North Georgia Waterfalls and Jack Anthony
Jack Anthony is a very interesting man. After a long career in engineering, he retired to the North Georgia Mountains and started a brand new career in photography. Now, at age 80, he doesn’t appear to be slowing down at all.
Jack moved to Dahlonega at the age of three, when his father was hired to be a professor at North Georgia College. He grew up in the mountains, graduated from Lumpkin High School in 1947, and went on to get a BS Degree in Physics from North Georgia College. While there, he met his lovely wife, June. They’re still together today, going strong. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army and stationed in New Mexico, where he was part of the fledgling nuclear weapons program. After serving four years, he was hired by the Dupont Corporation at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The SRS was constructed during the early 1950’s to produce the basic materials used in the making of nuclear weapons for our nation’s defense program. He stayed there for six years before Dupont transferred him to Wilmington, Delaware to work in the Engineering Research Division. He earned a Masters in Electrical Engineering during this period of his career. June was a school teacher and together they raised two daughters. After 33 years with Dupont, Jack retired in 1988. He and June moved back to Dahlonega and settled on top of a hill, overlooking their beloved mountains.
But, Jack was not the type to sit in a rocking chair, simply gazing at the scenery. He got out and explored. As a youth, he spent countless hours hiking and playing in the streams and waterfalls around Dahlonega. He knew the area well and wanted to use his life-long interest in photography to share his passion with others. He took four years of classes at his alma mater, NGC, to better develop his skills. While there, he studied under famed Atlanta photographer, Hank Margeson. One of Jack’s computer graphics courses led to the 2000 publication of his first book, Dahlonega, A Special Place. It promotes the city’s charm and spirit. He’s published two other coffee table books—The Waterfalls of North Georgia and Corps of Cadets—The Boar’s Head Brigade. In 1995, he was instrumental in developing the original Dahlonega/Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce website. It is obvious how much he loves his hometown and how he has helped foster its advancement. Jack also photographed the local wineries and is happy to see a reviving interest in the gold rush history. He has been active in the Dahlonega Downtown Development Authority. He’s seen a lot of changes over the years, including NGC becoming a State University with an acclaimed ROTC Program. Jack has received many awards, including one from the City Council in 2008 and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from NGCSU in 2005.
He has published three first-rate books, a fine art poster of Georgia’s waterfalls, and has provided the photographs for Amy Blackmarr’s Dahlonega Haunts and Stephen Hedrick’s Tall Tales and Sonnets of the South. His work has been on display in galleries, magazines and books worldwide. He even has a special website devoted to kudzu! In case you aren’t familiar with kudzu, it is a very aggressive vine which grows about a foot every day and will eventually cover anything that sits in its path that doesn’t move. It has large green leaves and pretty purplish red flowers. If you’ve ever driven through the southeast in the summertime, you’ve probably seen kudzu growing on the hillsides. It’s everywhere. Often it takes the shape of an animal as it crawls over its “victim.” Jack’s website has pictures of all kinds of kudzu covered creatures. He even posts photos from others who have sent in their snapshots. Be sure to check it out. There’s a link on his website
Landscapes are his specialty, but Jack says that he enjoys taking pictures of almost anything. Photography is personal and intimate, and Jack has such a connection to his subjects that it shines through in his work. During his extensive travels locally and abroad, many of our national parks have provided stunning panoramas that he’s captured and displayed on his website. From the slot canyons in Mt. Zion National Park in Utah to a tiny lighthouse perched on a rock in a fjord in Helsinki, you’ll be amazed by the scope of his work. He can take the simplest objects and create a masterpiece through his use of light and perspective.
My personal favorites are Jack’s photos of waterfalls because he seems to capture the movement and essence of the water. Due to the high average rainfall (50-80” yearly) and the heights of the southern Appalachians, North Georgia provides ideal conditions for numerous waterfalls. His book, Waterfalls of North Georgia, covers over 100 waterfalls and provides directions and GPS coordinates for finding them. I hope one day to visit each one, however, some are in very remote locations. In his preparation for the book he learned the importance of family and friends’ help in accompanying him to the various sites. They helped haul all the equipment required to get those perfect shots. His wife was with him one December day when he slipped on the edge of a waterfall and broke his leg. Thank goodness he was not alone and she was able to hike out and call for help. A broken leg didn’t slow Jack down for long. He’s still out there—finding and photographing new waterfalls.
If you’re interested in seeing Jack Anthony’s photographs, please visit http://www.jackanthonyphotography.com.