Colonial Town

Early Morning on Tradd Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Sunrise illuminates a house in a section of the historic district
 that dates from the 1700's when Charleston thrived as a colonial port city.

Subtlety

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



Once you focus on these fence posts mirrored in a rain puddle, you might then notice the more subtle detail of a mountain ridge reflected in the pool as well.
Its soft rounded contour worn down over millions of years is typical of
the ancient mountains that are the Smokies.

An Inclination to List

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



Some of Charleston's older structures tend to...
1. have a bit of a lean to them.
2. be far from plumb.
3. appear distorted like a fun house mirror.
4. defy gravity.

Boo

Saint Philip's Church, French Quarter, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Ghost tours of Charleston often start near the churchyards
 of the French Quarter, where spirits hide
 beneath the shroud of misty shadows.

Gateway Design

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



Twin gates frame the doorway
 of a mansion near Charleston's High Battery.

Johnson's Row

Johnson's Row on Queen Street, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Morning sun warms early 19th century tenements
 in Charleston's French Quarter.

Blue Mood

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



Afternoon showers darken the day
 along a rural lane in the Smokies.

Fall for the Carolinas

Walker, Ravenel Bridge, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Crisp clear autumn days in the Lowcountry are perfect
 for invigorating the spirit with fresh air and sunshine.

Wireless

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



The old ways are not forgotten in the Smokies.
Pioneer life is on display for visitors to imagine
 the austerities of mountain life in the 19th century.

Treescape in the Park

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



Palmetto trees abound in Charleston's Waterfront Park.
They are ideal for framing this symbol of the city's hospitality,
 the Pineapple Fountain.

Old Guard

Live Oak, Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



An ancient live oak stands sentinel over a burial plot
 at Charleston's historic Magnolia Cemetery.

Smoothing Out the Wrinkles

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



A long camera exposure transforms the turmoil
 of a rushing mountain stream into a silky smoothness.

High Art

Mary Shrine on a Corner Facade, Rome, Italy
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Elaborate styling on this baroque shrine placed above the street
 exemplifies Italian architectural art.

No Hay Required

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



In the modern era of Charleston
 bicycles are hitched to posts instead of horses.

Illusion

Side Door of a Rustic Cabin,
Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A tight composition of this rustic cabin in Cades Cove
 gives the optical illusion of a split image. Visual depth is created
 with a view through an open door into the woods beyond.

Crescents

Gas Lantern, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A gas lantern sits atop a gate adorned with crescent moons,
a key symbol on the South Carolina state flag.
 The symbol comes from little crescents worn on the caps
 of the Revolutionary soldiers who defended Charleston in 1776.

Grassy Gap

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



Thick grass fills a gap in the mountains
 at an overlook along the scenic
 Foothills Parkway in the Smokies.

Local Haunt

Philadelphia Alley, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



By day this hidden 19th century alleyway
 offers a secluded stroll through Charleston's French Quarter.
But by nightfall it is known to be haunted by the whistling ghost,
so beware of strange sounds arising from the shadows.

To the Rescue

Heart Door with Fire Hydrant, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



An occurrence of the red-hot heart
may need relief close at hand.

Life Cairns

Stone Cairn Along a Coastal Trail, Acadia National Park, Maine
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



If only life's path could be as easy to know
 as following the markers placed along the trail.