Grist Mill

[SCraig]

I've shot this grist mill probably a hundred times. I've got shots of it from every angle, I've got them with it covered in snow, I've got them with fall leaves hanging over it, I've got it with the creek in the back in the frame. Out of all those shots I have yet to find one that I really, truly like. I keep going back because sooner or later I'm going to hit the right angle at the right time of year and find one that appeals to me.

I also can't stand black and white but this is one of the few images I've taken that really screams out for it. To me it just looks better in B&W than it does in color.

Advice would be appreciated because it's about 30 miles from home and I'm tired of driving over there to it

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

Cool building, I like your conversion.

 

[SCraig]

Thanks, glad you like it.

It is a cool building which is why I keep going back. It's part of a "Frontier Village" and there are probably 15 or 20 strcutures in it. This one is my favorite though and the the one I tend to focus on each time I go there.

 

[Joel_W]

I actually like the B&W conversion as it just adds that something.

I also have a small restoration villiage within a hour's drive, and yet I've never been there. I guess I'm concerned that is just too commercial with little photographic value.

 

[cgipson1]

nice shot! Backup a bit.. don't crop the roof! And then Sepia that puppy.. might look good.....

 

[SCraig]

nice shot! Backup a bit.. don't crop the roof! And then Sepia that puppy.. might look good.....

Actually I didn't crop the roof off, it got lopped off when I corrected the distortion from using a 17mm lens

I've got another one from a similar, but not exactly the same, angle from early last year. This one was shot in portrait mode but there was (almost) enough room to crop it and leave the roof intact.

And another one from a couple of years ago that I have always liked despite the blown-out snow:

 

[SCraig]

I actually like the B&W conversion as it just adds that something.

I also have a small restoration villiage within a hour's drive, and yet I've never been there. I guess I'm concerned that is just too commercial with little photographic value.

This one is pretty interesting. Most of the buildings are full of antiques (I have no idea how they keep them from being stolen) and there is some pretty interesting stuff there. I like the grist mill best though, probably because I'm on a quest to get a decent shot of it

There is a real nice looking wrought iron fence on the side where the water wheel is, but there's a big tree in the way on one side and a parking lot full of cars on the other. I haven't found a way to get everything in that I want and leave everything out that I don't want.

 

[Joel_W]

For what it's worth, I really like the snow scene best of all. Nicely composed.

 

[SCraig]

For what it's worth, I really like the snow scene best of all. Nicely composed.

Thanks, Joel. I like that one to and it was actually used for my "Electronic" Christmas card last year.

 

[HughGuessWho]

And another one from a couple of years ago that I have always liked despite the blown-out snow:

I love this shot. I have been looking for that spot to photograph forever.

 

[SCraig]

I love this shot. I have been looking for that spot to photograph forever.

Thank you. The spot has been here since 1976, but unfortunately we never get enough snow around here to make it look good. This particular morning we got a dusting of snow in Nashville, and I was supposed to meet a friend for breakfast. The restaurant we were meeting at is right in front of this place so I took my camera with me. Surprisingly they had gotten nearly 6" of snow there (less than 30 miles from home where we only got a dusting), and there was NOBODY THERE! I was real careful where I stepped and got a whole series of shots with nothing but a few dog tracks in the snow.

I'll be glad to let you know next time we have heavy snow forecast so you can fly down here. Don't worry, it's already happened once this century

 

[HughGuessWho]

I will be in Gatlinburg the week of the 4th with all my gear in tow. I hope to get some good shots around cases cove similar to your grist mill shots. No snow in july, huh?

 

[SCraig]

I will be in Gatlinburg the week of the 4th with all my gear in tow. I hope to get some good shots around cases cove similar to your grist mill shots. No snow in july, huh?

I suspect the chances of snow here in July are about the same as getting heat stroke in New England in February

Word of advice about Cades Cove: Go Very, very early in the morning. As in before anyone else even THINKS about getting out of bed. Be number one in line when they open the gate.

I rode my motorcycle through that area for several days over the 4th of July weekend once. It is a beautiful area, and I love riding around there. However there is no way in hell, you couldn't pay me enough, no how, not for ANYTHING would I ever go to Cades Cove over the July 4th weekend again! There is one way in to Cades Cove and there is one way out, it makes a big loop. There are signs all over the place stating "DO NOT STOP IN THE ROADWAY! Use the pull-off areas for stopping." Trust me that NOBODY pays any attention whatsoever to those signs and they will CONSTANTLY stop in the middle of the road. It's a 10 mile loop and it took me over two hours to ride it because I never moved!

At one point I sat in the same spot for 15 minutes. Then I moved up one car and sat again. Then I moved up one car and sat again. Then I moved up one car and sat again. I finally got to where I could see that there were a couple of Black Bears and every car in the line was stopping, one at a time. I figured the air horn on my motorcycle could probably take care of that problem. Those bears may still be running and I certainly didn't make any friends. It was nearly 100 degrees and I was wearing a jacket, gloves, boots, and a helmet so I didn't really care.

What was sad about the whole thing is that there was a parking lot RIGHT BESIDE where everyone kept stopping! All they had to do was pull into the parking lot but not one of them would do it. Every one of them stopped right in the middle of the road and watched the bears. Then they would drive off and the next one would do exactly the same thing.

It is a fantastic area but you need to plan places like that around the crowds because they are very heavy that weekend.

 

[HughGuessWho]

Oh, yeah, I know. Before I moved to New England, I use to go to the area 2 or 3 times a year, and, have been there a few times the week of the 4th. You are correct. It took me 3 hours to get through Sevierville on the way in. However, we are going to be in the area for other reasons and decided I was going to try and make the best of it. Short of the west, that area has some of the best photography ops anywhere. Will see how it goes. Wish me luck.

 

[SCraig]

Oh, yeah, I know. Before I moved to New England, I use to go to the area 2 or 3 times a year, and, have been there a few times the week of the 4th. You are correct. It took me 3 hours to get through Sevierville on the way in. However, we are going to be in the area for other reasons and decided I was going to try and make the best of it. Short of the west, that area has some of the best photography ops anywhere. Will see how it goes. Wish me luck.

Some of the best motorcycle roads to I usually get over that way a couple of times a year to. I love the Cherohala Skyway and the area around Tellico Plains. Just really gorgeous scenery.

Best of luck! Hope you have a great trip.