Just an Ordinary Way...

Sunrise, Isle of Palms, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film. Click on image for larger view)



... to start the day
on the beach.

Care for a stroll?

Holding it Together

Earthquake Bolt, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



In 1886 Charleston experienced a major earthquake which leveled numerous old brick and stucco buildings. Afterward, earthquake bolts were inserted through many structures and tightened to give greater support for the next "big one".

Luckily the bolts have not been tested since!

A Guide for the Tough Times

Harbor Pilot Boat, Charleston Harbor, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



Everyone needs a guide in their life at some point, to help them through the tough times. The Charleston Harbor Pilot is just that sort of guide, helping large container ships maneuver through narrow channels, safely into port.

Rainbow Row at Night

Rainbow Row at Night, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



Even at night Charleston's Rainbow Row
 is much like a rainbow.

Stranded Oak

Boneyard Beach at Botany Bay, Edisto Island, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



Sunrise between the limbs of a stranded oak
 casts long shadows upon the shell strewn beach of Botany Bay.

Spinning Thanksgiving

Holiday Lights, Marion Square, Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



Thinking about how much I have to be thankful for
 makes my head spin.
(and my camera too!)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Spanish Moss at Sundown

Sunset and Spanish Moss, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved


At days end the golden sun illuminates Spanish Moss
 draped over this old oak, near a Cooper River salt marsh.

Moonlight Serenade

Battery Railing and Moonlight, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The moon shines alluringly upon the harbor like a soft serenade,
 casting its spell upon those who stroll along the Battery Promenade at twilight.

Misty Monday - Peaceful Slumber

Ashley River Marina, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



Pleasure boats slumber in peace
 as dawn breaks on a misty Ashley River.

French Quarter Churches

Churches of the French Quarter, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
 (Click on image for larger view)



Framed by the columns of Saint Philip's Church and the facade of the French Huguenot Church is Ministries Hall, part of the Saint Philip's Church complex. These historic places form part of the nucleus of Charleston's French Quarter. As on many Sunday mornings over the centuries, the sound of voices singing hymns can be heard flowing out of these churches as one strolls past.

Fountain in Reflection

Reflection in a Fountain Pool, Pineapple Fountain, Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The subject of yesterday's twilight study 
becomes today's daylight abstraction.

Warmth for a Cool Evening

Pineapple Fountain, Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)


The Pineapple Fountain's warm glow makes it an inviting sight
 on a cool November evening.

Squares

Boater's Sign on the Cooper River, Riverfront Park, North Charleston, SC
  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The back of a square blue sign for boaters
 is made up of little green squares.
And these are further divided into smaller squares of air,
whose color is invisible to the naked eye.

Break Room

Ashley River Tower, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A break room of the outdoor sort... this open deck allows students
 at MUSC to sit, relax and enjoy some fresh air and blue skies.

A Touch of Autumn

Longitude Lane, Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A little touch of autumn
 graces a narrow stone alleyway.

Anniversary Post

Deck of a Coast Guard Cutter, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



This week marks an anniversary for Doug's Photo Blog! For two years I have made daily posts, with an emphasis on Charleston photography, but also showing images from various travels, both recent and past.

As blogs usually do, this one has evolved over time. Originally I started the blog as a way of having some fun with photography and writing. The first year of the blog featured images accompanied by stories or "entertainments", some serious, some not so serious. My wife Becky joined in the fun as blog editor. But with my busy work schedule, I had less time to devote to writing as time went by.

This past year I have been better at promoting my commercial work by linking the blog to my travel stock photography business here in Charleston, while simultaneously riding the coat tails of Charleston's rise as a world travel destination.

Who knows what direction the blog will take next.

The daily photoblog helps me sharpen my photography skills and passions. Equally important is you, my blog friends, who take a moment of your time to visit, whether just to look or also comment. So I plan to continue the daily posting of images, with hopes of making your day and mine, a little more pleasurable.

 Thank you once again for all of your visits to Doug's Photo Blog!

Saint John's Entry

Columns and Shadows, Saint John's Lutheran Church, Charleston SC
  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Afternoon sun casts gate shadows on column bases
 at Saint John's Lutheran Church. Tiled flooring beneath the portico adorns the entrance into this early 19th century church.

Intense Infusion

Branch and Reflection, Daniel Island, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film. Click on image for larger view)



The warm light of autumn infuses the salt marsh 
with an intense yellow glow at high tide.

A Charleston Superhero

Lantern on the Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved





The Green Lantern

A View Through Two Pediments

Meditation Garden Pediments, Roper Saint Francis Hospital, Charleston, SC
  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved


This view through two pediments echos a view through two archways
 in a post I made last week of Old Sheldon Church ruins.

Imprisoned?

Ravenel Bridge and Cloud, Mt. Pleasant, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film. Click on image for larger view.)



A cloud passing idly by the Ravenel Bridge
appears trapped behind the bridge's cables.

 

Old Stone Sarcophagus

Stone Sarcophagus, Saint Michael's Churchyard, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)


Not only do old iron gates have ornamental scrolls,
 but so does this old stone sarcophagus.

King of the Night

King Street Facades at Night, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)


The shopping district along King Street is one of Charleston's premier attractions during the day. But at night the mood is transformed, for along here you will also find cafes, wine bars, and restaurants of many styles to satisfy your appetite.

Ornate Entry

Ornate Brackets, Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved


At the entrance to Dock Street Theatre, a row of S-shaped brackets await patrons who come to see plays or concerts. The old theatre is in the French Quarter, so called for the Huguenots who settled the area in the 18th century.

Quote of the Day

Sculpture in a Window, Charleston, SC  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



To air is human,
To glimpse beauty, divine.



(My apologies to Alexander Pope)

A Quiet Ending

Sunset on Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved 
(Velvia slide film. Click on image for larger view.)


Home safely from sea, a gathering of boats watches the setting sun
 as the day quietly ends.

What Light Reveals

Cobblestone Street at Sunrise, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Touched by the warm glow of early morning light,
 a tuft of grass is revealed on a cobblestone street in Charleston.

The Wandering Souls of Charleston

Hibernian Hall Gate and Lantern, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)


It is said there are ghosts in Charleston, restless souls wandering in a nebulous in between world. There are some people who have actually seen them, and certain places are known for sightings.

You can take a ghost tour in the evening, or wander the lamp lit streets at night on your own, if you dare. But tonight there are sure to be ghosts, ghouls and goblins on the streets and cobblestoned alleyways of Old Charleston,
 for it is Halloween.

Rutledge House Inn

Balcony Ironwork, Rutledge House Inn, Charleston, SC
  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film. Click on image for larger view)


The golden hue of sunset bathes balcony ironwork on the Rutledge House Inn. John Rutledge headed the drafting committee for the US Constitution (1763), and later signed the document with his fellow founding fathers. In 1791 George Washington came to Charleston, and ate breakfast here with Mrs. Elisabeth Rutledge. Today the house is an inn overlooking Broad Street
 in the heart of the historic district.

Pier with a View

Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier, Folly Beach, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)


Dawn breaks over the Atlantic Ocean, where one has an ideal view from the Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier. The pier, located on Folly Beach, the self proclaimed "Edge of America", is the second longest pier on the east coast.

This image is the cover shot for Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission's Landmark Pier brochure.

The Ruins of Sheldon Church

Old Sheldon Church Ruins, Yemassee, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
 (Velvia slide film)



About an hour drive south of Charleston are the ruins of Old Sheldon Church. It was built during the colonial era (1753) in Greek Revival style and served the plantations of Prince William Parish. It was burnt by the British during the American Revolution (1779), and rebuilt soon after the war only to feel the devastating effects of General Sherman's March through South Carolina during the American Civil War (1865).

These days the ruins are much more peaceful. They are a popular venue for outdoor weddings, picnics, and a favorite subject of photographers.

Awareness II

Custom House, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
 (Click on image for larger view)


The Custom House, aglow with pink, 
honors National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Behind the Gate

Ornate Gate, St. Michael's Church, Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)


In Charleston, behind gates, adventure awaits.

Skimmers

Black Skimmers, Sullivan's Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
 (Velvia slide film. Click on image for larger view)


The Atlantic Ocean and a variety beaches are a short drive from Charleston.
 In this image a flock of Black Skimmers follows a line of waves 
on Sullivan's Island.

Charleston Gems

Cherub Fountain and Garden, Charleston, SC 
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
 (Velvia slide film)


Charleston has much to enjoy...
world class restaurants, resorts and inns,
an Old World ambiance of narrow cobblestone streets
 and 18th century buildings,
significant American history,
proximity to the ocean...
and the gardens, a favorite of mine,
are lush green gems that flourish throughout the city.


 

Across the Harbor

Shrimp Boats and Gull, Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Across the harbor from Charleston is Shem Creek, in the town of Mt. Pleasant. Here is the perfect place at day's end to watch an assortment of boats coming and going, as well as gulls, egrets and pelicans. Afterwards, take in one of the many restaurants that line the docks.
As you might imagine, fresh fish is the specialty.

Number One in the World

Waterfront Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Charleston keeps moving up the best hits chart, this time to the very top spot... Conde Nast Traveler magazine just voted Charleston the number one travel destination in the world. That is remarkable, considering all the amazing places there are to see around the globe (as seen in your blogs,
 from around your homes!)

Charleston was noted by readers of the magazine for its "overall ambiance, culture and sites, friendliness, lodging, restaurants and shopping".

For me, I am fortunate to have played a tiny part in this by suppling Charleston's travel industry with pretty but practical images for its marketing over the past 11 years through my website, Hue and Eye Photography and Design. You can see recent samples down the right hand column of my blog
 (yes, that sound you heard was me tooting my horn).

Nature's Wisdom

Autumn Colors after an Evening Thunderstorm, Cades Cove,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film. Click on image for larger view)



After the storm... rejuvenating light.

Skyway and the Moon

Autumn Mountain Side, Cherohala Skyway, North Carolina
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
 (Velvia slide film)


Brilliant midday sunlight illuminates an autumn mountainside along the Cherohala Skyway, a 43 mile scenic highway in western North Carolina. It is a dazzling sight in October. Even the moon, from 286,000 miles away, peeks above the horizon to glimpse the earthly spectacle!

New Occupant

Abandoned Stone Building, near Celo, North Carolina
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved


Where people once lived, Mother Natured moved in.

Moooooving Experience

Cow in Autumn, Near Burnsville, North Carolina  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)


Even bovines enjoy experiencing fall colors.

Blue Mountain Mood

Evergreens in Fog, near Newfound Gap,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)


Blue mists rise through mountain coves
 enveloping silent evergreens.


Speaking of blue... an image I shot for the Charleston Visitor's Bureau 
is featured in the JetBlue to Charleston Promo.

Appalachian Autumn

Autumn Maples, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved


Behind a swatch of glowing maple saplings
 spreads a quilt of gold
 down a mountain cove,
 away into the distance.

Undulating Fence

Wooden Fence and Cabin, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)


A slight undulation in a fence pattern makes a worthy foreground for an old cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Now and Then

Circular Church and St. Philip's Church, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved


Although this is a contemporary view of Charleston's skyline, it could also be one from pre-Civil War days, before the cannon balls of the Union siege and the earthquake of 1886 forever altered the Holy City landscape. Charleston is called the Holy City for the numerous church steeples that dominate its low skyline and for the 400 places of worship condensed in its small city limits.

On a slightly different topic, Wholly Cow sells deliciously rich ice cream on Church Street near the Market.
And holy cow!, I'll have you know it tastes divine!

Cave Art?

Rocky Outcrop in a Road Cut, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved  (Velvia slide film)


A quartzite vein in exposed metamorphic rock
reminds me of a prehistoric cave painting.
Or is my imagination running wild!?

Lush Window Box

Window Box, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
 (Velvia slide film)


A warm humid climate means long growing seasons in the Lowcountry,
 hence window boxes lush with flowers and vines.
This is our compensation for not having traditonal autumn color.

Autumn Song

West Prong Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film. Click on image for larger view)


A cold stream murmurs, birds make their last calls of the season, and wind rustles dry leaves in the cool crisp air...
it is the song of autumn echoing in the mountains.

How Much is that Doggie in the Window?

Dog and Horse Fine Art Gallery at Twilight, Church Street, Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved


$4000.

But, how could you not adore this little fellow
 hanging in your house?

(Painting title is Bentley, by Steve Morrell.
Art galley is the Dog and Horse.
Post title is the name of a popular 1950's song sung by Patti Page)