Icy Waters

A Cascade near Mount Hood, Oregon
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Glacial runoff from the sides of Mount Hood
 creates a cascade of icy cold water in the White River valley.

Magic Show

Gate near the Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



This garden gate near the Battery stands next to a sidewalk
 used by many walkers and runners.
At sunset warm light transforms the ironwork
 into something magical for them to enjoy.



 

A Winter Refuge

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



Courtyard gardens in Charleston are often protected
 from winter chills by the tall houses
 and brick walls that enclose them.

Moors in the South

Arcade, Fox Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Moorish influence is echoed in the architectural style
 of Atlanta's Fabulous Fox Theatre.

Southern Home and Garden Show

Lantern with Row Houses, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Row houses along East Bay Street display
 a variety of horticultural delights for the springtime.

Dawn at the Battery

Promenade, East Battery, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A new day silhouettes the railing at the Battery promenade.

Curlicue

Avenue of Oaks, near Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A curlicue in the branch of this live oak
 gives the illusion of a loop in the tree.

Curls and Curves

Scroll on Hand Railing, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A curling banister and curving steps welcome visitors
 to a house in the Historic District.

Time For Reflection

Sunset, Shem Creek Park, Mt. Pleasant, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A boardwalk over the tidal marsh at Shem Creek
 reflects the last light of a sinking sun.

King Midas Was Here

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



I wouldn't say that Charleston is paved with gold,
 but the warm light some mornings
 pointed at just the right angle
 sure makes it seem that way.



 

Deep South

Sea Island Road, Edisto Island, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Arching limbs of live oaks
 festooned with Spanish moss
 are the ingredients of a
 quintessential Deep South photo.

Rocky Obstacles

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



A boulder-strewn stream bank offers rushing water
 an obstacle course of stone to work around.

Daybreak

Sunrise near Rainbow Row, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Rosy hues tint a house near Rainbow Row at first light of day.

Show Time

Shutter Clasp, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Colors and shapes collaborate
 for a visual show near Cabbage Row,
the setting for Catfish Row in
Gershwin's Porgy and Bess opera.

(This image makes an appearance in the
Spoleto USA ticket brochure which premiered this week.)

White Rainbow

Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)



While visiting the Folly Pier recently,
 a layer of sea fog hugged the coastline.
When the sun finally shone,
 a rare weather phenomenon occurred...
a fog bow appeared and stretched across the beach.

Unity

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



The hues of this brick path harmonize with the leaves
 of the crepe myrtles. In turn the green grasses complement
 the hues of the leaves and brick. Everything is
 getting along today.

Mysterious Mood

Fenwick Hall, Johns Island, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A misty morning adds a mysterious air
 to the avenue of oaks at Fenwick Hall.

Shady Spot

Large Oak, Hampton Park, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A large oak spreads its limbs wide to provide
shade for those sunny Lowcountry days.

Fresh Perspective

Wave Pattern, Charleston Harbor, Mt. Pleasant, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A walk on the Ravenel Bridge gave me a new perspective
 on Charleston Harbor, inspiring me to photograph
 this mesmerizing wave pattern from high above.

Here's to hoping the New Year
gives us all a fresh take on life.

Essential Ingredients

Hampton Park, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



All that is needed is light and water,
 and you have life's essentials.

A Charleston Sunrise

Sunrise, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Morning greets the balconies
 and lanterns along Tradd Street.

Evening Blush

Garden Statue near the Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Evening light paints a blush on a statue
 tucked in the cool shade of a Battery garden.

Stone Light

Stone Alleyway, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Sunlight traverses a narrow alleyway
 at the perfect angle to highlight its stoney path.

Merry Christmas from South Carolina

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



We are having spring-like weather here in Charleston.
The air conditioning is running and our forsythia bush
 has tiny blooms peeking out... a few months too early.
In any case, I hope you are having a wonderful holiday.

Sightseeing

Antique Car, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Coming across a classic car in the historic district
 seems an appropriate sight to see in old Charleston.

December Hues

Crepe Myrtle, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Add a splash of vibrance to a neutral background,
 and voila... a photographic canvas
 of Charleston in December.

Aerial Perspective

Wave Patterns, Cannon Beach, Oregon
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



From warm foreground to cool background,
a two dimensional image becomes 3-D.

A Cheery Time of Year

Lantern and Bow, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A bit of holiday cheer is wrapped around
 a lantern near the Battery.

Oak by the Ashley

Oak Tree by the Ashley River, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



For an instant, sunlight twinkles
 through the crux of a live oak at Brittlebank Park.

Angular Reflections

Marsh Grass Along the Ashley River, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Marsh reflections create angles that compliment
 the lines of a boat anchored in the Ashley River.

Burning Leaves

Battery Fence at Sunset, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Leaves catch fire as evening sun
 sets this fence ablaze with warm light.

Color Celebration

Highway Sign, Ravenel Bridge, Mt. Pleasant, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




Snappy hues greet your eye today.
Things are looking up, hurray!

Flow of Lines

Curvy Path, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A brick-lined path flows through a garden
 like water in a meandering stream.

Remember the Summer?

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



It seems so long ago when
 the world was lush and sunny and inviting.

Light at the Inn

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



As twilight falls, lights come on to lead the way
 into an inn on the Battery.

The Joy of Shallow Focus

Boat Landing, Ashley River, North Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The concrete surface of a boat landing on the edge
 of the Ashley River makes a surreal subject at sundown.

Skeletons in the Mist

Spruce/Fir Forest near Clingman's Dome,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The remains of old fir trees stand like silent sentinels
 in the clouds near the Smoky's highest peak.

Bird Alert

Great Egret, Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A great egret is alert for signs of a potential meal
 in the pluff mud at Shem Creek.

Goblets of Light

Three Goblets, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Wine goblets fill with natural light from a garden window.

Zen Moment

Live Oak, Meditation Garden, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Captured in this photo,
sun rays light the trunk of a live oak at the end of the day,
 transforming a peaceful moment in the Meditation Garden
 into a lasting image.

Lead the Eye

Monument Rocks, Kansas
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A visual line of foreground shapes leads the eye to a gap
 in a chalk butte at Monument Rocks.

The Between Spaces

Theater Facade, North Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Neon tubing adds interesting detail in the spaces between
 colorful lines and shapes on a local movie theater.

Lovely Evening

Park Bench by the Marina, North Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Sunset colors reflect off water near a marina
 on the Ashley River. It's a lovely way to end the day.

Let the Light In

Wooden Door, Al Ain, UAE  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A wooden door inside a desert fortress
 opens to the light from a bright Arabian sky.

Inner Glow

Hampton Park, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A tree in Hampton Park catches sunlight
 in a way that suggests a heart of radiant warmth.

A Wealth of Detail

Step Railing, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Shooting through a wrought iron fence,
I focused on the details of a stair rail
which leads up to the front door.

Palmetto

Palmetto Tree, North Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A palmetto tree as a natural design subject
features spokes radiating from the trunk.

Fall Light

Live Oaks and Spanish Moss, North Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




Live oaks catch and hold the warm glow of light
 from a November setting sun.

A Day to Be Thankful

Old Gate, Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Hope your day of Thanksgiving
is filled with warmth!

Sea Full of Light

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



Light rays filter through an atmosphere thick with moisture,
 illuminating darkened ridges of the Great Smoky Mountains.