Out and About
Here’s one of the most visited and photographed attractions along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. Mabry Mill.
And, here are several landscapes which I tend to go back to each time I drive up there from home … 45 minutes away. I’m a big believer of finding new compositions in places I have visited many times.
Two recent views of Mabry Mill, along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, on a cold day, with some nice “ice” attached for an extra visual treat.
There are lots of photo opportunities around Historic Mabry Mill near Meadows of Dan along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. Here are some examples I made this summer, while trying to keep clear of all the tourists.
Mabry Mill is a watermill located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Floyd County, Virginia. It is a tourist attraction mainly for the picturesque views of the mill itself. A short trail around the mill connects historical exhibits about life in rural Virginia. The mill was built in 1910 and over the years its condition deteriorated significantly. It was restored during the early 1940s when the parkway itself was relatively new. Since then it’s been rebuilt several times, including the pond adjacent to the structure. Today, the mill is one of the most photographed and painted attractions along the 469-mile route of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Living (fortunately) less than an hour’s drive away, I can visit the mill when the mood strikes — summer, fall, winter and spring.
I’ve pretty much photographed the mill from all angles, close up and far away. I decided recently to try my hand with a new wide angle camera lens at the mill, looking for a “new” composition I’d not tried before. The first image above is what I call a “standard tourist composition.” Compare that with my second and third images below which (to me) seem much more interesting, photographically and artistically. As I’ve written before, try to be different and look for photo compositions most people overlook.
