End of the Rainbow

Rainbow in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved

I finally found out what is at the end of the rainbow!

Cades Cove!

Labor of Love

Forest Cascade, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



I spent nearly 8 hours photographing along a short stretch
 of backwoods road, fronting a mountain stream in the Smokies.
I worked as many angles as possible,
encountering views like this one...
a feeder brook cascading over a leafy slope.

Blue Patina

Mountain Stream, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



As twilight deepens in the valleys of the Smokies ,
a long camera exposure reveals a silky sheen
 on the surface of a mountain stream.

Golden Meadow

Meadow After a Rainstorm, Cades Cove,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Following an afternoon rainstorm, the sun emerges
 to suffuse a wet meadow in Cades Cove with a golden glow.

Through the Woods

Forest Road, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A narrow road passes through leafy hardwoods
 on its way to the meadowlands of Cades Cove.

A Model Stream

Cascade in a Mountain Stream,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A low shelf in the stream bed enables mountain water
 to reveal its beautiful flowing tresses.

Little Fence Post

Fence Post, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A single fence post in a meadow doesn't seem like much,
 but it evokes a sense of a simpler time and place.

Window Light

Window Light in a Rustic Cabin, Cades Cove,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




Plenty of negative space in this monochrome
 adds simplicity and a bit of mystery to the image.

Cloudscape

Cumulus Clouds at Dusk, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Cumulus clouds tower over soft mountains,
taking on the hues of a dreamy painting.

Rustic Charm

Sparks Lane, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A peaceful country lane bordered by grassy meadows
 and surrounded by verdant mountains
 typifies the rustic beauty of Cades Cove.

Lily Heaven

Turk's Cap Lily, near Clingman's Dove,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok



This striking wildflower, called the Turk's cap or turban lily,  thrives at the highest elevations in the Southern Appalachians.
 I found this vibrant specimen near Clingman's Dome,
 the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Rainy Day Activity

Observation Deck, Little Tennessee River, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Afternoon rain lends a somber mood
to the view from this observation deck
 as I gaze across the Little Tennessee River.

Veiled Wilderness

Pine Tree and Misty Ridges, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A lone pine looms against misty ridges
 which recede into a shrouded remoteness.

Secluded Tranquility

Small Waterfall, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



In a little-known hardwood cove in the Great Smoky Mountains,
 I made a short climb to this cascade which rewarded me
 with an image that feels cool and soothing.

Mountain Moods

Crepuscular Rays over Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The ever changing weather and light
 over the Great Smoky Mountains is fascinating to witness.
 From sunrise to sunset, the mood of the ancient mountains
 is always in flux. Here crepuscular rays break through
 late morning clouds to illuminate peaks and valleys
 of the national park.

Shuttered

Shutters at Sunrise, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Film photography)



Being at the right place at the right time enabled me to see
the first light of sunrise on this row of shutters near the waterfront.

Framed

Garden Gate, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Creeping fig vines frame a lovely garden gate
 in the historic district of Charleston.

Shadow Art

Gate Shadow, Saint Philip's Church, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Film photography)



Steps leading into Saint Philip's Church
 provide a canvas for the shadow of an ornate gate.

Light from the Heavens

Sunlight on Mountain Ridges, Cades Cove,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok



After a passing storm, a shaft of sunlight dappled
 the mountain peaks that surround Cades Cove.

The Long Journey

Mountain Stream, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Rushing over a small waterfall is part of the long journey
 rain water makes as it flows down a mountain cove
 toward the distant sea. 

Stormy Weather

Rainstorm in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



The Great Smoky Mountains receive some of the highest amounts
 of rainfall in the U.S.  Whether it's a passing thunderstorm or a steady drizzle,
the Smokies get soaked. So when the rain moves through,
  I have a camera ready to record the misty mood of these amazing mountains.

Nature's Smoking Mountains

Sunrise, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Dawn light illuminates mists
 rising from the ridges and valleys
 of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The Rising Mist

Loop Road, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Mist begins to rise from a road
 following an afternoon rain storm
in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Puddling

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly,
Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Finding a patch of moisture beside a Cades Cove road,
this butterfly stayed still long enough for me to grab
 a clear image of it at ground level.
Butterflies gather at muddy spots to obtain minerals in the soil.

Old Appalachian Forest

Mountain Stream, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Lush green surrounds a mountain stream
 in Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, which protects
 one of the last old-growth woodlands in the eastern U.S.

Refreshed

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



An old alleyway in Charleston is enlivened
 by the hues of fresh spring blooms.

10,000 Years of History

Roman Forum, Rome, Italy
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



And we think Charleston is an old city...

Hidden Letters

Lantern Shadow, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



This lantern shadow stealthily contains an abbreviation
 for the state of South Carolina.

Rough Texture

Fence Detail, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Selective focus brings out some of the details
 on an old ornamental fence at the College of Charleston.

Stepping Out

Eagle on the Duomo, Orvieto, Italy  © Doug Hickok All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A bronze eagle tries out a precarious dance step
 at the edge of the medieval Duomo di Orvieto in Italia.

An Avian Haven

Gift Shop, near Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



This shop is for the birds.

Dark Forest

Coastal Forest, Acadia National Park, Maine
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A dense coastal woodland grows to the edge
 of a foggy shoreline at Acadia National Park.

A Lesser Known Gem

Canyonlands, Colorado National Monument, Colorado
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Everyone knows of the Grand Canyon in Arizona,
 or the Canyonlands of Utah, but a lesser known western gem
 is Colorado National Monument where a winding rim road
 offers stunning vistas over red rock canyons.



 

Eye of the Needle?

Gate Scroll, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



This gate scroll has an opening suitable
 for only the smallest of objects to pass through.

Battery Adornment

Wisteria Vines, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Wisteria vines drape over a wrought iron fence
 at a home along Charleston's East Battery.

Give Me Shelter

Sculpture in an Alcove, Vatican City, Italy
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Film Photography)



Enduring the trials and tribulations of time,
an ancient statue finally finds a sheltered spot
 in an alcove at the Vatican Museum.

Cool Off

Fountain at Dawn, Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Lights are aglow early in the morning
 at waterfront park where temperatures
 are sure to be cooler, even in summertime.

The Hue of Feldspar

Granite Shoreline, Acadia National Park, Maine
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Granite composed of the reddish mineral feldspar
 is a predominant rock along the misty coast of Maine.

Arid Woodlands

Tree Line, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Trees and deserts seem an odd pair,
but not at Great Sand Dunes National Park
where fresh water streams adjoin sand dunes
 to provide enough moisture for flora to flourish.

Azalea Haven

Park Bench, White Point Gardens, Charleston SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Azaleas abound beneath the oaks at White Point Gardens.

Summertime

Dining Room Door, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



On a sweltering summer morning, 
condensation forms on the windows of a door
 into a restaurant in the Historic District.

Perfect Fit

Matryoshka Dolls, Old Farmhouse, Village of Lewisburg, Ohio
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



This hand crafted Ukrainian nesting doll fits over the next one,
which in turn fits over the next one,
which in turn fits over the next one,
which in turn... oh, never mind... you get the picture.

Time Travel?

Stone Paved Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Charleston is a city where streets, alleyways and sidewalks
 are paved with stone. Step carefully... walking them feels like
 a trip to a distant era.

A Cut Above

Chandelier, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE
  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A finely cut and brightly hued Swarovski chandelier
 captivates the eye at Abu Dhabi's Grand Mosque.

Cemetery Geometry

Cemetery Ironwork, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Spheres, circles and spirals which adorn a cemetery fence
 provide a distinctive subject on a moody, misty morning.

Quiet Time

Evening on Church Street, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Warm lights are aglow on a still evening in the Historic District.

Fountain Joy

Benches near the Pineapple Fountain, Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Taking a seat near the sound of plashing water
 can be a calming, meditative experience.

Summer Scene

Balcony, North of Broad, Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Scroll work added to the brackets of a balcony
 lend a charming touch to this vignette,
which is framed by crepe myrtles in full summer bloom.

Cable-Stayed

Cables and Tower, Ravenel Bridge, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



It has been proven over time that these cables
 are quite supportive of the Ravenel Bridge.
Lucky for us.

A Door with a Long Story

Ancient Wooden Door, Orvieto, Italy  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



There is something about old doors that intrigues me.
I think of them as portals for generations of people
 who have passed through, as places where their histories
 have intersected. Imagine the intertwining stories of the lives
 that have entered and exited here through the ages...
this door has touched them all.