San Vitale Sunday

Ceiling, Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy  © Doug Hickok


Dating from the year 548, this early Christian church is one of 8 buildings in Ravenna that are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Although begun under the rule of the Ostrogoths, it was completed during the reign of the Byzantines, and is one of the few churches to survive undamaged from the period of Emperor Justinian I.

I was traveling with the choir of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist (Charleston) when we stopped in San Vitale to admire the beauty of the church. Shortly after, the choir director assembled the singers for an impromptu piece (Morten Lauridsen's O Magnum Mysterium) at the alter. I'll never forget that moment, because I've never heard such magnificent music! The combination of the talented singers and the acoustics of the church made the voices sound etherial. For a moment I thought I was in heaven.

This image of the interior shows the ornate dome from below. The light being quite low, and not having a tripod, I set my camera in the middle of the floor with a wide angle lens pointing upward, and made a long exposure of about 30 seconds. The photograph was made on slide film which rendered the mostly ambient incandescent lighting a glowing warm color.

Useful Phrases for the Day

Two Busts in Two Windows, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

Two heads are better than one.
(Nevertheless, she's still always right.)

Walking Man Sign, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok

Yo! Surf's up!
(But first I need a doughnut!)

Curbside Sign, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

"Here you must not!"
 (Scoop your poop!)

Geometry Lesson

Shapes, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok


A study of shapes on aqua.

The Blue Hour

Shrimp Boats at Dawn, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok 
(Canon 5D Mark II camera, 24-105mm f4 lens, at 32mm, 3.2 sec, f8, ISO 100, tripod)


Dawn or dusk. The blue hour of twilight is my favorite time of day to photograph. Whether you're shooting film or digital, the cool tones of the light spectrum are easily recorded. This image shows a pair of shrimp boats at dawn reflected in a tidal creek near Folly Beach.


I'm often fascinated by the psychology of color and its emotional impact on the mind.  Blue is traditionally a color of calm and tranquility, but can also be a color of sadness.  Like so much in our world, color is subjective. Its emotional impact is relative to the surroundings.




Quick take: If you're interested in really retro photography, National Geographic has a cool feature article about Abelardo Morell's camera obscura photographs.
Maybe you can try this at home. Enjoy!

A Mountain Stream in Late Spring

Mountain Stream, Tanawha Trail, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina  © Doug Hickok


To dip your toes in the refreshing waters of a mountain stream
 is to experience a touch of heaven.

"Deos fortioribus adesse."

Roman Forum, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok


"The gods are on the side of the stronger," said Publius Cornelius Tacitus (AD 56-117), a senator of Rome and historian of the Roman Empire. This statement was true of the mighty empire, from the 8th century BC to the year AD 476, when one of the world's greatest civilizations rose, thrived, and declined in a span of about 1000 years. At the height of its power, the dominion of Rome spread 2.5 million miles across the Mediterranean region, and into northern Europe and Asia.


Pictured above, the Roman Forum was the heart of the empire and the oldest part of the city of Rome. This photograph of its ruins illustrates both a visual and historical depth, showing more than a millennium of years in one view.

The ruins from front to back are, the Arch of Septimius Severus (AD 203), the Column of Phocas (far right, AD 608), the Via Sacra (cobblestone path near steps, circa 5th century BC), the Basilica of Julia (steps, BC 54), the Temple of Castor and Pollux (3 columns, BC 484), and in the distance the ruins of the Palatine Hill (BC 510 - AD 576).



Quick take: You can buy the newest Hasselblad 200 MP camera for only $45,000! Act now while supplies last.

Misty Monday - To Shoot

Docked Boats, Northeast Harbor, Maine  © Doug Hickok


The question Hamlet asked was, "To be or not to be."
The question a writer asks is, "to write or not to write."
The question a painter asks is, "to paint or not to paint."
And, the question a photographer asks is, "to shoot or not to shoot."
Sometimes a subject is just too photogenic to pass-up and screams for attention. Such was the case for this naturally beautiful setting on the quiet misty waters of
Northeast Harbor, Maine.

I HAD to shoot!

Mixed Bag

Yardarms, Tall Ship, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


Sailors tying up sails on the yardarm of a tall ship.

Deck of Tall Ship, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


Ropes on the deck of a Coast Guard tall ship docked in Charleston.

Red Barn, Rural Ohio  © Doug Hickok


An image from my days of roaming around the countryside in Ohio.
(shot on Kodachrome 64 slide film, 1986)

Reflections of Shrimp Boats, Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok


Homage to Jackson Pollack.

Faded Mural, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok


Answer to the mystery movie star on the mural (from Tuesday's post) -
Ingrid Bergman... painted on the side of the restaurant, Planet Follywood.

Birthday of a Photographer

A young Doug getting his legs in shape for those low POV shots.

I know Doug promised you a "mixed bag day with several promised images" but in honor of Doug's birthday, I, Becky, have made an executive decision to postpone the mixed bag for one day.  I hope you enjoy these images... even though they were not taken by a "real" photographer.

Reflection of a photographer.

Whatever it takes to get the shot.

See, those squats paid off!

Shadow of a photographer... or 2.

Capturing Krakow.

To shoot or not to shoot... that is the question.


Happy Birthday Doug ! ! !

Four Palms Friday

Four Palmetto Trees, Charleston Harbor, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok


This is a view through four Palmetto palms toward Charleston Harbor on a hazy summer morning. I liked the palm trunks in shadow when I first arrived on the scene. I next used a 300 mm telephoto lens to compress space, giving the image a more graphic appearance. The photo was made on Velvia RVP color slide film a few years ago, back in my pre-digital days. You can see a little grain from the 100 ASA film speed, quite different from the smooth look of the 100 ISO digital speed. Also, I thought I would continue the blue/green color theme from yesterday's post. Hope I didn't make you doze off with all the technical talk.

Tomorrow will be a mixed bag day, with several promised images included.
Hope you have a great weekend.


Quick take: May I leave you with an absolute ooh aah image to start your weekend? 
How about this stunner from Frans Lanting!

A Diamond in the Rough

Blue Restaurant Door, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok


"In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject" 
Henri Cartier-Bressen

Folly Beach, a 30 minute drive from downtown Charleston (just 5 minutes as the Laughing Gull flies), is a great place to find color, color with character that is. This image shows a detail of a rough-looking door. It is the entrance to a popular restaurant in the island town. The weathered door is a gem in the making, having been chiseled over time into a precious specimen with dazzling blue and green hues. Add a bit of red and you have a little treasure.


And now, if you will please excuse me, I must clean my house.


Quick take: Here is a link to an extraordinary video called "The Decisive Moment", narrated by Henri Cartier-Bresson. In it the master photographer displays and discusses a selection of his most famous images. Priceless.

No Laughing Matter

Laughing Gull, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok


There is not a dull gull on Folly Beach these days. Laughing gulls in particular are riotously noisy and seemingly ubiquitous. They frequent the pier, the beach, the parking lots, the areas behind restaurants, and of course, the skies. They are especially eager for handouts, as this handsome bird was. Although I had nothing to give, I tried making-up for my lack of charity by encouraging the gull to laugh at some of my jokes. I tried knock-knock jokes, rim shot one-liners, puns, and even tried my best blue-footed boobie imitation. Not surprisingly, all my attempts at jokes fell flat. The only response I got from the gull was a quiet, curious look, as if to say, "This guy is a looney bird".

Faded Glory

Faded Mural, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok


On the side of a restaurant on Folly Beach is a fading mural of famous Hollywood stars from yesteryear. This image is a detail of its weathered wood surface showing the collar and shoulders of one of these famous stars. Who could this be? This weekend I'll reveal the whole picture of this person in case your curiosity has been piqued.

Castle Hill Secret Garden

Castle Hill, Budapest, Hungary  © Doug Hickok


When walking around Castle Hill of Budapest one morning, I was initially attracted to this scene by the warm yellow color of the old stone walls. But then I became intrigued with the open door, which allowed a glimpse through the dark corridor into a courtyard garden. It reminded me of Charleston and secret gardens hidden behind the facades of historic houses. And that made me think, you never know what's behind outward appearances.


Quick take: Here's a link to a short article about shooting street photography with a rangefinder camera. The article opens up an interesting commentary/discussion on the pros and cons of film vs digital photography.

Saint Philip's Sunday a la Pirates

Saint Philip's Church, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


Saint Philip's Church steeple rises above the streets of the French Quarter in this starry night image from Charleston. The red lantern is part of the Pirate House, which dates from 1740, and is said to have lodged the visiting sea rover Blackbeard when it was an inn and gaming establishment (we had tourists even back then). A tunnel led from the Battery to the Pirate House and was used by buccaneers entering the city, apparently to keep a low profile. Pirates were not a welcome sight in those days, except in places they spent their hard fought booty.

Speaking of pirates, Captain Jack Sparrow makes his appearance in theaters this weekend in another entertaining installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. We are big fans of Johnny Depp and look forward to any fun new films of his.

( f5.6, 13 secs, ISO 400, tripod)

Lantern Shadow

Ironwork Scrolls and Lantern Shadow, South Carolina Society Hall,
Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


Late afternoon sunlight casts the shadow of an ornate lantern onto a white stucco wall. Shown in the foreground are the ironwork scrolls of the lantern stand. The setting here is the South Carolina Society Hall (1804) which is a popular venue for weddings, cotillion, and other events. I'm sure over the years many debutantes have had their pictures taken next to this fancy lantern.


Quick take: In the course of all your thoughts and ruminations, have you ever wondered what a camera lens cut in half looks like?

Sam is More Than Abell

View of Cannon Beach from Ecola State Park, Oregon  © Doug Hickok

Ever since I was a kid, I have loved paging through National Geographic magazines. I was captivated by the pictures and maps of far away places that I found fascinating, places I wanted to learn about and visit one day. I was completely moved by the premise behind their motto, "Inspiring people to care about the planet." But it wasn't until I became interested in photography in my early 20's that I gained a true appreciation for just how amazing the photographers behind the photographs were. They worked unceasingly to find the most revealing vantage point, the most beautiful light, the most dramatic mood, the most telling human gesture or expression, or the most exciting wildlife behavior. They often worked in the most challenging and dangerous environments. Approaching their photography in a journalistic though artful manner, the emphasis was always on getting the image right in-camera. Over time I came to admire the work of many of these photographers.

So my pick for today's Favorite Photographer Friday is Sam Abell, one of many great NGS photographers whom I find inspiring. Quite unlike Ernst Haas and Pete Turner (previous FPF photographers), Sam Abell's color images are often quiet, understated, and sometimes almost monochromatic. His book The Photographic Life offers fascinating insight into what it was like to be a NGS photographer and even illustrates the processes he used to create some of his most iconic photographs. If you ever see his book in a library or used book store, scoop it up. You'll be fascinated. You can see some of his images here, and his website here.

Have a great weekend!

Throwback Thursday - Homage to Rothko

Weathered Window, Old House, near Chillicothe, Ohio  © Doug Hickok

I made this image on Kodachrome 64 slide film in 1986. Back then, I roamed the Ohio countryside in search of interesting subjects, and often discovered them in abandoned houses or barns. I recently found this transparency, 

in a sleeve of old Kodachromes, 

of a rustic window with squares of pealing yellow paint. It reminds me of a painting in the mode of Mark Rothko. He was a Russian-born American painter known for his colorful abstracts, influenced by among others, the Cubists and their simple geometric designs. He was at the peak of his career in the 1930's through the 1950's, as was this old house, it seems.

The Many Faces of Europa

The Tall Ship Europa, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


Every few years, several tall ships from around the world sail into Charleston Harbor for the Maritime Festival. This beauty is the barque Europa, which hails from the Netherlands, and will be 100 years old this summer.

Europa is also the woman in Greek mythology after whom Europe was named.

Europa is the name of a princess from Tyre, who later became a girlfriend of Zeus.

Europa is one of the moons of Jupiter (aka Zeus).

Europa is a large asteroid in the asteroid belt.

Europa is the web portal for the EU.

And perhaps most importantly, Europa is a classic rock song by Santana, and one of the sweetest instrumentals ever!

The Hidden Gem of Acadia

Thuya Garden, Northeast Harbor, Mount Desert Island, Maine  © Doug Hickok


Amid the dramatic coastal and mountain scenery of Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island is the small, off-the-beaten-path gem called Thuya Garden. In the early morning, when golden sunlight begins to peak through the trees, and there is no sound but the soft calling of birds, this secluded garden is transformed into a magical haven from the notorious summer crowds of the island.
Like an enchanted scene from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, this garden experience is one not to be forgotten. Look there! You can see Peaseblossom, Cobweb, Moth and Mustardseed. And look there, it's Robin Goodfellow! Ah, and there's that donkey-headed Bottom. He's such a silly fellow.
 "You there, Bottom, remove thyself, you're ruining the view!!!"



Quick take: Though I'm actually a quiet, low key person, some people think I'm a little quirky. Some have even called me eccentric. But apparently there are reasons for the things we do. Here is a short article on why creative people tend to be eccentric.