Bike Ride Photography: Cemetery and Town Square

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2) 04/10/2020 at 13:33 • Filed to: photography, walkaboutlopnik, bikelopnik

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I took a nice long bike ride this afternoon and decided that I would split the photograph from the DOTS. Usually, I don’t have enough to warrant it, but the Confederate Cemetery I visited was just too pretty.

But first, old Marietta Georgia.

My trusty steed for this excursion is a little oversized, but it’s a great bike. Too bad it’s not mine. And the absence of a kick stand made getting off to take photos really awkward.

Kennesaw House used to be four  stories tall. When Sherman’s invading army burned Marietta during the Civil War, he meant to spare it but the top floor caught fire from neighboring buildings.

This was just about the emptiest I’ve ever seen the Marietta Square aka Glover Park. Not even during a rare snowstorm was it this empty.

As I continued south of the city along a relatively new bike path winding its way alongside the railroad tracks away from the road, I began to run into more and more joggers. The narrow width made avoiding them a little nerve wracking but I managed to avoid contact.

If you follow the path the opposite way you will eventually end up at the currently closed Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.

I barely even hear these long CSX freight trains anymore. That said I don’t believe I’d ever bothered to take a picture of one before.

I finally arrived at my destination: the old Confederate Cemetery. I like the peaceful cedar canopy and winding roads but there were more joggers here than I anticipated. Perhaps even more than the larger national cemetery just on the other side of railroad tracks.

And on the way back I wandered a little further along the alleyways between the old storefronts of the Marietta Square.

Who is he hiding from?

This old bank has a very interesting design with the large stained glass window and gothic arched windows.

The Brumby Apartments are housed within the old Brumby Rocking Chair Factory complex. This view from the pedestrian bridge next to the railroad tracks doesn’t do the apartments justice, but it has remained faithful to its industrial past and contains some cool history. Some of the old factory windows are even still in place.

A main road is recessed many feet below to avoid a railroad crossing.

This curved brick stairway is an unexpectedly elegant solution for a rarely used delivery door.

The fact that only part of the aircon unit is painted somehow bugs me. These brightly colored murals are a fairly recent addition.

That concludes this bike riding saga for now at least. What did you think? Which photo was your favorite? Considering very few of these were tweaked in post and my phone isn’t known for taking great pictures, I think these turned out well.

ttyymmnn > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/10/2020 at 14:04

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I always complain about random people standing around in my photos, and I have stood in a spot for long periods of time hoping to get a clear shot with no people in it. Seems like now would be a great time to go out and take pictures. 

smobgirl > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/10/2020 at 14:20

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I definitely hear you on how nerve-wracking it is to encounter people now. I went for a walk earlier this week and took a pedestrian bridge over the highway. Bunch of teenagers were standing in the middle of the bridge smoking and being oblivious to their effect on everyone else. It would have been obnoxious at any time but was anxiety-inducing at this point!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ttyymmnn 04/10/2020 at 14:20

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Oh yes. I like to have a little life in my pictures but never in the foreground. A little while ago I just could not get a clear shot of a 2CV at a car show and just about drove me up the wall that this person would not get out of the way. Sometimes though it turns out really well for someone to intrude.

ttyymmnn > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/10/2020 at 14:25

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Now that I’ve gotten a bit more proficient at Photoshop, I will often shop out heads and legs in my airshow shots. I suppose it’s technically cheating, but who would know? OTOH, as you suggest, having people in a shot can make all the difference. I took this shot ( and others ) of a Ford Trimotor a few years ago, and the presence of the people make this a much better photograph than if they weren’t there. Although, TBH, I wish those two guys blocking the fuselage logo weren’t there. 

Dakotahound > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/10/2020 at 14:31

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I keep a list of places that I want to visit. Your photographs just put Marietta, GA on the list.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ttyymmnn 04/10/2020 at 14:46

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Thats a nice shot. I’ve always liked pictures of people waiting to climb inside something like that. I’ve got one of a bunch of kids clambe ring inside a GM Futureliner somewhere that would have been great except for the blue inducing convention lighting.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > smobgirl 04/10/2020 at 14:47

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Yeah just amazing how oblivious people can be in this time of crisis. Sometimes people will just charge towards you at a narrow point and all I can do is speed up to minimize the exposure.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dakotahound 04/10/2020 at 14:49

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Thank you. Nice place to spend a few hours, especially if you come on a day with some live music in the park. There are lots of other cool Art Deco town squares around (ie Rome Ga) but this one is particularly good. I would also recommend Old Car City USA if you are very up this way.

ttyymmnn > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/10/2020 at 14:50

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Thanks. IIRC, I was sitting on the ground, with the camera resting on the ground and tilted up. So I wasn’t actively framing it. Kind of a spray and pray shot. Also has some fill flash that helped illuminate the underside of the wing. It’s similar to how I took this shot of a Stinson Reliant at an air show.

smobgirl > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/10/2020 at 15:01

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Not gonna lie, I hold my breath!!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ttyymmnn 04/10/2020 at 15:02

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I do like how you've framed it. Most of my shots are spray and pray also, which can be a good thing.

ttyymmnn > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/10/2020 at 15:11

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Again, not looking through the viewfinder. I probably took 20 different shots before I got one I could use. 

Ash78, voting early and often > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/10/2020 at 16:40

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I love Confederate graveyards. Just such a weird mix of emotions over the senselessness of it. Many small towns all over AL have similar, mostly less-opulent ones, but there are plenty of 15' obelisks and stuff like that.

The hardest single demographic aspect of that (often overlooked by modern standards) was that entire battalions might come from one town. So if they experienced a rout, 20 men go home to a place where 100 left. It changes the economics and demographics of that place for eternity. Towns disappear from the map.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Ash78, voting early and often 04/10/2020 at 18:44

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The placard states that it represents every state in the Confederacy. So if 20 men return to a town then 80 are buried far far from home. That was a major factor in how celebrated the veterans were, dead and alive. When you have no grave marker to place flowers by you hold parades and build monuments. You also visit the battlefields that claimed your family. The prevalence and history of war monuments is always fascinating in how they hi y at the untold horror of it all.

Under_Score > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/10/2020 at 22:45

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There’s a lot more to Marietta Square than I realized. My college town is a very historic place, but I never truly took advantage of it.

With everyone else too scared to leave home, I’ve thought about going and visiting small towns around the state just to see what they’re like. It’s more of just “hey, I’m here” rather than things to do. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Under_Score 04/10/2020 at 22:53

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It's a great place to ride bikes, jog, or hike. The while connected bike path hasn't been around too long though.