Mr Mabrys Mill
This is a working grist mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway circa 2010.
This is a working grist mill on the Blue Ridge Parkway circa 2010.
Read less
Read less
Jan, 2014Views
1055
Likes
Awards
Staff Winter Selection 2015
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Exceptional Contrast
Jaw Dropping
Peer Award
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 20 rankCategories
kiraballerina
February 23, 2014
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!!...MASTERFUL CAPTURE HIT EVERY ELEMENT WITH A BULLS-EYE!!!...REFLECTIONS, COMPOSITION, NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY, COLOR CONTRAST....GORGEOUS!!!!1...BRAVO :)
Platinum
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
On the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina at Mabry's Mill. I was worn out from a long trip to Maine to photograph the scenic landscapes and was returning to Atlanta.Time
It was about 4 pm in the afternoon.Lighting
There were many puffy clouds making for soft light. At that time of day you would expect more dense shadowing, but it just was not the case that day...Equipment
Nikon has been my brand of choice since 1966 when I purchased my first serious camera. It was a Nikon F1. This image was made with a Nikon D200 and a Sigma 28-85mm lens that I often use as a walkabout type lens. It lets me stop to do closeups of flowers or artifacts of note as I wander around the photo site. I did not use a tripod in this shot as I had plenty of light to shoot hand held!Inspiration
I have always enjoyed the old mills that I see, usually in park venues, where they have been restored in order to show the lifestyle common to the people of the particular time period being studied! When one considers our contemporary lifestyle versus the hard times usually experienced by people of the day it it is more amazing to realize how convenient life truly is in our lifetime in a days experience! Photography is a perfect medium to display this to people unable to see it live for themselves!Editing
I shoot raw files in my Nikon so my workflow usually includes a download and catalog using either Adobe Bridge or Lightroom. Contrast is almost always needed with RAW files and mine are no exception. If there is an exposure problem this is the perfect time to make an adjustment. For this finished image I believe there was a slight crop!In my camera bag
I always carry 4 lenses in a roll around ThinkTank bag. I go from a Tamron 10-24mm for wide angle use to a 28-85mm Sigma macro lens that is very handy for most general instances. Next is a Nikon 70-300mm lens useful for my bird photography when used with my teleconverter or telextender whichever you prefer. Finally I have recently purchased a Tamron 150-600mm zoom telephoto that I am now getting used to for closeups of wildlife! I have filters for almost all the lenses of one kind or another, usually graduated density and/or a polarizer. My Nikon flash is always available to use with my Better Beamer flash extender if needed. I have an old Tiltall tripod that has been in my service since the 70s and still is terrific. Yes I am an old dude who really loves photography!Feedback
Being prepared for a closeup of an old mule collar, oxen yoke or a very closeup view of the aged wood that the windows and doors are made from can be interesting in a primitive environment such as this one. There are always flowers or in this example, wildlife constantly moving and being "present" to establish a mood for the image. In the extended set of images associated with this shoot there were long sluice boxes used to move water to the waterwheel which in turn would grind the grain into a meal that made interesting images. Light coming through a window is always an interesting subject and this mill had many interesting facets to study and then photograph. There were many old artifacts such as hand tools on display to photograph. To me it is always important to record the overall look to make a record of the "big picture" before I go into detail with all the smaller parts that really make the "big picture" so much more meaningful!
