Tennessee Photography: Country Bridge

This image is another long-time favorite of mine. "Country Bridge" was taken at Cumberland Mountain State Park near Crossville, Tennessee. I happened upon the bridge at the end of a cool, rainy weekend, and I couldn't believe how calm and smooth the water was.

I processed the image to give a sepia tint to the center of the photo and bleeding to a black and white at the edges. To enhance the look, I like to frame the photo with a brown frame, sometimes even rustic or distressed wood, with a double porcelain and brown mat.

To purchase this piece or one of my others, please visit my fine art site. Or, view some of my other photos from Tennessee.

Tennessee Photography: Sweet Angel Statue

Earlier this summer I saw this beautiful angel statue at Cannonsburgh Village in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 

I just love the sweet expression on her face and the flower carvings on the wings. As a black and white, the light color of the stone really pops between the dark background and the pansies in the foreground.

To purchase this piece or one of my others, please visit my fine art site. Or, view some of my other photos from Tennessee.

20% off Custom Framing

Custom framing on purchases made through my Imagekind store is now 20% off until midnight, Sept. 21. Insert code Fall2009 during payment to receive the discount.  Visit my store at http://lcurty.imagekind.com/

Italy / Tuscany Photography: Bar Firenze

This is another of my favorite photos that I took in Italy. I had been searching for the perfect bar-themed photo, when I came across Bar Firenze in San Gimignano, near Siena in the Tuscan region of Italy.

It was fairly cool and had been raining off and on throughout the day, which had the wonderful effect of keeping many of the tourists indoors (and out of my shot).

Generally, I'm a fan of bright, sunny photos, but I love the mood set by the dreary, early-spring day and the rain puddles pooled under the cafe tables.

This photo makes a great gift for someone with a new bar or with coffee or wine themed decor.  And it pairs wonderfully with "Vin di Toscana," my black and white shot of a row of wine bottles.

To purchase this piece or one of my others, please visit my fine art site. Or, view some of my other photos from Tuscany, Italy.

South Carolina Photography: Charleston Street Lamp

Here is an urban shot from Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston has such wonderful Southern charm, and I think the lamp posts highlight that old-style charm of the city. I have no idea what building this is - so if you know, please drop a comment!

Urban-scapes generally just scream to be shot in black-and-white. I love the way it draws the focus to the straight lines of city architecture.

To purchase this piece or one of my others, please visit my fine art site. Or, view some of my other South Carolina or urban photos.

Tennessee Barn Photography: A Horse of Course!

This is one of those "right place, right time" photos. Last fall I was out in Estill Springs, Tennessee, at a friend's barn, taking her senior portraits. It was such a beautiful afternoon, just before Thanksgiving. As you can see in the photograph, the fall sunlight was a yummy golden warm -- perfect for pictures.

Her horse was just fantastic, and I couldn't resist taking a few "portraits" of him too. For this shot, he cheesed for the camera, and "A Horse of Course!" was born.

To purchase this piece or one of my others, please visit my fine art site. Or, view some of my other photos from Tennessee and from Franklin County specifically.

Sewanee, Tennessee Photography: Less Traveled

"Less Traveled" was taken in Sewanee, Tennessee, on the old railroad bed known as the Mountain Goat Trail. On a cold February afternoon, one of my dear friends took me down the trail to see this beautiful scenery. As I looked back, I saw the freshly laid tire tracks that the truck left behind, trailing off around the bend.

I named this piece "Less Traveled" because it reminds me of the Robert Frost poem, "The Road Not Taken."

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

To purchase this piece or one of my others, please visit my fine art site. Or, view some of my other photos from Tennessee and from Franklin County specifically.

Italy / Tuscany Photography: Vin di Toscana

I took "Vin di Toscana" while visiting Montepulciano, in the province of Siena, Tuscany Italy. I loved the bottles of wine, lined up at attention.

When I first saw the color rendering of this photo, I passed right over it. It was only on a second, or maybe third, look that I was able to envision it in black and white, which I immediately came to love!

It has since become one of my most often requested pieces.

To purchase this piece or one of my others, please visit my fine art site. Or, view some of my other photos from Tuscany, Italy.

Tennessee Barn Photography: Hanging Around

Here is another of my newer photos. "Hanging Around" was taken at Cannonsburgh Village in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

One of my challenges to myself is to take more photos that capture the history and essence of Middle Tennessee. I loved the grouping of the three old wheels against the texture of the wooden barn, as well as the contrast of the round shape of the wheels against the vertical stripes of the barn. I overlayed the photo with a sepia tint to give it a little bit of an antique feel.

To purchase this piece or one of my others, please visit my fine art site. Or, view some of my other photos from Tennessee.

Italy / Tuscany Photography: Olive Tree

Here's a piece from my archives. This photo was taken while I was in Tuscany on a walk from the birth home of Leonardo da Vinci to the town of Vinci, Italy.

I love the twists and bends of the olive tree and how the sun peeks through the leaves. On the day of the walk, the sun was bright and warm. The new growth of the olive leaves shown in a brilliant green. Bright colors surrounded us and were a welcome change from the bleakness of winter that we were still experiencing back home in the Tennessee early March.

Despite the beautiful color around me, the unique bends of branches coupled with the stark contrast of the bright sun against the dark trunks of the trees just called for high contrast black and white.

This print looks best when framed with a white mat and a wide black frame.

To purchase this piece or one of my others, please visit my fine art site. Or, view some of my other photos from Tuscany, Italy.

Sunflower Dreams

Since this is my first blog post for my new fine art site, I thought I'd start by introducing one of my newer additions to my collection. It's not a new photo - but a newly rediscovered photo. Future posts will highlight some of my older favorites as well.

I took "Sunflower Dreams" last fall at Walden Farm Pumpkin Patch in Smyrna, Tennessee. Just looking at this photo warms me through, bringing back memories of beautiful fall days. I love the warm reds and oranges and how they pop against the brilliant blue sky.

I rather think this particular piece would look most at home in a young girl’s bedroom or in a warm, friendly kitchen.

To purchase this piece or one of my others, please visit my fine art site. Or, view some of my other photos from Tennessee.