08/31/2026
The conference group toured the Rome Clocktower. I was underground on the other tour. So on my way out of town, I figured I'd just swing by and see it.
Nobody mentioned the hill. I don't know how I missed the hill. It's literally in the middle of town. When I say hill I mean I had to put my hybrid in sport mode and gun-it from across the street to get up said hill. Y'all... just to visit a water tower. I told you I was a history nerd, right? 🤓
I parked in the little deck I found wedged between two houses. I parked and walked to the edge, and got handed the entire Rome skyline at sunset. It was stunning!
Behind me, the Clocktower, built in 1871 used to hold 250,000 gallons of the city's water. It hasn't held a drop since the 1890s but the clock tower still stands as an epic landmark.
In the one photo you'll see the Historic Floyd County Courthouse, gutted by fire this past March, tower still standing. And of course I found a few steeples and epic sun flare over the downtown.
Then I did the most me thing possible: drove off to chase golden hour and got stuck on a phone call. *fart noise* I watched the best light of the day happen through a windshield, but I did grab a Coke sign shot out the passenger door while parked on speaker.
Made it back up to the clock tower at blue hour for one last frame, then drove an hour twenty home. Worth every minute.
Bucket list shoot No. 10, complete. Three pockets of free time, one small city, one very full memory card, and not one thing went how I planned it.
The best shoots are always the ones I didn't schedule. Where should I go next? 🪩