Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River — 300 miles from north to south and a little more than 200 miles east to west — and it has a wonderfully diverse geography.
In his book, Naturally Georgia: From the Mountains to the Coast, photographer Chris Greer offers a rich visual celebration of this diversity. This beautiful book consists of more than 200 images, beginning in the North Georgia mountains, continuing through the rolling hills of the Piedmont and the flatlands of the Coastal Plain, and ending in the swamps and barrier islands of the state’s Atlantic Coast.
Greer has not simply taken postcard pictures from roadside outlooks at midday. To capture these images from pre-dawn hours to deep into the night, he’s hiked through misty mountain laurels and rhododendrons, walked old farmlands, faced bulls in pastures, and fought mosquitoes in swamps and Spanish moss-festooned coastal woods.
Greer’s background equipped him well for the challenge of capturing Georgia’s beauty. He is a professional photographer whose images have been widely exhibited, published, and acquired by private collectors.
Greer also teaches photography and is a professor of instructional technology at Georgia College & State University. He has been honored as an Apple Distinguished Educator and produces and co-hosts the PBS show View Finders with Paul Daniel. He maintains a studio and gallery in Watkinsville.
This book is unique.
The photo reproduction is excellent, with rich color that is never garish, even when capturing spectacular Georgia sunrises and sunsets. There is also paid to “ordinary” beauty that often escapes our notice, as well as to places where man’s hand meets nature.
At about eight by ten inches, Naturally Georgia: From the Mountains to the Coast is also compact, making it easy to enjoy anywhere, not just at the “coffee table.” It should appeal to native Georgians, visitors, artists, fellow photographers, and anyone else who appreciates the technique and artistry of great photographs.
Greer will be Georgia Writers Museum’s Meet the Author presenter on Tuesday, March 4, with doors open at 6:30 p.m. for a 7 p.m. program start. Tickets are $40 each or $35 each for two or more, and the event will also include a gourmet meal prepared by Chef Brent and themed around the book.
The night will also feature a silent auction of prints conducted by GWM’s Junior Board themed around Greer’s photos, some of which will be on display, too.
Proceeds will help fund future artistic and leadership opportunities for local students.
To register and pre-order a copy of Naturally Georgia, contact Georgia Writers Museum (109 S. Jefferson Ave., Eatonton) at georgiawritersmuseum.org/ meet-the-author or call 706-991-5119.
Contributed by Richard Horner, a retired physician who spent most of his adult life in New England and upstate New York before moving to Georgia.