This location on top of Lookout Mountain, GA is a very popular spot for watching hang gliders, who will only fly if the wind is perfect. On this particular day, the weather was not conducive to flying. You will often see participants sitting around chatting with each other until everything is perfect before they run down the ramp and are flying off into the wild blue yonder. It is considered a “dangerous” sport; therefore, you’ll notice a net just below the end of the ramp … just in case!
While in Chattanooga a few weeks ago, Mike and I decided to drive up to the Georgia end of Lookout Mountain. The weather was beautiful and had a hint of Fall in the air with very little humidity. The view gave me an opportunity to take four photos and stitch them together to make a “panorama” photo.
I have always been intrigued with the Walnut Street Bridge in Chattanooga, TN. Built in 1890, it was apparently the first non-military highway bridge across the Tennessee River. On a daily and nightly basis, it is now enjoyed as a walking bridge by thousands of Chattanooga natives and visitors. This photo was “shot with flash/speedlight” off camera with a red gel which turned the white railings red. My camera was set for a slow shutter speed; I placed a red gel on the flash and as the shutter remained open, I pressed the flash “test” button firing the flash multiple times as I walked along the rail. Although I also shot the scene with both a purple and blue gel, I liked the way it looked with the red gel best.
I woke up this morning and looked out the window hoping to see a beautiful day, but that was not in the cards. Instead of sunshine, it was foggy. I decided it is good to shoot outdoors in different kinds of weather so I gathered my equipment and Mike and I drove up to the top of Lookout Mountain hoping to get moody and atmospheric photos. We approached a narrow one-lane road beside which a sign was posted, “No Trespassing.” I have always been a curious-type person, so convinced Mike it would be okay if I walked down it for a possible photo op. Although nature provided plenty of low-hanging fog, I added a texture to the photo in post processing to give it just a little bit of added moodiness.
I don’t normally get up early enough to see the “dawn’s light” but last Saturday morning, Mike yelled, “Get up and get your camera.” I have lived in my house on Signal Mountain since 1984 and never have I seen such a glorious sunrise. The sky was brilliant red when he awakened me but by the time I dressed, got out on the deck and set the camera, it had lessened somewhat.
In 1932, Rock City officially opened on Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga. Shortly thereafter, its owner got the “bright idea” to advertise by hiring a young painter to call on property owners who had barns on their properties and offer to paint the barns in return for allowing three little words, “See Rock City,” to be painted on the roofs. It was a huge advertising success and soon those three little words would be painted on barn roofs from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. It was not until 1966 when the young painter got married that he stopped painting barn roofs. By that time, there were 900 “See Rock City” barn roofs. A few barns are being maintained today by Rock City; however, sadly there are only about 100 presently in existence. The photo of the barn below was taken in the little Georgia town where I was born.
Always whenever I travel up Lookout Mountain, I admire the “Natural Beauty” of the 100-foot waterfall at Rock City. I always wanted to stop and photograph it but never did until this beautiul fall morning in early November when I noticed how especially pretty it looked framed by the fall colors.
Have you ever just wanted to photograph a rock? For a long time, I have had a particular rock in mind to photograph so during our last visit to Chattanooga, I made a trip up Lookout Mountain in search of the Umbrella Rock. You might ask why would I want to photograph this particular rock and the answer is because about 1890 my Grandfather, George David McCallie, was photographed sitting on the rock when he was 18 years old. It was a famous rock and many people loved sitting on top of it to have their pictures made. The rock is still in place but has a fence around it now and access to it is not allowed. Below you will see the rock as it is today (I put my lens through the chainlink fence) and underneath is a copy of my Grandfather sitting at the base of the rock. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s a popular thing was for entire families to climb on top via a ladder and have their pictures taken with their feet dangling off the sides.
High atop Lookout Mountain is Point Park, from which the Battle Above The Clouds was fought during the Civil War in 1863. Walk down a few steps to the museum and you will learn about this area and the battle that took place there. From this point, you will also be able to see the most beautiful view that you can ever hope to see of the city of Chattanooga and the bent or twisted Tennessee River which winds its way through the downtown area.
A 52-Week Photo Journey 