 / SNS HDR (7 frames)

 

I have a back log of film images waiting to be processed. This back log includes photos from Mule Day. In the meantime, I will be posting more digital images, so stay tuned. Thanks for reading!

 

Images Best Viewed in Lightbox Below!

 

 

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6 Responses

  1. The lighting for “Columbia Square” is amazing. Another photographer friend says, “Dawn and dusk are the photographer’s friend.” That’s certainly true here.

    • Thank you! Your photographer friend is correct. Those moments before sunrise and after sunset provide the best light. It also depends on what you’re shooting. The harsher light between those times can be great for black and white photography. Without the distraction of color, black white images thrive on contrast. Thanks for reading!

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