architecture

In The Wilderness

/ Michael Glover / 46 Comments

There is a place where the crickets chirp all day. You can find peace and solitude. You can cozy up to a fire. You can sit, relax, read a good book.

Welcome to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. If you enjoy the great outdoors, then this is the place for you. This resort looks like it could be in the mountains. Resembling a giant log cabin, they kept it very authentic in every detail. Walking around the property the soothing sound of crickets can be heard. There is a boardwalk that takes you to a lake where you can take a leisurely boat ride. You truly feel like you are in the woods.

Stepping inside the lodge you are instantly surrounded by the woodsy feeling. From the log beams and railings, to the intricately carved totem poles, the attention to detail is outstanding. The lobby is completely open from floor to ceiling.

What really caught my eye though are these amazing light fixtures that are true works of art themselves. They look like wigwams with buffalo and Indians running around them. Again the attention to detail is just immaculate!

If you would like to view more pictures on my blog from Disney, just click here.

To enjoy a larger view, please click on the image below!

As always, I hope you enjoyed today’s post and I encourage you to join the conversation by writing your thoughts below as I truly like to hear from all of my visitors! 🙂

Lakeside Retreat

/ Michael Glover / 29 Comments

In a previous post which can be found here, 1929 Cadillac, I took a visit to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  I would like to share another picture from this “Disney Day.”

It was a very picturesque day as I setup for this shot. The clouds were creating a nice soft, diffused light. The forecast called for rain, but it stayed away. As I wandered around the beautiful grounds, I was taking it all in. I had seen this yacht before and knew I had to incorporate it into a shot. This particular building, Conch Key, is just one of the many luxurious buildings on the resort property. The yacht adds a nice touch. I was hoping to get a nice reflection, but the water didn’t cooperate. There’s always next time! 🙂

I still have another picture from this day waiting in the wings for a future blog post, so be sure and stay tuned for that. It will feature a view from inside Disney’s Wilderness Lodge.

If you would like to view more pictures on my blog from Disney, just click here.

To enjoy a larger view, please click on the image below!

As always, I hope you enjoyed today’s post and I encourage you to join the conversation by writing your thoughts below as I truly like to hear from all of my visitors! 🙂

1929 Cadillac

/ Michael Glover / 29 Comments

As a photographer living in central Florida, it’s always nice being so close to great places like Disney. I get to go on photo excursions that I have lovingly named “Disney Days!” This particular day was indeed a fun one as I came back with lots of images I was pleased with.

My day started out at the newly opened Art of Animation Resort where I got this shot: Wheel Well Motel. I spent all of my time here exploring the “Cars” themed area. The detail that they put into this place is nothing short of amazing.

My next stop was the Grand Floridian Resort. This Victorian style hotel is absolutely breathtaking when you step inside. As I walked in I noticed the reflection on the floor and got the idea in my head for this shot: The Grand Entrance. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a floor so shiny in all my life! And the magnitude of the chandelier hanging from the ceiling is awesome.

After spending some time exploring inside, I ventured outdoors to see what I might find. Parked out in front of the hotel is a carriage and a 1929 Cadillac. Perfectly fitting in with the theme of this resort, this car is certainly a showstopper.

Huge headlights, whitewall tires, running boards, and a fancy hood ornament were all common in this time period. Even details like a fancy belt to hold the spare tire on were not overlooked.

In an upcoming post,  I will be featuring an image from my final stop of the day, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, so be sure to watch for that one.

If you would like to view more pictures on my blog from Disney, just click here.

To enjoy a larger view, please click on the image below!

As always, I hope you enjoyed today’s post and I encourage you to join the conversation by writing your thoughts below as I truly like to hear from all of my visitors! 🙂

Head of Tennessee Baptist Church

/ Michael Glover / 30 Comments

On my way to the Smoky Mountains in March of 2011, I stopped in the small town of Dillard, Georgia. I stayed the night at a wonderful place called The Dillard House. They have a fantastic restaurant and outstanding accommodations. The plan was to get up early the next morning and visit a few different sites that I wanted to photograph in the area before continuing on. One of the places I went to on this same day was Toccoa Falls which is featured in this blog post – The Falls Behind The Trees.

Now while planning a trip beforehand is a great thing to do, sometimes it’s the unknown gems that you find on your journey that really catch your eye. (Like this other church I discovered later in the day which was in this blog post – Lufty Baptist Church.)

Upon my arrival the night before, I spotted this church located just up the street from where I was staying. As someone who has a fascination with older architectural styles, I knew I had to shoot it. The sky was beautiful that morning with lots of clouds and a rich blue color. The front of the church faces due east, so the lighting was perfect. The bell tower with the stainless steel top, the brickwork, and the double arched doorways were just a few of the elements that attracted me to it. On the south side is the cemetery with a beautiful and peaceful mountain view.

Construction of this building was completed in 1932. The opening service was held on August 21st. To read more about this church and it’s history, click here to visit their website.

Also if you would like more history on this area, you can click here to see early photos of the church, The Dillard House, and other historical buildings.

To enjoy a larger view, please click on the images below!

I hope you enjoyed today’s post and I encourage you to join the conversation by writing your thoughts below as I truly like to hear from all of my visitors! 🙂

Wheel Well Motel

/ Michael Glover / 16 Comments

On a recent photo excursion that brought this image to the blog, I took a visit to the newest addition of Disney lodging: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort. There are a few different themes going on that are very exciting. I found the Cars theme to be very interesting. I enjoy scenes with lots of color and this certainly was a treat to my eyes. As a photographer who shoots lots of HDR, this was like heaven! It is set up to resemble route 66. The sidewalk looks like a paved street with power poles and streetlights  running alongside it. Several different characters from the movie were strategically placed for your viewing pleasure.

This scene in particular was setup in front of the Wheel Well Motel. Lightning McQueen and Sally Carrera were parked out front like rock-stars. Even fine details such as the fuel pumps bearing the name “Butte Gas” were not overlooked. Disney always goes all out to bring magic to their guests.

The resort is opening up in phases with two phases complete and two phases scheduled to be open real soon. For more information about this resort property click on the link above or right here.

To view more pictures on my blog from Disney, just click here.

To enjoy a larger view, please click on the image below!

I hope you enjoyed today’s post and I encourage you to join the conversation by writing your thoughts below as I truly like to hear from all of my visitors! 🙂