Thought I would share

[jasonr]

I dont think any of you guys know that I am a part time photographer. Whenever I am not working my full time job I try to land photography jobs for some extra income.

Well I am currently in Bristol TN.

I landed here early saturday morning and had most of saturday evening free. I went exploring around downtown. The following pictures are just a few of many more to come.

1)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3629/3480947241_8389ae1804_b.jpg

2)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3366/3480991491_b256a1eedf_b.jpg

3) West State Street runs right though Bristol. Well Bristol is right on the Va/Tn state line so Half of the street is in Va. and the other half is in Tn.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/3480957765_7cfe89070a_b.jpg

4) The first country music song was recorded behind this door.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3404/3480969461_644afa264d_b.jpg

5) Lots of old adverts are to be found on the buildings around here.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3350/3480984119_5e1e069fed_b.jpg

I have 3 weddings this week out here, Im shooting the King College grdauation and a nurses pinning with another photog, and then going to drive up the some local coal mines and "ghost towns" about an hour or so away and do some personal stuff. There will be more to come within the next week or two.

[emanuel]

Wow, those are very nice!

[Al Kai]

Good pictures. Thanks.

[jasonr]

Thanks guys. I think I want to move here haha...

This place is so nice, quiet, laid back and slow compared to what Im used to back home, housing prices are wonderful... There has to be a downside that I just havent found yet.

[Out Sick]

Yeah, its a long to ride to the Bay from there! :D Whats up with the "Ghost Town" or are you at liberty to say? Nice pictures!

[jasonr]

They are old abandoned coal towns in the mountains here. Lots of crazy history. Im a history nut. One of the local photograohers from Kingsport is going to show me around Thursday. Gonna show me a few old coal mines we can explore, a ghost town or two and maybe even some stills that are still in use.

I really wish I had driven here so I could get some moon shine home. He said there is planty to be had in "these parts" haha. I have no clue how I could ge on the airplane with it though :(

[Out Sick]

You know you can take liquid up to 3 oz. in carry-on....:beer:

[rattler]

look at bluefield/blue well. lots of history. same as HERE.

[hamlet]

I think one obvious downside to Bristol is how loooooong it takes to get to the coast to fish.

Virginia is a danged long state across the bottom.

[sprtsracer]

Don't forget the sister cities of Kingsport and Johnson City.

[BubbaHoTep]

Yep, you guys are right. I've lived here for 36 of my 42 years, and the major downside is that it's so far from the coast! When we go to SC, I plan for a seven-hour trip. But I think it is a pretty laid-back region, which suits me just fine.

Glad you're enjoying the area, Jason! You ought to take a few minutes and go out to South Holston Dam and check out those protected trout tailwaters there right below it at the Weir Dam. You oughta see some 'bigguns in there! :)

Kooler was telling me about a seafood place up in Bristol (Greene's) that's supposed to have some pretty good food. I haven't had a chance to try it yet.

[jasonr]

We just went and saw 2 dams in Elizabethton after eating dinner. That place is so beautiful. We saw some kind of huge fish, Im going to guess 5'-6' in length swimming just under the surface. We were too far away to tell what kind it was though.

Im seriously going to be looking for work up this way. I have worked with 2 photographers from this area. Josef Willis and Earl Carter who lives in Kingsport. Earl is the guy who is taking me out on Thursday.

And Greenes isnt too far from where I am staying. Ive passed it a few times driving around. Im staying right where Hwy 11 and I-82 cross.

[BubbaHoTep]

Hey Jason,

If you were near Elizabethton, you saw Wilbur and Watauga Dams - fed from the Watauga River out of NC. Wilbur is the smaller one you passed on the way up to Watauga. Wilbur is known for its rainbow trout (stocked) as are those tailwaters (classified as a "trophy stream" - must use barbless hooks down to below the little bridge you passed on your way up before the little gas station along the river). Tailwaters there have very large brownies, too. Watauga, along with the usual run of LM, SM, Crappie, is known for its lake trout and walleye fishing. That lake is very clean, the cleanest around here.

Glad you're enjoying some of the sites! :)

[jasonr]

Man youre right about the water there. Beautiful man. Tomorrows the big day though, I get to go meet mountain folk :D

[drawinout]

Nice pictures Jason.

[jasonr]

Thanks everyone. Just gonna share 2 more for tonight I shot today while exploring. My son loves trains and we are about to redecorate his room. Thinking about printing and framing these to hang up in there.

Just 2 more from me today. Still here in Tennessee.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3367/3489705893_c8d5f0248b_b.jpg
Manual
Exposure: 1/400 sec
Aperture: f/10.0
Focal Length: 28 mm
Exposure: 0.00
ISO Speed: 400

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/3489694193_b1c8718e50_b.jpg
Manual
Exposure: 1/3200 sec
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 24 mm
Exposure: +0.19
ISO Speed: 200

[Blloyd]

That Classic Recording Studio pic is awesome.

[kingfisherman23]

Agreed, that studio pic is terrific. Not to mention both of those train picture. Stunning work.

Evan

[RuddeDogg]

Great pics. Thanks for sharing.

[Shooter]

Been there done that but didnt get the pics,,, Bluefield, Va. is on one side of the river and Bluefield WVa is on the other and aint nutten in either place but coal mines. Side note, don't break down in Bluefield if your driving a Ford,, the parts guys had to drive out to the highway to find a battery to fit my Ford car, cause the Ford dealership shut down years ago in Bluefield so no one drives a Ford now

Now headed back up 81-North make a right on to 77 and head down towards Hillsville and I believe you cross over The New River, I think there is an old stone fort built upon the side of the cliff that is neat. Now if you make it into Hillsville you can get some pics of the old court house where some Mountian folks came down and shot up the court house to get their folks out.

Next, if it's "Shine" your lookn for,, Franklin County use to have a bill board up on the side of the road that said it was the Shine Captial of Virginia :beer:

[GCsurfishingirl]

Glad to see some pictures of Bristol other than the race track! Glad you are enjoying my part of the state. This would be the perfect area if there was some salt around here! Enjoy the mountain folk - lots of history there.

I hope you are going with a respected local... otherwise you might not make it out alive!:eek::D

[Tacpayne]

Nice work, I really like the train pics. I do custom framing and really enjoy seeing other peoples artwork and photography the most. I really think thats why I enjoy framing, that and it helps finance my fishing trips :D

[kooler]

just stumbled onto this thread. those are some great shots. if your still in town you ought to go to the Carter Fold tonight at Hiltons, Va. to get some ole time music and check out some real mountain entertainment. Earl is a great shooter and is well known in this area, im sure he can put you on some good stuff. welcome to the tri-cities and enjoy your stay and hollar if we can help with anything and like AJ said, check out Greene's Seafood for the regions best fresh market. they also have a small restaurant there if you want lunch.
on second thought, hit Ridgewood Barbecue for lunch, they smoke whole hams and its the best around, not far from bristol, off 11E in piney flats. Hit the Peerless in Johnson City for dinner. Great Greek salads and beef filet and the fried tiger shrimp is killer.

[jasonr]

My time is up here guys :( Heading back home tomorrow morning.

Very cool that you have heard of Earl kooler. I first met him a few years back when I started shooting the Miss Va, Md, and IL pageants before they move on to Miss USA. Ive keept in contact since. He is a very very nice guy and seems like he knows someone no matter where we went haha.

I was going to go with him to the Carter Fold tonight but I had a wedding to shoot this evening but did get to photographed the King graduation this morning with him. It has been a amazing working vacation to say the lease.

I did get to eat at Ridgewood one night. Veru good BBQ haha.

And its funny that you wrote hollar in your post. The fine folks here learned me what a hollar was :D Here I was just thinking it was a valley!

[kingfisherman23]

Shooter, that stone structure near the high bridge is actually a musket ball factory. They dropped hot lead from the top and it would form into a sphere on the way down before landing in water. I camp up there and fish that area for smallmouth, walleye and carp on Memorial Day and Labor Day. Right near there is also the abandoned mill town of Foster Falls.

Evan

[kooler]

yea we have a unique dialect around here for sure. they learn us that at UT:D
class of '79 was a stellar year:beer:
sounds like you crammed alot of stuff in. glad you had a good time and come back and see us anytime you hear.