Nothing works better for a 365 project than a little vacation travel. My trip didn’t go exactly according to plan thanks to Mother Nature, but it was an adventure none the less. Below are a few of my favorites from my travels around the AL/GA/TN border mountains.
Day 5 Feb 8: Skyline from Cheaha State Park, AL
It was 31 degrees and a little windy, but I just had to try and shoot the Anniston skyline since it is not a sight I see often. I didn’t have a tripod, so I used a nearby post. Unfortunately, the wind still caused blur, but it was great to see what pushing the ISO could produce.
f/5.6
30 seconds
3200 ISO
32.5 mm
Day 6 Feb 9: Daytime Skyline from Cheaha State Park, AL
Last summer, we hiked the Pulpit Rock Trail, but as it was about to rain, I didn’t take my camera. This time, we went right back, with my camera in tow. Such a beautiful skyline of the Alabama mountains, and one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever been.
f/8
1/2000 second
1600 ISO
21.25 mm
Day 7 Feb 10: Chattanooga Choo Choo, TN
As the theme song goes, “the weather started getting rough…” On the 3rd day, we headed for shelter at the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo. I was intrigued by the over 100 year old architecture, and pushed my camera as far as I could to get a decent shot of the dome ceiling. Still a little grainy, this shot shows some of the intricate detail of the old train depot. As a historical note, a low ceiling was installed sometime in the 1940s to help reduce heating costs. If I recall correctly, it was removed about 20 years later.
f/8
1/60 second
3200 ISO
18 mm
Day 8 Feb 11: Point Park, Lookout Mountain, TN
If there’s one thing you can know for sure about the South, we preserve our history. I love any chance I get to photograph at historic sites, and there was no shortage on my trip. This shot is taken from the top of Lookout Mountain at Point Park, commemorating the Battle of Chickamauga.
f/22
1/125 sec
800 ISO
35 mm
converted to B&W
Day 9 Feb 12: Cloudland Canyon State Park, GA
Cloudland Canyon was one of the most beautiful places I visited with my Outdoor Adventure Club at Andrew College. It was increasingly exciting to go back nearly 13 years later and see what I had forgotten. The hike was cold, and though I didn’t make it all the way down the 600 steps to the falls, I did get to experience the beauty of mountain rivers flowing through unspoiled forest.
f/11
1/25 sec
800 ISO
26.25 mm
Day 10 Feb 13: Closed Factory, Fort Payne, AL
Traveling through old small towns gives me a photographic high. Although depressing at times, I find it mystical to see closed warehouses, buildings falling in, and abandoned railroad depots. I always wonder about their stories, and imagine what town life was like at their peak.
f/22
1/20 sec
800 ISO
20 mm
converted to B&W
