Well, spring has arrived in Savannah. It doesn’t feel like it all of the time, with the blustery winds, but spring is here. While walking around Savannah’s Squares you may notice that flowers are in bloom…and if you have allergies I am quite certain you are well aware of the pollen floating everywhere, coating everything.

This particular scene can be found at the North end of Forsyth Park. There is a tree which many MANY people have carved into over the years. It is pretty interesting to get close and check out what people have had to say over the years. Usually it is something like JK + AN surrounding by the boundaries of a heart. Makes me wanna puke…

Anyways, it just goes to show that there is soo much to find in Savannah if you are willing to look beyond the touristy areas and get off of the beaten path. And with spring in the air, there isn’t a better time.

Forsyth Fountain in the Morning

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of walking around the Historic District at sunrise. Walking around Savannah is always an activity worth pursuing, but when dark turns to light it is especially satisfying. Savannah’s spirits come out to play in the darkness of its streets. Watching the light infilitrate those very streets, watching the night turn to day creates an experience that awakens you…on the inside.

After the sun had been above the horizon for some time my feet had led me to Forsyth Fountain. The Fountain in Forsyth has been the subject of countless photographs. It is always a challenge to get a photo like nobody else’s. Is this photograph unique? Not really. I do like the symmetry of this composition. I decided to put this photograph out as it was taken from almost the same place as this photograph of Forsyth Park I took at night. I got good news that the photo at the end of the link is going to be used on the cover of a novel. I will share details when it is finalized.

If you find yourself in Savannah make sure to get out of bed before the world becomes familiar, before the light fills the streets. Make your way to Forsyth Park and take a photo of the Fountain. There are few things that symbolize Savannah more than this fountain.

Last week I went to Forsyth Park after dark and spent about an hour or so taking photographs. I wasn’t too terribly happy with many of them, which happens to everyone now and then. However, I really liked this one and decided to turn it into a black and white photograph of the fountain in Forsyth Park.

From the technical side of this, the photograph is actually a 9 exposure hdr photograph. Once I tone-mapped it, I wasn’t quit happy with the colors. Realizing I have never done a black and white photo of the fountain made this an easy decision.

This photograph was taken at Forsyth Park, in Savannah Georgia. After the sun goes down Forsyth Park allows visitors for some time. I believe the ‘official’ hours are that the park closes at 9pm in unlighted areas and 11pm in lighted areas. According to a source of mine, mainly a homeless man who goes by the name of Sammy, the fountain turns off at 9:30pm. I don’t know if that is true or not, but a safe bet would be to try and be at the fountain before 9pm to get photographs like the one below.

Another advantage of photographing the fountain in Forsyth Park after dark is the lack of people. Aside from the stray tourist or bike-rider, the park is fairly empty…at least it is on the nights I have went there after dark.  Make sure you take a tripod with you, you’ll need it for the long exposure times you will need to capture all of the beauty of the fountain.

This is an HDR Photograph, which I blended back into one of the original dark exposures pretty heavily. I don’t know, I just think when doing HDR at night, there should be a lot of dark areas. The HDR photographs I see at night-time where there is detail everywhere just don’t work for me. That isn’t the way your eyes see it.

Today I decided to put a photograph up that I am a little unsure of. This photograph is of the fountain in Forsyth Park. I debated putting this up for a few days, so let me know what you think.

Taking this photograph, more specifically making it look right in post-processing was quite the chore. I spent about 20 minutes photographing the fountain resulting in about 200 photos. However, I just couldn’t get the look I was going for. It happens to every photographer at some point or another, and this was my moment to be frustrated.

The Fountain in Forsyth Park was built in 1858. It has been remodeled several times, the latest being in 1988. Every St. Patrick’s Day, the water in the fountain is dyed green as there are many Irish Catholics in Savannah.

My name is Tim and I am a photographer in Savannah Georgia. Forsyth Park is the location of many weddings in Savannah. Are you getting married in Savannah? Check out my website for wedding photography in Savannah for more information.