Blue Ridge Parkway - Fall 2011

My favorite pictures from this weekends trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway

Google+ 101: How it is making me a better photographer

Google+ has recently seen a large influx of members since it was opened to the public, at just about the same time as the most recent Facebook changes/upheaval.
I had a Google+ page for several months in beta, but had never really spent any time there to learn how it worked or how to leverage it.

Two recent Google+ changes make that a lot easier now.

1. Circle Sharing: You can quickly add to your networks people who have similar interests to you.
2. #Hashtags: Google+ (as of yesterday) now supports Twitter style hashtags which allow you to quickly search for similar items within the real-time stream.

I've been using Google+ to find Black & White photographers and also other users who use Canon equipment. I've also been sharing these finds as circles with my networks to help us discover each other.

A quick tour of Google+ will show you the variety and the quality of the work there from some famous and some not so famous (at least yet) photographers.

Be sure to check out the rest of my photography at http://genebowker.com/

Are we friends there yet?

Towards the Sky - TreesTuesday

"Towards the Sky"

Be sure to check out the rest of my photography at http://genebowker.com 

Hamlet Depot Nocturne

The ex-Seaboard Depot at Hamlet, North Carolina is one of my favorite places to visit and to photograph. The classic depot was built in 1906 and was moved across the tracks and restored in the mid 2000's. Used today as the local Amtrak depot and to house the City's railroad museum the depot provides plenty of photographic opprotunities.

This photo was taken at dusk on a moody evening as the depot sits waiting for the next train to arrive later that night.

See more of my Hamlet images

Norfolk Southern Favorites

Here are some of my favorite photographs of the Norfolk Southern.

Peeling paint - TuesDecay

One of the photography daily themes I've been enjoying on Google+  is #TuesDecay which highlights photography of the world slowly returning to dust around us.  Be sure to search for other great #TuesDecay shots.

My #TuesDecay shot for the day is from Society Circle, South Carolina is an detail from the old hardware/general store.

Be sure to check out the rest of my photography at http://genebowker.com/

4000 Horsepower - #MonochromeMonday Photo of the Day

A shiny rebuilt PR43C sits in the South Georgia sun on a bright Sunday Morning in Jesup.

Rebuilt by Progress Rail in Patterson, Georgia, the 4003 can deliver 4000 horsepower to the rails.

Be sure to check out the rest of my photography at http://genebowker.com/

Pastel Sunset

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Be sure to check out the rest of my photography at http://genebowker.com/

Spread your wings

Spreading his wings at Mabry Mill, on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia.

Be sure to check out the rest of my photography at http://genebowker.com/

Relaxing in Retirement

Old millstones relax in retirement at Mabry Mill, Virginia on the Blue Ridge Parkway on a fall day.

As you drive along the back roads of the South, you'll find old millstones resting in front yards and at historical sites.

The small local grain mill used to be one of the centers of the community, much like the general store. They've been replaced by large commerical operations and mostly have been abandoned. Luckily a few, like Mabry Mill have been preserved and can be enjoyed today.

See more of my Mabry Mill images at http://www.genebowker.com/mabry/slideshow

Milling around at Mabry Mill

The workers inside Mabry Mill shoot the breeze with visitors in this fall 2010 picture.



Mabry Mill, Virginia

Fall on the Blue Ridge Parkway is a magical time for capturing images of changing colors, but it is always a great place always to capture a black & white image.

Mabry Mill is one of the most photographed locations on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

See more of my photos of Mabry Mill in every season.

Monochrome Monday- Rocketship in Rocket Boys backyard?

 

Click here to find out what it really is.

Be sure to check out the rest of my photography at http://genebowker.com

Photo of the Day - Sharing the Road

The Norfolk Southern shares a busy street on September 24, 2011 in Augusta, Georgia

Photo of the Day - Pelican

Pelican - Fort Desoto, Florida

Photo of the Day - Black & White Gull

Checking me out in Florida.



See more at http://www.genebowker.com/natflorida

Chance to be an Engineer!



Courtesy: Norfolk Southern Corporation



The Norfolk Southern Exhibit Car provides a look behind the scenes of the railroad allowing visitors to experience the world of the engineer and dispatcher.

Learn more about the exhibit car here.

See inside the car



Should I shoot Black and White?

There are a lot of image makers who do not shoot in Black & White, color is the normal for the "point-and-shoot" photographer and the average tourist on the street.

Today's photographers are given choices which were not available in the past.

BW Landscape - Gene Bowker


Film photographers were limited to choosing between black-and-white and color fim in their cameras, so the easiest way to shoot both was to carry two bodies, one loaded with each.

In the digital world, most dSLRs and even consumer point-and-shoots give the user an easy way to take either black-and-white and color photographs in the field or studio.

Learn more here



Be sure to check out the rest of my photography at http://genebowker.com/

Fabulous Fall in Pennsylvania

The forest will soon be alive in the Allegheny National Forest Region with colors right from Mother Nature's palette.

Route 6 - Allegheny National Forest Region

The Allegheny National Forest Region, the site of the only national forest in Pennsylvania, is located 90 miles south of Buffalo, N.Y. Fall is bigger in this neck of the woods with thousands of acres of northern hardwood forest. With the diverse species of trees within the forest, in the fall leaf colors will be sunshine yellow, brilliant orange, butterscotch and deep apple red.

There's no wrong turn to be made during this time of the year here where the roads meander through some of the most scenic area in the Northeast. Plan your trip from late September to mid-October for peak leaf peeping.

One of the premier places to view the leaves is the brand new Kinzua Sky Walk, located at the Kinzua Bridge State Park on Route 3011 in Mount Jewett. The 329-acre Kinzua Bridge State Park was listed by the state as one of the 20 must-see parks in the state.

You'll be sure to fall in love with the view of the Kinzua Gorge from this platform with a partial glass floor built on the remains of the historic Kinzua Viaduct, which was once the longest and tallest railroad bridge in the world. Visitors are once again able to walk the "Tracks Across the Sky" - something that heightens a person's adrenaline as well as his or her senses.

Another must-see attraction is the Longhouse National Scenic Byway - listed by USA Today as one of the most scenic drives in the country. This 29-mile loop circles the Kinzua Creek arm of the Allegheny Reservoir and includes some of the best scenery in the area by combining the colorful forest canopy with water vistas. Jakes Rocks and Rimrock overlooks offer you an opportunity to view the forest shoreline from rocky overlooks, plus take advantage of the family-friendly picnic areas and hiking trails nearby.

This scenic byway is also close to the Kane, which is the perfect place to pick up something to eat and drink.

Be sure to stop at Jack's Meat $ Poultry on North Fraley Street to purchase some of the local fall harvest of apples, squash and pumpkins. Jack's family recipes are used to make more than 17 varieties of sausage, including Swedish korv, apple, and Greek. This is a delightful stop and taste for "foodies."

Call ahead at 814-837-7321 to order Jack's invention, a one-of-a-kind "griller" - chicken or pork stuffed with sausage and cheese and topped with bacon. You will never forgive yourself if you pass through without picking up one of these amazing, one-of-a-kind concoctions.

Flickerwood Wine Cellars & Lounge at 309 Flickerwood Road is the home of award-winning wines that are available for tasting in the wine lounge. Flickerwood's gift shop features a wide assortment of varieties for purchase. This family-owned winery brings the best of what grapes have to offer to the visitor.

Flickerwood is located just off of Route 6, the major west-east corridor in northern Pennsylvania. National Geographic Traveler named this roadway as "One of America's Most Scenic Drives."

Meander through the rolling forestlands of small Americana towns as the terrain turns into increasingly rugged hills. Stop in the Victorian town of Smethport where the homes of lumber barons from times gone by are part of the Smethport Mansion District Walking Tour.

Enjoy a bit of nostalgia - as well as a "Hubber Burger" and milkshake - at the Route 6 Diner, also located along Route 6 in Smethport.

For additional leaf-peeping suggestions, please visit http://www.visitanf.com/ which offers driving tour suggestions as well as downloadable maps and guides. Or call the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau at 800-473-9370 for a free brochure that features seven scenic driving tours with driving directions and mapping.

Be sure to check out the rest of my photography at http://genebowker.com/

Waiting for the train that never comes

Too many stations are left without train service.

The old equipment preserved there as reminders of how life used to be.

Be sure to check out the rest of my photography at http://genebowker.com/

Lady Antebellum releases Own the Night

Lady Antebellum released their third album "Own the Night" yesterday. My wife picked it up yesterday for us and I had a chance to listen to it on my iPod this morning.


Lady Antebellum continues to improve with each new album in my opinion. The new album has a love theme and includes several new love ballads which I am sure will become fan favorites quickly.

Augusta, GA considers Lady Antebellum their own as two of the members of the group hail from nearby Evans, Georgia.

Lady Antebellum will be in town on October 28th for the dedication of the new Lady Antebellum Pavillion at Evans Town Center Paker.

The album is available for download from Amazon for $7.99 and is available in stores now.

Find out about tour dates


Check out some of the new music below and let me know what you think!