Beautiful....  Majestic.... Detailed.....Forgotten.  All words that describe a very unique place.

Let me tell you about it.

A few years ago I met a photographer friend to make some photographs in one of the most beautiful cemeteries that I think I have ever been to. But this isn't about those photographs; it is about our time on this earth and how our lives are reflected in the end.

Friendship Cemetery is located on 65 acres in Columbus, Mississippi along the Tombigbee River and contains more than 16,000 individual graves.  Buried in the cemetery are many veterans that fought in every war from the American Revolution through the Vietnam War and maybe wars following.  There are also the graves of those who helped shape the history and future of the great State of Mississippi and the United States since it is also the place given credit for the establishment of Memorial Day.  But that isn't all that is here....

Also buried here are those that were common people; people just like you and me that lived their lives the best way they knew how.  Those graves are mixed in among those of the more prominent people of the area and close to the unknowns that are buried here, remembered only by that stark white marker.

The markers in this place are varied.  Different shapes, sizes and colors as well as those with angels and religious symbols abound throughout the cemetery, adorning stones that are very intricate, real works of art, covered with lichens and displaying the wear from nature for the last 160 years or so.   Many are stone carvings representing the graves of children, one in particular from the late 1800s that simply says... Our Babe.

Another well-known marker is the one that marks the grave of Rev.Thomas Cox Teasdale, known as the Weeping Angel.  It has stood as a silent tribute for 120 years and is the most moving of all the ones in this sacred place; photographed thousands of times by those seeking solace for a recent loss or just because it carries a special meaning for them.

But even more remarkable in a rather odd sort of way are those memorials and markers that are really elegant and majestic, that no doubt mirrored the lives of those that they represent, but no longer are maintained by the families, or anyone else other than the groundskeepers.   Empty vases sit atop massive monuments surrounded by the remains of beautiful wrought iron fences that are missing parts of their elements or in some cases, where only a corner post remains.  Beautiful... Detailed.... Majestic.....   

Forgotten.

Tributes to the life of a person or family that are now nothing more but remnants of their former beauty and elegance, cracking under nature's forces.

This got me to wondering today.  How many of us are like this?  

Many of us walk this earth hoping to make a difference before our time is over yet others only seek to get out of it what they can without any regard for those around them.  Others live extravagant lives and at the end, have huge monuments erected to honor themselves hoping that they are remembered for eternity by their family and peers.   

Ask yourself this question: Do you want to be remembered for the difference you made or will the only remembrance of you be that of a massive marble marker that has crumbled over time, long forgotten to be viewed by others that didn't know you?

Think about it.

15TH ANNUAL SHOW FEATURES PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE RURAL SOUTH

New Albany Photographer included in 15^th Annual SlowExposures Photography Festival

Fine art photographer and New Albany, MS resident T. Lowry Wilson is one of 53 photographers that have had work accepted into the annual Slow Exposures show in Georgia. SlowExposures, the big photography show in a little corner of the rural American South, opens for its fifteenth season on Thursday, September 14^th through Sunday, September 17^th. Although Pike County, Georgia is only an hour from Atlanta's Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, visitors will encounter a rolling, verdant landscape where once, "Cotton was King". To add context to the images on exhibition, the shows are displayed in late nineteenth century buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. This "sense of place" makes for an experience filled with shared, serendipitous moments and thought-provoking conversations in front of the work.

Winner of The Governor's Award for Arts and Culture in 2014, the show features work from photographers from across the United States who enter images that portray the traditions and contradictions of this region. This year’s distinguished jurors, Arnika Dawkins of Atlanta and John N. Wall from South Carolina chose 76 images, of which Wilson had two chosen, from over 800 that were entered this year. They will be on hand throughout the weekend to discuss their process in Sunday's Juror’s Talk and to present The Juror's Critique seminar on Saturday. In addition to the main show, there are several satellite shows and the PopUp Tour which will feature seven individual shows around the historic Courthouse Square in Zebulon.

Starting 15 years ago, a group of volunteers who live in this part of west central Georgia put together the inaugural event of what is now a nationally-ranked fine art photography show. The theme is always "The Rural South". They believed that photography could serve as a powerful medium to get folks to “slow down” and reconsider the value of “place” before 19^th century historic buildings and landscapes were bulldozed away for subdivisions. The "slow" in SlowExposures refers to our invitation to "slow down" and experience the sights, sounds, smells, and feel of this region.  Each year profits from the show are designated for one of Pike County’s historic buildings that are being “repurposed” for 21^st century use. This year there are two: The 1926 Zebulon Elementary School and R.F. Strickland’s in Concord, site of the main exhibition and the “starting” place for over 1,000 photography fans who will visit the show.

 The exhibits are open to the public for free during opening hours.  Additional fee-based events are planned as well and feature leaving professionals in the fine art photography field. The Saturday Supper takes place in the main exhibition area is is always a sell-out. For more information on times, locations, and tickets, please visit www.slowexposures.org.

(NOTE:  IMAGE ON BLOG ENTRY WAS NOT ONE CHOSEN. THE SHOW HAS ASKED THAT THOSE NOT BE REVEALED UNTIL SHOW OPENING.)

There are variations on the theme. I've seen some painted red for the hot and blue for the cold and yet others are just plain with the words hot and cold. 

This set of water towers is in Ruleville, Mississippi.  Ruleville sits in the Mississippi Delta on Mississippi Highway 8 not too far from Dockery Farms which is just north of where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for being able to play the guitar like none other. And in case you are saying to yourself, "I thought the Devil's Crossroads was in Clarksdale," you would only be partially correct. There is a crossroads there but that isn't the one where this event supposedly happened. There is some dispute about where the crossroads really is as you can read here but the intersection of two gravel roads directly south from Dockery about 1/2 mile is the generally accepted location... unless you are from Rosedale, Mississippi.

Ruleville is a few miles from Cleveland, Mississippi, home of Delta State University and its mascot the "Fighting Okra."  Their sports teams go by the Statesmen or Lady Statesmen. You can see these water towers on the south side of Highway 8 and to the west of US Highway 49. It takes some maneuvering to figure out how to get to them but once you do is is worth it.  They are very near what appears to be an old manufacturing facility.

I've been by them numerous times over the years and invariably the light wasn't right or the sky was not very pretty or it was the wrong time of the day. I have stopped to photograph them on three separate occasions. The first two times I wasn't really happy with the images so I never showed them.  Then about two years ago I was traversing the Delta with my good friend David Wolanski from Delaware when we saw them from the highway and almost immediately knew this would be the right time.

A storm was brewing to the west and the sun was peaking occasionally through areas of light cloud cover. As we got to the location of the towers the storm clouds had moved in and the light wasn't as bright.  Suddenly, a bright area appeared where the clouds weren't as thick and the light was landing perfectly on the water towers. We both immediately got out and begin making photographs.  Within just a couple of minutes the clouds had covered the sun and it was time to move on to a different area. 

A lot of time in photography luck plays a large part with creating an image, especially when shooting landscapes.  The skill of the craft is being able to recognize those opportunities and putting yourself in a place to take advantage.

Titled simply, "Ruleville."

RulevilleThese twin water towers with hot and cold are in Ruleville, Mississippi. With storm clouds rolling in the light was perfect this particular day.

No one really knows for sure, at least from what I understand, exactly when Gip was born, and at times he has remained the same age for several  years.  When I was there this past weekend, I checked with the lady that collects the cover charge and she told me he was 97 years old but could be over 100, which I found rather amusing.

For the last few years, the City of Bessemer and Gip have had an ongoing disagreement about whether his place was legal or not.  It seems that the city wanted him to get a license to operate but to get a license you had to be in a place zoned commercial. They even went so far as to shut him down one Saturday night, even though they knew he had been operating the place the same for the previous 40 years or so.  Apparently, they came to some sort of agreement and Gip has been allowed to keep doing what he has done for all of these years, at least for now.  At 97 years old you have to wonder if they are going to tolerate it as long as he is living, figuring that he can't live much longer.  Based on what I saw this past weekend, he might outlive the current administration.

The entertainment this past Saturday night was Chris Simmons, a quite accomplished singer and guitar player that had the crowd on their feet, as he performed a mix of blues and other music.  During his performance he did a tribute to Chuck Berry, who had passed away earlier that day, of Johnny be Goode.  When the music began Gip went around and got people up to dance and then joined in, twisting almost down to his knees and back up again. From this, it was apparent that everyone loved Gip.  Whether it was your first time to visit or if you had been there 20-30 times, you were part of the family.

All throughout the place were posters, a couple even talking about Po Monkey's as well as festivals in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and several different signs that I found interesting.  The one about hippies using a different entrance was intriguing but even more so was the the car tag that spelled out "Jesus" next to the blues festival posters.

Below is a slideshow of few images of Gip's all taken with a Fujifilm X-T1, using a Rokinon 8mm lens. and Velvia simulation.  This combination produces very brilliant colors that set the mood for a place like this. 

Sometimes you meet people in life that have a profound effect on those around them.  Whether you agree with their lifestyle or not isn't relevant. What is relevant is the respect that people give to someone during their life and after they have passed.  My Christmas card for 2016 reflected on the life of one place and the man responsible for helping restore hope to the Mississippi Delta.

I first met Willie a little over five years ago when I went to his place, "Po' Monkey's Lounge," near Merigold, Mississippi, also the home of McCarty's Pottery, with my friend Cort Anderson. We were just riding by earlier in the afternoon when he came driving up in his pickup and got out, which I later found out was also his home that he had occupied for years. He invited us in, and it was really quite amazing to experience a one on one conversation with someone so iconic as Willie.  

A  year or so later, I had the opportunity to go back to Po' Monkeys while Al Jazeera America was filming a documentary on the Blues.  I paid the cover charge and walked into the place I had visited only a year earlier. Being able to see it at night and full of folks from all over compared to the first one on one visit I had with Willie a year earlier was quite amazing.  Al "Big A" Sherrod was playing that evening and believe me, he put on a show that included making a guitar do things that I didn't think were possible.

Willie converted the old sharecropper's shack in 1963 to what would become the most iconic place in the Mississippi Delta.  The front was three rooms; one with a pool table and the other two were filled with random chairs and tables.  When I was there for the Al Jazeera documentary, I ended up sitting on what I found out was a bench seatt out of a mini van, which was probably the most comfortable seat in the place.

The stories about Po' Monkey are legendary.  His assortment of suits (supposedly he had over 100) and other various pieces of clothing and costumes where notable. He might come out in one color suit and within a few minutes be dressed in one of a totally different color.  He had an assortment of wigs including a long blond one that reminded me of Dolly Parton.  And then there was the infamous apron. If he ever came out wearing that, the surprise was....was... well, I'll leave that to your imagination.

Over the years, he had been given a lot of stuffed monkeys and they all found their place, hanging from the ceiling in different places, among other items that would be better suited for an adult audience.

I would go back to Po' Monkeys each time I was in the area, never staying longer than an hour, but long enough to sit and have a conversation with Willie. He was always welcoming and recognized me each time I came in the place and would always invite me over a beer.  Of course, I don't drink but I would always get a canned coke and sit and chat with him. 

He ruled the place with an iron fist and if things begin to get rowdy (which I only experienced once) he would walk up to the offender and quietly have them escorted out of the building by one of his people that seemed to always blend in with the remainder of the crowd.

People from all walks of life and from all over the world have been to the lounge. The night I was there for the Al Jazeera project, I met people from Texas, Washington DC and Belgium, all there for one purpose and that was to experience the hospitality of Willie and Mississippi.

On July 14 of this year, it all came to and end with the passing of Mr. Seaberry. He was found deceased in his bedroom after suffering an apparent heart attack.

Willie "Po' Monkey" Seaberry

August 24, 1940 - July 14, 2016

Rest in Peace

Willie at the Pool TableThis is one of my favorite photos of Mr. Seaberry. He graciously allowed me go photograph him each time I visited Willie with his fake hair visorYou never knew what you would find Willie wearing. This particular night it was a visor that made it look like he had hair. I didn't have anything to light it with so I used the LED light on my iPhone.

Merry Christmas from Po Monkey'sThis was the front of this year's Christmas card. It was done one evening when the crowd had thinned slightly. If you look really close you can see the shadow of someone walking in the photo.

WILSON PHOTOGRAPHS ACCEPTED FOR MISSOURI EXHIBITION

       Two photographs from New Albany fine art photographer and Tallahatchie Arts Council member T. Lowry Wilson have been accepted for exhibition at the George A. Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin, Missouri during the month of May 2016. The exhibition is part of the Four States Photography Enthusiasts (FSPE) and features artists from the states of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas as well as members of FSPE from other states, including Mississippi.  This is the first time FSPE has sponsored the exhibition and there are plans to make it an annual event.  
       Wilson submitted photographs to the juror panel and the two that were accepted are part of his Mississippi Delta series entitled “Dissonant Harmony.”  The images chosen feature typical Delta scenes and are printed in B&W using a special carbon pigment process.

       Wilson is a native of southwest Virginia but has called Mississippi home since moving to the Tupelo area at the age of four.  He has been involved in various aspects of the art of photography since the age of fourteen, including owning a full time portrait and wedding studio.  His website Old South Images (http://www.oldsouthimages.com) is a showcase of his current work.   
        In addition to this exhibition at the George A. Spiva Center for the Arts, Wilson’s work has been included in juried exhibitions at the Meridian Museum of Art and at the Gum Tree Museum.  He has won numerous awards including First Place ribbons in the photography category at the Gumtree Festival, Jerry Brown Festival of the Arts and the People’s Choice Exhibition at the Meridian Museum of Art.  His work has been featured in solo exhibitions at the Union County Heritage Museum and the Corinth Artist Guild and in January of 2011, he was one of two artists featured in an exhibition at the Meridian Museum of Art in Meridian, MS.  
        In the Spring of 2011, he was included as part of a group of photographers in Light Leaks magazine, which is a publication dedicated to the art of photography using toy or primitive cameras.   His image, “Alabama Country Store,” was featured in the March/April 2012 issue of Alabama Magazine as well as for an album cover for a country group from Texas.
His photographs have been featured in Mississippi Magazine and selected as cover art for a regional phone directory.  His works also hang in personal and corporate collections in England, Canada and the United States from California to Delaware, including that of a Fortune 500 company.
        Wilson has taught classes in studio lighting, Photoshop, and business practices for photographers and has led photographic tours on Route 66 in Kansas and Oklahoma.  For the past six years, he has been putting together a project featuring a series of images entitled, “Dissonant Harmony,” which explore the paradox that exists with the land and the people of the Mississippi Delta.  
In addition to the “Dissonant Harmony” project, his plans include a book of B&W photography that is scheduled to be published in the fall of 2016. 
        For more information including the ability to contact Wilson directly, please refer to his website:  http://www.oldsouthimages.com.

Below are the two images accepted for exhibition.

Wash DayOne of two images accepted for exhibition at the George A. Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin, MO. This photo is from the Mississippi Delta and is a typical Delta Scene. Stop!One of two images accepted for exhibition at the George A. Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin, MO. This photo is from the Mississippi Delta and is a typical Delta Scene.
 

Each year the card features one of my photographs with a little Christmas magic.  Since I only send out 75 cards, I take the time to sign and number each individual card. Those lucky enough to receive the cards seem to appreciate them.

This years card featured the old piano at Rodney Presbyterian Church in Rodney, Mississippi.  For those of you that may not know, Rodney was once a bustling river town but due to a change of course in the Mississippi River around 1870 there isn't much left now but a few crumbling ruins.

The inside of the card reads:

CHRISTMAS IS THE TIME TO SHARE LOVE AND JOY.

A TIME TO RECOLLECT BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES

IT IS A TIME TO SIT BACK AND RELAX.

ENJOY THE CHRISTMAS SEASON...

...SIMPLY

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Here are the images that appeared on the front and back of the card. Click each to see larger.

Tishomingo Swinging Bridge

I had shot with the older Fuji S2 and S3 digital cameras a few years ago which was my first real foray into digital photography after having been a film shooter for almost thirty years but for whatever reason Fuji had gotten out of the digital business after they introduced the S5, which I think was nothing more than a rebranded Nikon system with a few Fuji design changes.

In 2012 I had been hearing about the new line of Fuji digital cameras so I decided to rent one from the guys at LensRentals in Memphis, Tennessee. I anxiously awaited the arrival of the X-E1 and the 35mm F1.4 lens so I could just see what all the hype was about. The camera arrived on a Friday afternoon and I would have all weekend to check it out and shoot a few things. Needless to say, it was the first time in a long time that I had seen images with that kind of color come straight from the camera.

What is it about the Fuji X system of cameras that has created such a large following?  Let me attempt to explain.

As I mentioned I've shot with all sorts of cameras during my photography career and for many years everything was totally film based. I loved shooting with film and have always felt that digital left something to be desired. It seems that digital did not have the dynamic range of film and as a result images with real bright highlights and darker shadows lost detail. And to make matters worse the images had to be post processed in an attempt to bring back some of what was missing but again there was the lack of dynamic range which means the detail wasn't there to bring back in most cases.

I have been heavily invested in the Canon system of cameras for over 30 years, beginning with the A1 and original EOS film cameras and continuing with the EOS digital cameras including my last Canon purchase, the 5D Mk II. I've shot with plenty of L series lenses, my first being an old 80-200 from the late 1980s. To make a change to anything other than Canon would involve some serious soul searching and an investment in a completely new system, one that I was willing to make.

It took me about three years to finally make the commitment to change to Fuji. The final straw was when I rented an X-T1 from LensRentals for a weekend back in November of 2014. As I traveled throughout the Mississippi Delta that weekend I found myself reaching for the X-T1 much more often than I did the 5d Mk II. I had to force myself to shoot with the Canon because I really wanted to see a valid comparison between the two systems. What I discovered would cure what ailed me.

I discovered....

• Images with the Fuji had a different look about them. The color from the camera is some of the best I've ever seen.
• The dynamic range of the X-Trans sensor is crazy good. I intentionally pushed it to its limits and it performed wonderfully.
• The camera looks and feels like an old film camera. The controls make sense and the things you use the most are right in front of you.
• The weight of the camera with the battery grip is considerably less than what I was shooting with.
• The images were beautiful and didn't compare to those from the 5D Mk II, at least not in my opinion.

And finally, there is something else that you might not understand unless you use the Fuji system for a few days....

......the camera has soul.

It has a connection that I never felt with the Canon and has brought be back to a point that I enjoy going out and shooting again.

I sold most of my Canon gear.

I am slowly building my system as I figure out exactly which lenses, etc., that I need. So far I have the X-T1 with battery grip and the 14mm F2.8, 18-55mm F2.8-4 and 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 lenses. I have also adapted my old Zeiss/Contax 100mm F2 that I had converted for the Canon EOS system to work with the Fuji. I will be adding a couple of more lenses and another body within the next six months or so.

I rent an X-E2 occasionally so I won't have to change lenses as often. It has the same sensor as the X-T1 and has a nostalgic feel.

Below are a couple of images photographed with the X-E2 and the 14mm F2.8 lens. Yes, they have been post processed because I wanted to see how far I could push things with the RAW files from the camera.  As you can see the details and color really stand out.

Confederate Rainbow at BovinaIn rural Warren County, Mississippi the Big Black River winds it way through the hills of the local countryside. It passes under the old arch bridge near Bovina, Mississippi as it makes it way through the lowland at sunset.

This particular day a rainbow filled the sky and mimicked the arch of the bridge after a rain storm had just passed through. As as happened many times before as evidenced by the high water marks on the arches of the bridge, the rain didn't cause the river to swell which has been known to flood.

A long time fixture of this railroad trestle is the confederate flag that is painted on the inside of one of the arches. The setting sun seems to highlight that particular area of the old trestle. I've often wondered what brave soul climbed up to that spot to paint the flag. Just like in the days of Noah, the rainbow seems to be saying that everything is going to be ok as the fading light of the afternoon is focused on the flag. The Road Less TraveledAn old section of US Highway 80 in Warren County, Mississippi crosses the mighty Big Black River on an old through truss iron bridge as it snakes it way across central Mississippi near Bovina.

This section of what was originally known as the "Dixie Overland Highway" in the days before highway numbering was put into place has been bypassed by Interstate 20 and is used now by only the locals and those seeking a more scenic route.

The setting sun is reflected in the clouds that are accentuated against a blue September sky. The rain had just passed and a rainbow was overhead, a common site in Mississippi close to sunset.

But what happens when you are reduced to single vision and can't physically see out of one eye due to an injury or defect in your vision?  Some would say that is a curse but I might disagree.

I've been blessed or cursed, depending on your perspective, of only having single vision.  

Yes, that is right.  I am a one eyed photographer.

Some of the problems (or blessings) that I deal with every day are things that a normal person with two good eyes doesn't even think about, such as:

• I have very little depth perception.  When driving I have to be really aware of everything going on in front and around me at all times because I can't really tell how close the car in front of me happens to be. Fortunately, the human brain is a master of adapting and keeps me from running into something or even worse, someone.  As comfort to those that have ridden many miles with me on photo trips you need to know I have never had a wreck that was my fault.
• I can't see in 3D.  I live in a world that is flat.  From 10 feet away, I can't tell if two items are at the same distance or one is 10 feet farther back. It creates an interesting view for sure and one I will discuss more later.  Again, the brain does what it does best and because of the different parameters it can adjust for, it tells me that one of the items is farther back even though I can't really see the difference.

For the last 3-4 years I've been researching my blessing or curse, again depending on your perspective, to try and determine exactly how I can be a photographer yet not be able to perceive depth or see a three dimensional world.

As a photographer not being able to see in three dimensions would seem like a huge detriment but the more I have read and researched I've begun to realize that perhaps I have an advantage when it comes to creating images.  A famous German writer, Hugo Von Hofmannsthal, said, "Depth must be hidden. Where? On the surface."

Although I'm sure what he said had nothing to do with photography and not having two good eyes, I think it can be applied to this discussion. The reason is because I often get told that my images have depth and with many of them it feels like you can reach in and feel the contours of the subject(s). I don't see that depth, at least not in the same way as most people with stereo vision.

While I don't have "stereo vision" I have learned to adapt to my surroundings.  If you want to understand more about what I mean simply put a patch over one eye and walk around your house. See how many things you bump into and how hard it is do simple tasks, such as cutting an apple or even worse, going down a flight of stairs. By covering one of your eyes you have basically turned off your stereo vision, or in other words, reduced your three dimensional world to a two dimensional one.

During her research Dr. Margaret S. Livingstone, Professor of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and author of Vision and Art: The Biology of Seeing, discovered a common trait among an unusual percentage of famous artists she examined. It seems that they all suffered from a lack of stereo vision, including famous American artist Andrew Wyeth. What relationship could this have? Here is what I think.

If you already see the world in two dimensions it is much easier to produce art in two dimensions. I am of the opinion as a photographer I ignore the distraction of the usual depth cues that others see because they aren't as obvious to me but as a result I am more aware of those that I can see. I would venture to guess that I see things differently than the average person; things such as linear and aerial perspective, dimensional hints from shadows, relative sizing, etc., because I depend on them more than other people in order to maneuver the world around me.  

While artists with stereo vision need to learn to see these things to produce art, those of us with stereo blindness need to understand them on a much more intimate basis to accomplish even the simplest of tasks like getting up or down a full flight of stairs, driving a car or slicing an apple.

Is only having one functional eye a curse? Yes, especially when it comes to things like 3D movies or television.

Is only having one functional eye a blessing? When it comes to photography and art it certainly seems that way.

I've been legally blind in one eye for over 50 years. I've learned to adapt both in every day tasks and it would seem (if you are to believe the research) the same with my photography.

I have a friend that I met when I was 15 or 16 years old that was born with detached retinas and has been blind since birth. In a conversation I had with him a few years ago I asked him if he could have his eyes fixed (considering the advances of technology when dealing with detached retinas) would he like to have his vision restored? He thought for a minute and said, "I've thought about it but if I were to do that I would have to learn how to read all over again.  I hate reading."  

I got to thinking about what he said and realized that he would have a lot more to learn than just how to read again.  He would have no concept of color or shapes or what people looked like. He would have to learn to navigate by seeing which would be a totally different experience.

Am I blessed or cursed?  

You can decide for yourself but for me I think learning how to go up and down stairs again might be a nightmare.

Besides, I wouldn't get to scare folks quite as much when I drive.

Delta HomesteadThese two shacks exemplify the Delta both in earlier and later years.

    For the past several years, Wilson has traversed the Mississippi Delta and captured it in photographs. These images attracted the attention of Nicole Gilmer of Newbreak Management, the design consultant for 10 South. Gilmer said, “Inspired by the David Cohn quote, ‘The Mississippi Delta begins in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel and ends on Catfish Row in Vicksburg,’ the design team fell in love with T. Lowry Wilson's award winning photos of the Delta and contacted the artist about featuring many of his Delta pieces in the restaurant. With a few pieces from other Mississippi photographers thrown in, the east wall of the restaurant will be as rich with the history and character of the delta as the rest of 10 South is rich with the breathtaking views of the Mississippi.”  

    Wilson’s multi-award winning photographs have been included in juried exhibitions and in several solo gallery shows. His work has been featured in Mississippi Magazine and Alabama Magazine and selected as cover art for a regional phone directory. His photographs hang in personal and corporate collections in Canada and the United States, including that of a Fortune 500 company. 
Wilson has taught classes in studio lighting, Photoshop, and business practices for photographers, and in the past few years has led photographic tours on Route 66 in Kansas and Oklahoma as well as in the Mississippi Delta. For more information or to contact Wilson directly, visit his website at http://www.oldsouthimages.com.

    The restaurant sits atop the 10 story First National Bank Building, which was constructed in 1903 as the tallest building in the South. This cornerstone of downtown Vicksburg was purchased and renovated by Tim Cantwell with interior finishes by Stephani Hardy Designs. Trustmark Bank’s regional headquarters occupies the ground floor, and loft-style apartments (http://www.loftsatFNV.com) are located above. The previously unused rooftop has now been converted into an outdoor rooftop bar and grill with sweeping views of the Mississippi River and the city of Vicksburg. The co-owner of "10 South Rooftop Bar and Grill" is award winning chef Jay Parmegiani who also owns and operates ROCA in Vicksburg.  10 South features southern cuisine "with a twist” and is scheduled to open the end of May 2015. More information is available at the restaurant website, http://www.10southrooftop.com.
 

Here are a few of the photographs chosen for the restaurant.

Delta BlueA couple of years ago I was in the Delta with my good friend Dave Wolanski. Dave is from Delaware but comes down this way in the fall and we go shooting... somewhere... usually in the Delta. This particular year we stayed at the Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, MS. This old truck sits in the yard at the Inn and I got up early in the morning to photograph it. The light wasn't right so I just put the camera back in my bag and we went exploring. The next morning I got up early again to see if I could get a good image of the old truck. Never would I have expected to have the light just perfect... the sunrise and clouds in perfect position. Almost as if I had ordered it the day before. Po' Monkey's Lounge - Merigold, MississippiOne of the oldest remaining juke joints in the Mississippi Delta is Po Monkey's Lounge near Merigold, Mississippi. It is an iconic stop on the Mississippi Blues Trail.

Po Monkey's has been owned and operated by Willie "Po Monkey" Seaberry for over 55 years and is only open on Thursday night. Mr. Seaberry says that Thursday night is "family night" and he wants to keep it safe for everyone. Beer is served to those of legal age and you can bring in your own liquor. A DJ spins the music each night it is open and on special occasions live blues music can be heard booming from within.

The old converted sharecropper shack with its American flag proudly waving under a beautiful blue sky with a wisp of clouds sits at the edge of a expansive cotton field. There are tons of stuffed monkeys hanging from the ceiling, a testament from those that have visited over the years. Even the signs hanging on the front tell a unique story. Cathead at the Blue FrontCathead juke box at the Blue Front Cafe in Bentonia, Mississippi. Jimmy "Duck" Holmes has owned the place for the last several decades and hosts some of the best blues music in the area.     Midnight Gin CompanyCotton gins can be found all across the Mississippi Delta but most of them are no longer active since cotton doesn't hold the place of prominence it once did. This gin at Midnight, Mississippi is one of the few active ones remaining and has been around for decades.

The monkeys hanging from the ceiling are swaying.....as are some of the patrons.....

....and Willie "Po Monkey" Seaberry is doing what he loves and has done for over 50 years....

...hosting a group of locals and others from all over the world at his place, Po Monkey's Lounge in the Mississippi Delta.

Po Monkeys Lounge or Juke Joint, featured on the Mississippi Blues Trail, sits at the edge of a cotton field on a dirt road just outside of Merigold, Mississippi.  Merigold is one of those Delta towns that was bypassed by the new Highway 61 several years ago.  Not only is it famous because of Po Monkey's it is also the home of McCarty's Pottery which is known for its trademarked "river," a small black wavy line representing the Mississippi River.

Every time I am in the area I go by Po Monkeys to shoot a few photographs.  If I'm there on a Thursday night then I always pay the $5 cover and go inside to rub shoulders with those that frequent the place and to also chat with Po Monkey himself.  Mr. Seaberry is quite the character and each time I've been he has been in a different "costume," if you want to call it that.  Those costumes along with quite a selection of suits, wigs and other accessories make him one of the most interesting individuals I have ever met.

Back in November of 2014 I had a group of friends from all over the country down so I could show them the allure of the people, music and food of the Mississippi Delta.  Our accommodations for the weekend were at the Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, Mississippi.  In addition to sampling the music and food of the Delta, I took a group on a photo tour of the "most Southern place on earth."   Cort Anderson a photographer friend from Kansas and one of the best black and white photographers I know led another group in the depths of the Delta.

The first time Cort came down to shoot in the Delta I took him to Po Monkeys.  Luckily for us, Mr. Seaberry had just arrived from a day of working on the farms and was getting ready to open the place for the evening.  He invited us in and gave us the grand tour.  Another friend from Delaware, Dave Wolanski comes down at least once a year to go with me into the Delta to photograph.  He was here in 2012 for a weekend and of course, I had to take him to Po Monkey's. The place looks totally different than it does at night.

The photograph below was made on the 2012 trip with Dave.  The signs on the front of the building are just as well known as the joint itself. Click the photo to see it larger.

If you are ever in the Mississippi Delta and are close to Merigold, Mississippi, make plans to stop and pay Monkey a visit. It will be an experience you will never forget.

I promise.  Right Dave?

Po' Monkey's Lounge - Merigold, MississippiOne of the oldest remaining juke joints in the Mississippi Delta is Po Monkey's Lounge near Merigold, Mississippi. It is an iconic stop on the Mississippi Blues Trail.

Po Monkey's has been owned and operated by Willie "Po Monkey" Seaberry for over 55 years and is only open on Thursday night. Mr. Seaberry says that Thursday night is "family night" and he wants to keep it safe for everyone. Beer is served to those of legal age and you can bring in your own liquor. A DJ spins the music each night it is open and on special occasions live blues music can be heard booming from within.

The old converted sharecropper shack with its American flag proudly waving under a beautiful blue sky with a wisp of clouds sits at the edge of a expansive cotton field. There are tons of stuffed monkeys hanging from the ceiling, a testament from those that have visited over the years. Even the signs hanging on the front tell a unique story.

Let's Go to the Woods - Garden of EdenA perfect image that symbolizes the concept of going to the woods and learning to live deliberately.

Not just any friend but a friend that I cherished and adored.

One of those "once in a lifetime" friends that never complained but always seemed to know when I needed comfort.  

A friend that withstood the storms of life yet kept shining until the final day; one whose very bones creaked as age began to take its toll.

A friend that will never return.....

That friend was Pleasant Green.

Pleasant Green wasn't just any friend. I remember the first time I saw her and knew then that something about her was special.

Just who was Pleasant Green?

Pleasant Green was the Methodist Episcopal church that had shared the Mississippi Delta landscape with Mont Helena plantation since it was first constructed in 1878. In the late afternoon on Friday, October 24 she took her last breath and collapsed in a pile of lumber, bricks and glass completely entombing the old piano that was the last remaining thing in the old church. Nature and time had won the battle.

There are many old churches throughout the Mississippi Delta that have suffered the same fate as Pleasant Green but none of them were probably loved as much. She was the focus of the lens of many photographers, both outside and inside and while I can't be for sure, I think we all pretty much felt the same way when it finally happened. I know my friend Dave Wolanski felt the same way as he wrote in this blog post.  Another photographer that photographed the old church was my friend Michael Foster using an old wet plate process that made the photos look timeless.

I've been photographing the old church for several years and have various images.  Some were made while in a driving rainstorm and others were done on overcast or sunny days.  Regardless of when I made an image I always felt a connection to the old church.  Each time I returned I could tell it was leaning more and more and when I was there the last time before it fell, I told the guy I was with, Tom Rankin, that it couldn't last much longer.  The amount of lean in the old building had increased significantly in just a few short months.

For years she has stood with that lean and earlier last year I penned a couple of blog posts about the old church entitled "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" and "Returning to Nature - The Church at Mt Helena Plantation."

When I was back at the old church in November 2014, I was overwhelmed by the emotions I felt as I stood propped against the tree that was at the front corner of the church. I couldn't believe the church was gone, and the tear in the corner of my eye reflected as much.  

What will happen to the remains of the old church?  I'm sure it will eventually be hauled off or burned or perhaps both and the property reclaimed for agriculture but regardless of the final disposition I will always have the memories in my mind and in photographs.

Here are some of the images I have done over the years as well as a one from Tom Rankin who is known for his images of the Mississippi Delta landscape using a large format camera, which you will see in one of the images below.  There is another image by my friend Cort Anderson who visits the Delta a couple of times a year.

Enjoy the below images.  Any comments would be appreciated.

Church at Mont Helena - May 2012The old Pleasant Green Methodist Episcopal Church at Mt Helena Plantation near Rolling Fork, Mississippi Pleasant Green Methodist Episcopal Church in the Rain - November 2013The old Methodist Episcopal church at Mt Helena Plantation in a driving rainstorm. Pleasant Green Methodist Episcopal Church

From the rear - June 2014The old church from the rear.

This next image has my copyright on it because the website software does that by default but it isn't my image. The image was made by Tom Rankin in June 2014 while we were shooting the old church.  He owns all rights to the photo and has graciously allowed me to use it as part of this blog post.

Pleasant Green Methodist Episcopal Church by Tom Rankin - June 2014Large format photograph made by Tom Rankin in June of 2014 of the Pleasant Green Methodist Episcopal Church at Mt Helena Plantation near Rolling Fork, MS. Tom at his best setting up to shoot the shot above.

Shooting Pleasant Green with Tom HardinTom Hardin setting up his large format 8 x 10 view camera to photograph the old church. The below image is from my friend Cort Anderson.  Even though my copyright appears on the image the photo is owned by him and he has allowed me to use them on the blog.

Inside of the old church. Photo ©Cort Anderson

And finally, one of my favorite images, the old piano that was inside the old church.

Old Piano in the Church at Mt Helena PlantationA favorite image of mine, the piano in the Pleasant Green Methodist Episcopal church from June 2011.

During my travels while photographing the back roads of Mississippi I often come across places that for whatever reason seem to attract people to them.  It might be the significance of where something is located or it might be that it triggers a particular memory or in my case it is something that I am drawn to photograph.  One of those places was the large and amazing structure affectionately known as the Big Red Barn in Rolling Fork, Mississippi.

I've learned that when you see something that would make an interesting photograph there is no time like the present to take advantage of what is in front of you because you may never have that chance again.  The Big Red Barn is one of those instances.

In January of 2007 I took the scenic route from Jackson, Mississippi by traveling over to Vicksburg and riding up Highway 61 as far as I could go before being forced by darkness to continue my trip home to New Albany.  As I approached where the old highway went to the left into downtown Rolling Fork, I was going to turn but then noticed a rather large barn right in front of me.   This was the first time I had ever been in this area and to see this large structure with the two grain silos rising above the flat land of the Mississippi Delta was quite amazing.

I photographed it from a couple of different angles since I didn't know when I would be back again.  In 2011 I was back in the area and decided to get an updated photo since it was a different time of the year and I had heard that the US Corps of Engineers had purchased the property for some sort of educational use.  Imagine my shock when discovering this was all that was left of the barn that had survived the sometimes nasty weather of the Mississippi Delta.I would later learn that high winds that occurred in late April would contribute to the demise of this landmark.

Big Red Barn, Rolling Fork, MS - June 2011

As in Bresson's quote at the beginning of this post, the Big Red Barn has vanished forever and it is never coming back.   The damage was so extensive that the only solution was to finish tearing it down and disposing of the debris.  The only thing remaining marking the location are the two silos you see at the back left of the photograph.

Fortunately, in 2007 I stopped and took the time to photograph the barn.  It almost didn't happen because I was running short of time and told myself, "You will be back in the area again and then you can photograph it."  I learned from this that if you find something you want to photograph, do it because there may not be a next time.

Here is the barn as photographed in January 2007.  Of course, I've added a few special touches so it would be as I thought it would look with a stormy sky.   It is titled appropriately, "Apocalypse."  Prints are available.

ApocalypseBig Red Barn, Rolling Fork, MS - January 2007

Click image to see it larger.

I recently read an article in GuidePosts magazine written by Clyde Butcher.  Butcher, in case you don't know, is considered the "Ansel Adams of the Everglades" because of his work with a large format camera photographing the Florida swamps and other areas of the country.  

Butcher and his wife lost their son to a car accident almost 30 years ago and in order to heal, he basically dumped thousands of dollars of prints and years of work and stood by as he watched the bulldozer grind them into the earth and cover them with layers of soil.  You can read the article "Healing My Grief" for more details as to why he did what he did.  The result of his making the decision to destroy years of work and begin anew was the creation of an entirely new body of work featuring large black and white prints that are collected by people from all over the world.

As I sit here and reflect on that article this cool Sunday morning, I realize that I've done something similar with my work although not because of something as tragic as losing a family member but by losing a part of my life that I dearly miss and will forever.  For years I was a portrait and wedding photographer, photographing everything from babies to the elderly and everything in between as well as newspaper and commercial work, from football games to heavy industrial machinery.  I still have a lot of the negatives and some prints remaining from that season of my life but they are packed away and most of it hasn't been touched for over 15 years.  I doubt most of it will be touched for the next 15 years except to move it around when it gets in my way.  I hold on to it because it represents a time in my life that gave me a lot happiness while at the same time causing a certain amount of anguish that goes along with any small business.

After I closed the studio I put down my cameras for 7-8 years and literally didn't touch one except for one year on vacation, and even then the unfinished roll of film stayed in the camera - forgotten - until I discovered it about a year or so ago when I was working to get my old cameras functioning to shoot some film again. I sent the roll to be processed, scanned and printed and when it came back from the lab it was refreshing to feel the negatives and have the aroma of fresh prints stimulate the senses when you first open the package to hold them in your hands.  

After I got back into photography in 2006 I made the decision to spend most of my time photographing the world around me and limiting the amount of work with photographing people.  In the last couple of years I've noticed my work changing and I'm not sure I totally know why other than I now photograph with "intent" if that makes any sense at all.  The word "Intent" is defined as resolved or determined to do something but as an artist I think it means to be more focused as well as determined.  That has been my goal the last few months and I've been seeing some dramatic changes in what I do.

I began work on a series of images from the Mississippi Delta a few years ago with the intentions of showing the beauty of what has been described as "the most Southern place on earth" but as I've spent more and more time in the Delta I have begun noticing subtle things that I didn't realize.  Things that embody the spirit of this wonderful yet strange part of the world.  Not just a place that is filled with objects and things from the past but people that live and work together in an effort to create a better life for themselves.  Rich, poor, impoverished and broken, more accurately described as a "dissonant harmony" if that makes any sense. 

As I've photographed in the Delta I've found myself with more intent.  Much like Butcher seeing another side of the swamp land, I've discovered another side of the Delta that was hiding in plain site. I still want to show the beauty of the Delta but it wasn't until I realized that the beauty is in what has always existed and how it fits with the culture and life of those that inhabit the place. 

I am beginning a new series of images that I think exemplify exactly what the Delta is about, whether it be an old church that is no longer used or a photo of the proprietor of Po' Monkey's lounge, Mr. Willie Seaberry.  I am calling this my gallery series and the first image is above.  Additional images will be added over the next few weeks as they are completed.

Signed prints exactly as you see above are available but without watermark at the lower right.  If interested, please contact me via the contact link above.

Each year, on the second weekend of April, Clarksdale, Mississippi takes on a new life as visitors from all of the country and several foreign countries descend on Clarksdale for the annual Juke Joint Festival.  The festival is a celebration of America's music, the Blues... birthed in the Mississippi Delta from the tenant laborers that worked the fields.... songs passed down that were written to pass the time as they worked the fields of the fertile Delta land.  

This year was the first time I had ever been to the festival.  I had wanted to go in years past but something kept getting in the way that always prevented me from making the short two hour drive over to Clarksdale.  I didn't know what I was missing and now, I already have the 2015 dates on my calendar and intend to be there.

Roger Stolle, owner of the Cathead Gallery in Clarkdale is the driving force behind the Juke Joint Festival. He saw a need and an opportunity to promote an area of the country that has definitely seen better days, but now it seems that Clarksdale may have found life again as people begin to buy the old buildings downtown and convert them to condominiums or short term places to stay.  Places such as The Shack Up Inn, the Lofts at the Five and Dime and blues venues like Red's Lounge have also been a big influence on bringing people into the area.  Add to that the rich history of the Delta Blues Museum and you have the makings for a turnaround.

As a photographer the festival is a haven for photo opportunities.   There were quite a few photographers as well as some video people, all with the same intent of documenting the festival.   I made a decision to do all of mine in B&W because I thought it allowed the viewer to focus on the intended subject without being distracted by a lot of color, and believe me when I say there were a lot of bright colors - most of it centered on some very eccentric clothing that I saw people walking around in.   

Here is a selection of photos I did at the festival.  Leave a comment or two and please share using any of the social media buttons above.

Click each image to see larger and use the controls at the right and left of the image to go back and forth.

On Monday, April 28, 2014 at about 2:45 in the afternoon, a powerful EF-3 tornado ripped through Tupelo.  It began on the west side of the city and move steadily and forcefully in a northeasterly direction, consuming homes, churches and businesses in its path for 24 miles. 

What I would like to do is offer everyone the opportunity to own a piece of my art while allowing me to donate 100% of the profits from the sale to be used for tornado relief.  The profits will be sent to a local agency that has been designated to disburse the funds. 

Here is all you need to do:

1. Click the link below.
2. Order the print or prints in whatever size(s), etc. you desire.
3. Send me an email letting me know what you purchased, etc., so I can thank you personally for your help.  If you don't let me know what you purchased I have no way of knowing since the orders are being fulfilled by my offsite printer and shipped directly to you.  I only know that someone purchased and not who they are unless you tell me.
4. Share this blog post with all of your friends and social networks.

Here is the link:  http://lowry-wilson.artistwebsites.com

I will keep this active for the next week.

If you see a print on my regular website that isn't on the link above, let me know and I will arrange to get you a print.

Let's see how much we can raise to help.

A Christmas wreath and mattresses next to the street in the Joyner neighborhood in Tupelo. Supplies available for free at a church in the Joyner neighborhood. The storm right before the funnel formed. Look in the between the buildings at the bottom right and you can see the wall cloud.

Some of my favorite subjects in the Delta are the old country churches, many of them built by plantation owners for their workers early in the 20th century.  Some of them much like the church at Mt Helena Plantation have already had their fate determined while others have managed to somehow stay intact.  Then there are those like the church near Marks, Mississippi that sits beside a swamp fed by one of the many creeks and waterways formed when the Mississippi River changed course over the years.

I have been watching this church for the last several years, and photographed it several times just so I could keep up with how it was doing.  I have never gotten anything much worth using, but every time I was in the area I would ride by and make a few photos, never expecting to really have anything to show.  And that has been the case each time.... until this last time.

I had been to the Juke Joint Festival in Clarksdale earlier in the day and after leaving the festival I began the long two hour trek, passing this church on my way back home.  As I always do, I turned in, looked for a few moments at the cemetery with the sinking graves that sit in front of the church and followed the worn tire paths that were lined with graves on both sides from almost a century ago leading to the church.

As I pulled up in front of the church I happened to notice this tree that was beginning to bud out as the weather warmed.  I walked over to the tree and then looked back at the church watching the light reflect across the front of the building from the late afternoon sun.  As I looked up at the decaying church steeple through the tree that was coming back to life after a long winter, the photo of this church I had been searching for the last few years was suddenly right in front of me.

As a photographer I often get the question, "What kind of camera do you use?" or the statement, "You must have a nice camera," or any of the other the dozen or so comments that people often make while looking at my work.  It is usually because they think it is some sort of magical process that occurs as a product of the camera.  So many times they fail to realize that rarely a photo just happens.   It often requires multiple trips or planning for the right time of day or a combination of a myriad of other factors that all determine the outcome of the final product.  And in the middle of all of this is the "story," often placed right out front but many times it is left to the viewer's imagination.

This photo of the old church is like that.  I have my own ideas about the "story" that exists in this photo but I would like to hear what you think the story is.  Since you have spent this much time reading this post, how about taking a few more minutes and leave a comment below and tell me what "story" you see in this photo.  

Cycle of Life

• Meeting Pat and Grant Harris for the first time in the hotel lobby and knowing immediately who they were and likewise, even though we had never even spoken in person.  We have gotten together at least once a year since 2007 and in a couple of cases, more often when planning meet-ups or just passing through the area.  I've had the privilege of staying at their home in Skiatook, OK and being the recipient of their hospitality.

• Having the experience of meeting Cort Anderson and spending an entire day exploring old alignments of Route 66 west of Oklahoma and eating buffalo burgers at one of the stops along the way. Sites such as Lucille's at Hydro, OK and the 39 Pony Bridge near the ghost town of Bridgeport, Oklahoma.  Since that time, we have gotten together at least once a year to explore another section of old 66 or some other place, such as the Flint Hills in eastern Kansas.  I found out that a Subaru will really float, at least for a few seconds. About once a week we talk on the phone about various things, and more recently he has come to Mississippi to explore the vast expanse of Mississippi Delta.

• Then there was Bing.   Bing is from Memphis and she met all of us for the first time in the hotel lobby, called me by name and came over and gave me one of those big Southern hugs.  It was like I had known her all my life and since that time, she has ridden with several of us during one of the many Route 66 trips and participated in several of the meet-ups from across the country.  She has even  hosted a meetup in Memphis each year for a smaller group of us as you will read about later on in this blog post.

Bing and Ro

As I have driven through the Delta exploring the back roads, listening to my car tires clicking off the miles while hitting the gaps in the concrete of old US Highway 61, there are several places that have a special draw for me and each time I am in the area I make it a point of going back to see the changes that have occurred.  It is interesting to see how things transition over the years and watching as nature begins to reclaim what is hers when man no longer has an interest or the financial means to save them.  There are many places like this in the Delta but one of my favorites is somewhere I make a special effort to try to go each time I am anywhere close and that is the old church at Mt Helena Plantation.

I wrote about this church in a blog post a few months back entitled, "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms," and have wondered how the old church was faring since I was there last November with my good friend Dave Wolanski.  I am sad to say, it isn't doing too well.

Since my first visit in 2011, the church has gone through regular changes and at this point it seems to be in the last stages of its life, ignoring the owner's efforts to prevent it from leaning by erecting internal braces.  When I was there this past weekend with my good friend from Kansas, Cort Anderson,  some of the cross braces had fallen and the church was really beginning to lean. 

The chimney has fallen from the church and the back wall seems to be making an effort to separate itself from the rest of the building.  The front of the church is leaning more than it was last year and the siding at the back has begun to fall off the building.  The only thing that seems to remain constant is the old piano inside.  

It won't be long now before the building leans one last time before falling back on itself.  And when that happens, a piece of Mississippi Delta history will be lost forever with only personal memories and photographs made through the years remaining.  

This is part of why I do what I do with photography, and on the back of my business card is a quote from Henri Cartier-Bresson that really applies here.  It reads, "Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again."

On at least two other occasions I have photographed places that have later vanished.  I've learned to always stop and make a photo every time I see something like this, even if the light may not be correct or it is the wrong time of day or whatever because the next time I am by there, it might no longer exist.

It will be a sad day when the bell rings one last time.....

Mont Helena CME ChurchBuilt in 1878, this church served the plantation workers for many years but is on its last stage of life. Mont Helena CME ChurchA view from the south side of the old church that was built in 1878.

The story begins  in 1847, when the contract was written for a bridge to be built on the main route deep in the backwoods of southwest Lauderdale County, Mississippi to make it easier to cross the Chunky River.  According to historical records, the bridge was completed in 1850 and it was from this time until around 1901 when the bridge was replaced by one built by Virginia Bridge and Iron Company that the events leading to the local legend is supposedly to have taken place.

Legend has it that a member of the Dalton gang opened an Inn along side the Chunky River where he offered those traveling the river a place to stay at night.  He took on the name of Stuckey and as the now infamous tale goes, would make people traveling the river aware of his Inn next to an area of the bridge by waving a lantern from the bridge and showing them the way to the Inn.  It is at this point that the story turns creepy.......

It was said that he would be the perfect host until everyone went to bed and then things would take a different turn.  He would kill the visitors, steal all of their possessions and then chop their wagon or boat up for use as firewood or some other project.   The bodies would be buried along the river bank with no one knowing any better of what had gone on in the dark of the night.  One of his victims was a 16 year old girl.

Stuckey somehow managed to murder close to twenty people before he was finally caught and hung from the bridge.  His body was left until he was dead and then the noose was cut and the body fell into the river.

To this day rumors of Stuckey haunting the bridge still persist and it is a favorite haunt of ghost hunters.  According to the locals, many have claimed to have seen an old man carrying a lantern across the bridge and along the river at night as well as hearing splashes that are reminiscent of a body hitting the water.

When the new bridge was built in 1901 (the bridge that still stands today but is closed to traffic) one part of the legend says that during the construction there were numerous bodies found along the river bank next to the bridge. 

As with all legends there is probably some truth as to what happened on those dark Mississippi nights.  Has the legend been embellished over the years?  Most certainly.  But it is hard to know which is truth and which is fiction.  

Today the bridge is closed to vehicular traffic and it is covered by graffiti.  But if your curiosity ever gets the best of you, and you want to see for yourself, take a trip down to the bridge and see if the hair doesn't stand up on the back of your head.

Don't say I didn't warn you.........

This image was created based on the legend as told in the book by Lori Crane, "The Legend of Stuckey's Bridge" available on Amazon.  Click the image to see it larger. Prints are available of this image and if you are interested, please CLICK HERE or use the CONTACT link above.

Legend of Stuckey's BridgeThis photo is an interpretation of the story often told about Stuckey's Bridge, which is an old bridge in southwest Lauderdale County, Mississippi. More about the bridge can be read in the blog post, "The Legend of Stuckey's Bridge" on this website.

In addition to the postcard, I would like to send you periodic emails (Don't worry, I'm not going to SPAM your email inbox) whenever I have something going on, such as a gallery show, print of the month promotion or something else, such as a book project.

To get on my list for the collectible postcards, simply fill out the form below in its entirety.  I hope to send the first card out in the next month or so, provided I can get enough people signed up in time.  

The first card will be limited to a randomly selected number of people and will be signed and numbered.

Throughout those decades numerous atrocities were committed against African-Americans and their supporters. In the Sixties it was the murders of the three Civil Rights workers, their bodies found in an earthen dam near Philadelphia, Mississippi, and the assassination of Medgar Evers in his driveway in Jackson, Mississippi.  It was the burning of numerous churches, the marches of the Ku Klux Klan and the refusal to let James Meredith enter the University of Mississippi.  It was a time of turmoil when drinking out of the wrong water fountain, going to the wrong bathroom or simply sitting in the wrong seat on the bus could cause people to be beaten, tortured or lose their lives by being shot or hung, sometimes all of the above.  But in the Fifties.... a young African-American teen visiting family in Mississippi for the summer was murdered.

It was another hot day in the South - August, 1955 - when a young teen from Chicago named Emmett Till and his friends visited Bryant Grocery in Money, Mississippi.  During that visit, young Till made the mistake of speaking to the young married female proprietor of the store.  What he exactly said has always been up for debate and we will probably never know for sure but in those days any type of conversation initiated with a white woman by an African-American would almost certainly end in violence.  In this case, it ended with young Emmett being beaten, having an eye gouged out and shot, with his body being weighted and dumped into the Tallahatchie River.  The two men responsible were eventually tried and were found not guilty but later admitted to committing the ghastly murder.

Money, Mississippi is on the edge of the Tallahatchie River and is located just north of Greenwood, Mississippi.  It is a place that the world would not have even known about had it not been for the crime that was committed on August 28, 1955.  It is a place that would like to be able to forget that hot and sticky day in the Mississippi heat.  But it can't and it shouldn't.  Mississippians shouldn't forget.  America shouldn't forget.  The world shouldn't forget.  

Ironically, right across the road from Bryant Grocery stands an old school.  The school has been closed for years and the windows are broken, the doors have been torn off and graffiti is everywhere.  It is the graffiti that prompted this blog post, specifically the graffiti on one wall in one of the abandoned classrooms.  Graffiti that refuses to let us forget what happened just a short distance from the school. Graffiti that uses one of the most detested words in the English language.  Graffiti that could have been written by anyone.....

Graffiti is a powerful medium.  A lot of it is beautiful on the surface but if you look really deep you will often discover that it contains political or other social undertones.  It has been responsible for political turmoil and at other times paying tribute to fallen heroes.  It can provoke our senses and bring to mind deep rooted memories that we would rather forget.  It can be a wall that has been covered in the art or the entire side of a train car... or it can be one word.  One word that brings back a reminder of a horrendous time in history we should never forget.  One word that says we might not be done yet.

One word.  Don't forget it.  Don't repeat it.

Feel free to leave thoughts and comments in the comment section below.  
Schools Out Forever

Sunset Over the Mississippi River at VicksburgA sunset over the mighty Mississippi River in Vicksburg. The old Highway 80 bridge is in the foreground accentuated by the American flag flying at the top of one of the trusses.

Here are some of the things I am working on for 2014:

• I will have new gallery show opening in late September at the Gumtree Museum of Art in Tupelo, MS.  Images from the Mississippi Delta will be featured at this show.  There will be a reception at the museum as well as some other things planned for the show.
• A new 2015 calendar of some of my most popular images is in the works.  It is scheduled to be published in the 3rd quarter of 2014.   There will be a pre-publication 25% discount offer for those of you that wish to pre-order a copy, which will save about $5 per calendar.  There will be quantity discounts available in addition to the pre-order discount. 
• Throughout the coming year I will periodically be sending out postcards containing one of my popular images.  The postcard will be mailed as a thank you to my clients and friends that have supported my work through the years. There will be a limited quantity for each edition and the first one will go out in late January.
• Beginning in February, a "Print of the Month" will be made available.  This print will be a set size and will be offered at a special price.  The price will only be good for the month it is offered.  After that it reverts to regular pricing

Don't miss out on any of the above.  Fill out the form below and you will be notified of each of the above.  Please be complete when filling out the form.  All fields are required.

Any questions? Then click HERE or click CONTACT on the menu above.

Christmas is a special time of the year for most of us because it means we get to spend time with family and friends and celebrate the season with the exchanging of gifts while not forgetting those that aren't able to be with us because they are serving our country in a foreign land or for other reasons.

So many times we tend to let the commercial aspect and the hustle and bustle of the season get in the way of what the season is all about.  As a result, I thought it appropriate this year to reflect my thoughts about the season on the special signed and numbered limited edition Christmas card I sent to 75 of my closest friends and clients using a simple setting without all of the glitz and glamour of the season.  Below is the front of the card as well as the inside quote.

"A Simple Christmas"

Christmas is the time to share Love and Joy.

A time to recollect beautiful memories.

It is a time to sit back and relax.

Enjoy "A Simple Christmas" season.

(Click the photo to see larger)

"A Simple Christmas"2013 Limited Edition Christmas Card

Every time I am in the Delta I usually try to go somewhere I haven't been, as well as go back to those places I have photographed before in hopes of "seeing" a better image of having better light or any rnumber of other reasons.  Sometimes I am drawn to a particular place for some unknown reason. Tutwiler, Mississippi is one of those places.

Tutwiler, Mississippi has something intriguing which is a direct connection to Florence, Alabama and in a rather interesting sort of way.  W.C. Handy was born in Florence but traveled Mississippi in the very early 1900s and even led an all African-American band in Clarksdale, MS.  While waiting on a train at the depot in Tutwiler in 1903, he is credited as discovering that genre of music known as "The Blues."

Tutwiler is one of those conflicted places in the Delta.  Surrounded by history, its downtown today only exists in a menagerie of once majestic buildings, most that would be condemned in any other place in America.  Here are a few images of Tutwiler, including part of a mural on a side street.   I will post more in another blog post sometime later including some of my gallery images from Tutwiler.

You can click the images to see them larger or mouse-over to read the caption.

Mural in Tutwiler, MississippiThis is part of a mural that spans a side street in Tutwiler. The mural is on several walls and tells the history of the discovery of the blues. Blues History, Tutwiler, MSA very short history of how W.C. Handy discovered "The Blues" while waiting on a train. House in Tutwiler, MississippiOne of many deteriorating houses in Tutwiler. Blue House in Tutwiler, Mississippione of many abandoned structures in an area that was once a booming section of town.

Throughout the Mississippi Delta are many places of worship, many that have been neglected and left for nature to reclaim.   One particular church that has always fascinated me and that I have photographed many times is the Methodist Episcopal church that stands on Mt Helena Plantation near Rolling Fork, MS.   As I thought about the photograph in this post, that song came to mind and I began to imagine the joy and celebration as well as the trials and tribulations that must have been a part of the life of this church that was built in 1878.  In my mind I can hear the ringing of the church bell in the steeple announcing the beginning of the service or marking of an event, and the singing of old plantation hymns and spirituals passed down from generations prior.

In early November, my good friend from Delaware, David Wolanski, came down and we spent a couple of days photographing in the western part of the state.   One of the places he wanted to go was the old church and we almost allowed the weather to thwart our efforts but in the end we drove through heavy rain to arrive at the location of the church.  I had never seen the church other than on a sunny or cloudy/partly cloudy day and to see it in the hard driving sideways blowing rain that when we let the car window down it blew in and covered over half of the dashboard of the car, was in one simple word.... amazing.  

Just like in life, over the years this church has stood many trials, not just with the people that attended here but with nature's storms and other natural events.   It is gradually leaning more and more to the south and east, and one day I will go there only to find the church no longer standing.

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

There is a website that will allow you to mark a spot on a map and then tell it how to draw a circle at whatever radius, and when I found out what was within one mile... I began thinking... what can I find that will be an interesting photo.  One thing is for sure... if you don't look.... you certainly won't .....SEE as my friend in California, Peter Tellone, keeps stressing.  He even teaches classes on how to ...SEE.

I decided to make the project even more interesting by shooting it on film - expired film.  Film that went out of date in 2009.  Yeah, crazy but.... it actually is still decent.  And to add to that... I used a 25 year old Canon EOS 10S camera (close to top of the line when I bought it) along with a lens from 1989 - the Canon EF 80-200 F2.8.

That wasn't enough - I had to make it even more difficult.  I mean, after all, what fun is a project if it doesn't challenge you?  I shot the entire project horizontal with the idea that every image had to be cropped square.  If you haven't shot square images then you don't know how difficult that can sometimes be for composition.

And when you shoot film... unless you are a wealthy person or have extra cash to spend.... you don't shoot more than two of each scene and one shot is even better.

This is part one of several for this project.  Additional blog posts will follow as I complete the images.

This first photo reminds me of some of my buddies that are Arkansas fans.  If I have to explain it.......

Take me to your leader!!!  Doesn't it remind you of a space being... or pirate... or something like that?  It is really nothing more than a shadow of the sign at a local gas company.

Behind the Red Door.  This is a veiled reference to a film from the early 70s..... if you don't know what it is about then Google it but change the red to green.  The reflection in the window seems a little naughty, don't  you think?

America, America......   

Who, me???  Seriously?  What you talkin' about???

Yes, even power lines can be photogenic.

 On the evening of the Blue Moon.....

Random flowers on the next street up....

This reminded me of Mayberry.

Here comes the sun......

I know it isn't sharp... but for this I don't think it has to be.

Cycle of life.

For the first time ever.... I found my front door to be a photo subject.

In my case I chose as one of my images as selection from the Mississippi Delta gallery for my artist to interpret.  My artist is Clyde McDowell, who is a folk artist from New Albany, MS.  He is always coming up with things that really amaze me and I often wonder where those ideas came from.

My photograph and his interpretation took third place out of 42 entries in the show.

Here is the original photograph:

Delta Blue

Here is the image of both pieces hanging side by side:

Here is Clyde's interpretation of "Delta Blue" using different materials and techniques:

And finally here is a close-up detail of the 3D effect of his artwork:

To make it even more interesting, I decided to use some old expired film that I had gotten from someone a few years back.  When I first got it the expiration date had just passed but now it was more than 7 years past the expiration date.  The film is Fuji Superia ISO1600 and was to be processed before early 2006.  I figured there would be some issues but didn't know for sure what would happen.

I shot the images, dropped them off at the local Walgreens (yes, I know... but I would never use them for my good stuff) and then waited.  About an hour later I picked up the scans along with a catalog print they had done for me.  Other than looking a little underexposed, which I expected since the film was so far out of date, they looked fairly decent - decent that is until I imported them into Lightroom and discovered how much the film had deteriorated over the years.  I applied some noise reduction, upped the exposure and adjusted the color and actually managed to get some decent images from the film.  You can still see a lot of noise in areas of the images but for my purposes, this worked just fine.

Here are my efforts from the shoot.

This is the top of the local Mexican restaurant, Mi Pueblo, that everyone frequents. Great food for a great price and the spinach enchiladas with grilled chicken is absolutely wonderful.

This is the old Coke sign in Cooper Park.  The Coopers owned the Van Atkins clothing store here that burned in 2001.  After the fire the family donated the lot to the city to be used as a city park.  After the burned building was removed, the old coke sign was uncovered on the building next door.  It was restored a few years ago and is a popular place for photographers.  There is another sign just like this one a few buildings down the street but it is in much worse shape.

This is the upper ridge of a local bank.

The Methodist church here has an extensive garden beside their building that is loaded with borders and fences.  Here are a couple of images of the design work.

Also a part of the garden at the church is the corner of Central Ave and Bankhead St.  Bankhead St is part of the original Bankhead Highway that became US Hwy 78 in 1926 when the road numbering system was decided on.  This corner reminded me of a border crossing with the fence and stop sign.

There is a cemetery here that is divided by Bankhead Street.  It seems there is no rhyme or reason as to why it was built like this and I was once told that, "One side of the street was the white section and the other side was the black section," but I've since learned that isn't the case.  This is in an older section of the cemetery with graves dating back into the 1800s.

This bridge spans the Little Tallahatchie River named because it flows into the same Tallahatchie River that Billy Joe McAlister jumped from in that famous song.  The supposed jumping form the bridge happened a few counties away.  This is a walking bridge that leads from the Park Along the River to the sports complex.  It is a walking and biking trail that is about a mile long.

And finally, this is in the field where I turn on the street where I live.  Something about it just drew my attention that day. With the border of round hay bales... and a fence........  What more could you ask for?

The camera I used is one that I've had for a few years.  It was a Fuji disposable with ISO 1000 speed film that has been out of date almost 5 years.  Besides being out of date, it had been stored in a not so cool environment.   

The project was a lot of fun and challenged me quite a bit since I was forced to "zoom with my feet" and depend on the camera for the correct exposure, which I had absolutely no control over.   Here are few images from the weekend.

First up is a photo of the inner circle at The Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, Mississippi.  If you are looking for a place to stay that is both unique and a lot of fun.... definitely try it out.  Tell Guy and Bill I sent you.

Here is a photo of the bottle tree that is in Shack Circle.

When we got up Saturday morning, the group in the shack next to us had apparently been up all night.  I saw the beer bottle and thought that would be a great addition.

Next up is the New Roxy theater in downtown Clarksdale.  The New Roxy doesn't have a roof but that doesn't stop its use.  It has become a great venue for the local blues artists that seem to like performing there.

Just around the corner and across the tracks is what has become the most recognizable blues club in the Delta - Ground Zero - which is owned by Morgan Freeman and local attorney, Bill Luckett.

Finally, here is the old church that sits north of Rolling Fork, Mississippi.  This old church was built in 1878 for the plantation workers and sits on the property with Mont Helena, which is an old plantation home built on top of a ceremonial Indian mound.