Tim Nealon

Photographing Savannah’s Wetlands

One of the things I really love about Savannah is the diversity of locations to photographs. In a span of 5 minutes you can be photographing downtown Savannah and then a swamp spanning hundreds of acres filled with alligators and an assortment of birds. It is great! For a photographer, there isn’t much more I could ask for…well, maybe there is, but I will keep those wishes to myself, haha…

One night I was walking a long a nature trail not far from Savannah. The sun was setting, the bugs were doing their best to drain me of every drop of blood and I was loving it. The scene before me was gorgeous. It was one of those sunsets where you endure the bug bites knowing that the week of scratching to follow will be worth it. The sky started it’s light show and I stayed for the whole performance.

Photographing the Ballastone Inn, Savannah

During my time in Savannah I may dare say that the Ballastone Inn, on Oglethorpe Avenue, is the most beautiful ‘home’ I have photographed while here. Inside and out, the Ballastone Inn is immaculately cared for. It is easy to see that when the Ballastone was being decorated and renovated that the pharse ‘Only the best will do.’ must have been tossed around many many times. I have photographed the Ballastone on a number of occasions and really enjoy doing so..

The Ballastone Inn has a courtyard area with a beautiful garden area. Guests to this Savannah Bed and Breakfast can enjoy calm evening out in the gardens or even elect to enjoy their breakfast in the courtyard. I know I would be eating out there every day!

If you are looking for the best in Bed and Breakfast accommodations in Savannah, check out the Ballastone Inn. It may not be the cheapest place in town to rest your head for the night…but isn’t that kind of the point? Highly recommended!

Backstage at the Lucas Theatre

Today I had an opportunity to photograph the inside of the Lucas Theatre here in Savannah Georgia. First off, I want to thank the gang at the Lucas Theatre for allowing me access to areas the tours were not allowed. I also want to thank my friend Jessica for helping to arrange this. Without them I wouldn’t have been able to spend the time I did inside taking some kick ass photographs.

This area is backstage at the Lucas Theatre. There are all sorts of ropes and pulleys I could never make sense of along this wall. I have always wondered what a real theatre looked like behind the curtain…my experience on stage is limited to Mary Poppins in 4th grade.

Over the next few weeks I will leak a few photos of the Lucas Theatre here and there. I took some killer photos of the interior. I can’t wait to share them!

Photographing the Pier on Tybee Island

Tybee Island is a great place for photographers. Not only can you make a living photographing weddings there like my friend Shannon but it also has some incredible landscapes and ocean views. It is still my favorite place to photograph the sunrise…

When photographing something as bare as a beach you should really try to find something to anchor the foreground of your photograph too. You just need something there. Or, you can find lines to help add definition to your photograph. That is what I did with the Pier on Tybee Beach. I really like how the pillars of the pier form a path for your eyes to follow…all the way ’til the end. In February, there were 3 days when the sun rose perfectly symetrical with the opening at the end of the pier. I waited months to get that photograph. I went all three mornings and all three mornings there was no real sunrise due to the clouds. It was one time I was cursing the clouds in my photograph. So…I guess there is always next year.

Sidewalks in Savannah

There is something about the pathways in Savannah that allow you to escape to a time when horses were the means of transportation and when women didn’t smell as good as they do now ( I am guessing, ha). Many of the walkways, especially in the Squares that dot the Historic District have large oak trees with Spanish Moss hanging freely. It is easy to imagine that you’re back in the 1800′s. The horse drawn carriages and historic houses/buildings  help with that mental image. I guess this is part of Savannah’s charm.

The main sidewalks in the city offer little of this old-time’ charm. Usually it is touristy (is that a word) shops accompanied by the smell of horse piss. You have to get off the beaten path a bit to find these ‘trails’. Try the eastern part of town. Washington Square and Warren Square (pictured below) are two of my favorites.