Photo Challenge: A Little Bit of My World

It’s time for another Brenda Photo Challenge! The subject is “a little bit of my world.” After checking out my photos, please click on the above link to see contributions of the other participants! 

We live in a lovely valley area of East Tennessee, and it seems that there are always some picturesque spots just around the corner. So I didn’t go far to complete this challenge. In fact, all of these scenes are within a mile or two of our cottage! 

This old building sits immediately next to a meandering country road. When I say “immediate,” I mean smack dab with nary an inch to spare! It is a difficult scene to photograph without getting in the weeds or road and also risking bodily harm from drivers who aren’t paying attention. But the structure has intrigued me for many years, and it has been begging for its image to be recorded. It is clear that it won’t be with us much longer! As a result of some online research, I learned that the building used to be a general store and run by a family with a long history in the valley. The camera settings were f/13.0, 1/320 second, and ISO 500. 

The color processing turned out well. However, with a compelling subject like this, I couldn’t resist applying some Photoshop magic and creating a special vintage version. See what a different flavor it has now? 

The early emergence of spring weather has woken up the tree lines that surround the valley’s farm fields. While this hay pasture waits for its yearly duty, it enjoys a colorful show from redbuds and fresh green leaves. The image was taken at f/8.0, 1/1000 second, and ISO 500. 

We have admired from afar a newer-styled barn with a bright red roof, located down a small side road near the old country store. Upon exploring, we happily discovered that a group of handsome mules and a horse are in residence there. As soon as I got out of the car with a camera in hand, they quickly came over to the fence to greet me! And this beautiful creature decided to demonstrate that the grass is always greener (or at least, tastier) on the other side. The camera settings were f/8.0, 1/320 second, and ISO 500.