We departed on a Sunday morning knowing MV would be our home base but no agenda past that - so we were off, just we two in search for something new. After only 5 hours and we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of the Smokey Mountains. Even in the off season - it is beautiful.
These small town tourista villages are littered with t-shirt, souvenir and artsy fartsy craft shops - Nita is in heaven with the crafts. I decided on this trip to be the patient husband so she could see all she wanted. I would from time-to-time find interest as well.
No Rush. If I had enough t-shirts, indian moccasins and Christmas ornaments for the time being, I would simply wait outside and see what I could see:
more views of a barn
For our followers, you know we like to shoot pretty girls in pretty dresses. And low and behold, I actually found a couple of pretties that posed quite well don't you think.
Maggie Valley is basically a main drag with shops, restaurants, and more shops. As we made a couple of passes I kept noticing this "junk yard" but it really was not an ordinary junk yard. Packed in tighter than a dozen sardines in a small tin were these relic Classic Cars and other antiques and collectibles not the worse for wear. We decided to stop and explore. We noticed a few fellows engaged in a friendly conversation near what looked like the front gate. We approached and I asked if we could take a few pics. Steve, the owner invited us in for a tour of Steve's Antique Motorcycles and Cars. Steve is a collector and in his facility there must have been hundreds and hundreds of classic cars in various stages of retirement. And if there was one, there were thousands of motorcycles - in this building. Up on the hill across the road, he had more in a chicken coop 150 yards long - full of motorcycles - too many to count, but Steve knew exactly. In fact, Mike and Frank of American Pickers paid a visit to Steve back in 2010. Steve did not say what they "picked". Probably nothing, because Steve is a collector, not a seller.
Steve shared the details and history of many of the pieces - Jags, Rolls', Harleys, and Hondas and even Barbara (Big Valley) Stanwick's Bentley, with the title still in the glove compartment.
As interesting as Maggie is - there is only so much one can do, especially in the low season. So off to Asheville we go, the home of the Biltmore Estate, purportedly the largest home in America. We got as far as the main gate and decided to turn around and have a coffee. Yep, spontaneous with no particular place to go. We find the Artsy District, park and head off on foot. On the way, I spy an very interesting Christmas Ornament, so we stop to explore, and meet Charlie Brown, the cat:
Charlie invites us in and roars a silent roar. Truly - not a peep.
After a few pets and a little coaxing Charlie agreed to a more formal portrait. I do believe Charlie may be a Jellicle Cat.
And speaking of Cats - These cats CAN play. Their funk sound lured us in and I could have listened and listened.
Miles? not quite, but cool man, cool.
Sax man can play the funk. Drives the rhythm and anchors the bottom with his Alto.
Jazz band, like a dinner bell, shepherded us to entrance of a fantastic bistro. Tummies growling so we treated ourselves to an unexpectedly great meal.
With no particular place to go - We did find many new and fun places in particular.
Oh - my bride. Happy Birthday to Nita !!
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Neal & Nita - n2images
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- Wonderful decorations all in their places for the arriving guests -
~ Evie makes a haul ~
~ Happy 1st - with a Flamingo theme ~
Eva on her Birthday Throne ...
~ always willing to share ~
~~ En garde ~~
Selfie with the pretty mommy -- but wait.. which camera ??
The apple of Grand's eye
"here I come to save the day"
~ Head and shoulders above the crowd ~
~ Preparations - every birthday girl needs a bonnet ~
~ Birthday girl addresses her fans ~
~ The entourage - girls will be girls ~
~ the fam ~
~ outside we go for some fun in the sun ~
~ Big sis slipping and sliding ~
~ ta da ~ Eva will be asking for the keys to the car before you know it ~
We love family and so much enjoy capturing moments like these to last a lifetime
thanks for looking
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We moved on from the park and found this construction area that had perfect backdrop.
I usually refrain from showing shots from the LCD viewer to the model during a session, but Samantha was so excited, I did in this case. She liked what she saw..
and as a result, Samantha grew in confidence with the camera
Rock Star ..
Saturday mornings, the streets in Dublin GA are fairly deserted. As we exited to the street, I noticed a door that had a very vibrant color. Samantha commented: "It matches" ! Sometimes things just work.
And now for something completely different..
We just had to make use of this odd pile of "stuff" around the corner. Samantha was game. We thought it would be an interesting contrast in styles. Well, that is probably an understatement..
Country girl
Nita and had a fun time with Samantha for this photo shoot- a joy to work with-
Thanks for looking.
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Timeless
We love their simple, yet beautiful commitment to one another.
Megan is a lover of horses, avid equestrian and trainer. What better way to end the day than at the farm.
Here's to Megan and Paul. We love you all from n2, Neal and Nita
Thanks for looking
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We start with traditional family poses-
Then we move on to find what we can find to make an interesting photograph-
How convenient is it to have a railroad car?
Often times we can find really good shots that are just there - ready for the "click". We just have to see.
It is always fun to bring one personal item. It makes the shoot, well - more personal - here we go-
"I went down to the crossroads, fell down on my knees. Asked the Lord above for mercy- Save me if you please."
passing on the passion
We love Families- neal and nita
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]]>Morgan is beautiful through and through - ambitious, thoughtful and driven. Morgan is an AP student who is dual enrolled, taking college level courses while finishing her last few classes at WLHS. She has been a band student since the 5th grade. As band parents ourselves, we know they are special kids - of course we are partial. Morgan is Section Leader of the flutes and has been a member of the Mercer Macon Youth Symphony Orchestra, an achievement earned by only the best student musicians.
So we headed out - Nita and I, with our cameras in tow to take a few photographs of this beautiful young lady.
n2 - neal & nita
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The journey is what we were after, and the gems just off the main route, tucked behind a tree, overgrown, longing for just a little attention like a forgotten senior. They stand like sentinels. Most passersby simply do not notice them as they fade into the landscape. These relics remain, having lived past their usefulness but still provide us beauty - but we have to look. Even in silence, these places speak.
The day included a nice leisurely drive through back country roads, plenty of U-turns, and a wonderful lunch in historic Madison GA served up by a spunky waitress that could have been Jody Foster's double. We plan to make this Road Trip the first in a series; We simply love exploring and imagining what once was.
South from Elberton, we were thinking about lunch and this caught my eye, so a quick U turn and we explored this field for about an hour..
In Bottles..
The house behind the house- not so bad unless it's really cold, or on a hot steamy day... or any other time for that matter..
Moonshine still - probably hidden from the "revenuers" for the longest time - Now a roadside relic.
.. notice the wheel so the entire contraption could be quickly moved at the first sign of trouble ..
My Bride
Thanks for checking out our blog - We love taking photos ..
n2 - neal & nita
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As long as I can remember, I have had a fascination with the camera, of the images it makes and of photography. The bug first bit, and probably for many, on a family vacation.
I was eight – remember it as clear as day. My grandmother came to visit us in Dallas, Texas. She lived in Kansas and we decided to take a trip to show her the Alamo. So we packed up and headed to San Antonio, a few hundred miles to the south. I was in charge of the camera.
It was (is) a camera made by Kodak – a Brownie Hawkeye; high tech at the time. Basically a light-tight box, with a fixed lens set up so that the depth of field guaranteed anything you pointed it at was in focus, because there was no way to actually focus the camera. The box was held just above belt level and the photographer would peer down into the viewfinder so most photos were taken at an upward angle. Now there is a tip for taking chest up portraits, a technique basically lost on the masses with their fancy schmancy DSLRs.
Attached to the box was a flash with a gangly arm with a nice sized reflector-diffuser. Modern day photographers can take a note – get your flash away from the lens AND diffuse the light. There was no such a thing as red eye with this relic. Only with the modern conveniences of the point-and-shoot and the pop up flash was this malady introduced to images. Red eye is prevalent in amateur-land and easy to prevent, or fix.
We arrive at the Alamo with great anticipation. I felt this was going to be a wonderful photographic opportunity and I was to take full advantage for our family scrapbook. I walked around the grounds of the old church, fort, and battleground and “found” many photos.
The Brownie Hawkeye is a film camera. Pre-dating the 35mm canister, you had to insert the roll and thread it around the back to the opposite spindle and turn it to frame #1. I shot lots of frames.
We enter for the most exciting part of the tour- a place where Sam Houston, Jim Bowie, and many other heroes made their last stand. What was the first thing I saw…. a sign: NO PHOTOS. Ugh.
What was a poor boy to do? I made a decision that I believe many true-blooded photographers have made as well. I was going to shoot till asked to stop. That call never came and I quickly got my treasures.
As we drove as away from this historic Texas landmark I knew I had something special - photos when most would simply put their cameras away in quiet obedience. I wanted to insure these would make it to the local developer and to do this I felt it best to get a little air to the film seeing how it was all enclosed in the air-tight camera back. So in the mind of an eight-year-old, I OPENED the camera back to allow a little air to the film. When my dad realized what I had done, without words, he simply raised an eyebrow, and I knew what I had done. Ugh --- big surprise when we picked up the pictures from the developer. Opportunity lost and lesson learned.
Many years later I returned, camera NOT in hand. I simply walked through the museum and just enjoyed the artifacts and reflected back to an earlier time when at the spark of my fascination of photographic art, I knew it would be life-long.
Can you remember your first photograph? Leave a comment...
good shooting.
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