Abandoned in Georgia
April 21 - 27, 2025
Join Jim for this exceedingly unique tour to photograph abandoned trains, mansions, grist mills, farms, covered bridges, grain silos, and more. Many of the dilapidated structures date to the 19th century. Some are engulfed in vegetation; others are simply crumbling and weathered. If you like black and white photography, these subjects look fantastic in monochrome. For color shooters like Jim, the post-processing techniques he'll show you enhance the colors of these striking rural scenes to turn them into works of art. You've probably never been on a photography tour like this one! In rural Georgia, there are photogenic scenes around every corner.
What you will learn on this photo tour:
Composition
HDR
Creative uses of wide angle lenses
Post-processing techniques
Painting with light at night
Using light effectively
Short cut to hyperlocal distance to maximize DOF
How to deal with too much contrast
Itinerary
Day 1, April 21, Monday
Depart from home and fly or drive to Atlanta, Georgia. We meet for the first time as a group in the lobby of the hotel at 6pm. Jim will discuss the upcoming photo tour including the technique he uses for painting with light, and then we'll enjoy a welcome dinner. Overnight at an airport hotel.
Day 2, April 22, Tuesday
Before we leave Atlanta, we'll photograph a famous tourist attraction -- the Krog Street Underpass. It is a safe pedestrian walkway covered in colorful and artistic graffiti. We leave Atlanta and head to Rome, Georgia where we photograph a huge, historic water wheel that dates from the early 1800's. From there, we head to White, Georgia where we spend several hours at Old Car City. This consists of 34 acres covered with hundreds of old cars decaying in a forest. It is definitely captivating, and you'll love the experience of being here and photographing a myriad of intriguing compositions. After we check into our hotel and have dinner, we return to Old Car City for a session in night photography and painting with light. Overnight Cartersville, Georgia.
Day 3, April 23, Wednesday
We have many exciting stops today throughout north Georgia. We'll photograph a beautifully situated grist mill, a 1940's cyan blue pickup truck decorated with flowers, a school bus graveyard, decaying railroad cars, a stately plantation home abandoned for decades, and more. Because there are so many abandoned structures in rural Georgia, we will often come upon them by surprise. There will be a lot of happy surprises on this itinerary! Overnight Madison.
Day 4, April 24, Thursday
After breakfast we head east to Crawfordville to photo an abandoned Baptist church that dates from the 1880's. Then, we drive to Sparta to capture a beautifully situated red mill as well as an old Victorian home in ruins. Nearby is Mayfield with more classic ruins to explore and photograph. We then proceed to Milledgeville, the capital of Georgia from 1804 to 1868, and we'll photograph the Georgia Central Hospital if it has not already been demolished. This facility was founded in 1842, and the original name was The Georgia State Hospital for Lunatics, Idiots, and Epileptics. From here we'll drive a short distance to Monticello for an old Methodist Church in ruins. Overnight Macon.
Day 5, April 25, Friday
After breakfast we drive to an industrial area of Macon and photograph an old coal chute. The huge hulk of rusted metal looks like an alien. In the afternoon, we have several amazing once-elegant homes in Dawson to photograph in their various states of decay. We then drive to Columbus and overnight.
Day 6, April 26, Saturday
Our first stop today is the oldest covered bridge in Georgia, the Red Oak Bridge, built in 1840 by Horace King, a freed slave. We then head north today and stop at Starr's Mill. This 19th century red structure sits at one end of a waterfall, and it makes an idyllic scene. This is a good place to use a neutral density filter for long exposures to soften the water. From here, we drive to Rex, Georgia and photograph another beautifully situated old red mill.
From here, we drive a short distance back to Atlanta and enjoy a farewell dinner. Overnight Atlanta.
Day 7, April 27, Sunday
After breakfast we depart Georgia, knowing we've taken some very unique and artistic images that most people never notice.
Cost of tour: $3250. Includes six night's lodging based on double occupancy, all ground transportation, entrance fees, all breakfasts, two dinners, photo instruction and critiques on demand.
Not included: Transportation to and from Atlanta, all lunches and four dinners, trip insurance, and items of a personal nature.
Single supplement: $575
This photo tour begins and ends in Atlanta, Georgia.