Feeder Art

Bird Feeder, Asheville, North Carolina   © Doug Hickok



An ordinary bird feeder is transformed into a surrealistic
 work of art at the Botanical Gardens at Asheville
in North Carolina.

Battery Sunrise

Sunrise, High Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A new day begins on the promenade
 along Charleston's East Battery, a favorite spot for visitors
 and locals alike to watch a sunrise.

Partial Eclipse

Partial Solar Eclipse, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



A crescent sun peeks through a patch of blue,
 to the delight of all who observed with patience.

Day to Night

Horse Fountain, Belmond Charleston Place, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok



We witnessed a rare event in Charleston yesterday,
 a total solar eclipse. I did a photo shoot for Belmond
 with the purpose of photographing their iconic fountain and the total eclipse. Unfortunately, we had cloud cover all day,
which was heavy at times. But the sun was bright enough
 to shine through the veil of clouds as day turned into night.
It was amazing to experience!

Ornate Door

Wooden Door, Charleston, SC   © Doug Hickok



A fleur-de-lis adorns a wooden door in Charleston's
 historic district, one of many small attractions
 visitors can see while taking the time to stroll around town.

Shrines of Rome

Mary Shrines, Rome, Italy   © Doug Hickok



When walking around Rome's historic center
the stylistic variety of its many Mary Shrines
can be seen on many corners.

Battery Mirror

Reflection in a Rain Puddle, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



One of Charleston's East Battery mansions is mirrored
 in a rain puddle on a bright sunny Lowcountry morning.

Summer Hues

Red Hibiscus, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Tropical blooms accentuate the colors
 near Charleston's Rainbow Row.

Cloudland

West Ashely Park, Charleston, SC   © Doug Hickok



Coastal clouds over the Lowcountry are typical
 during our humid summer months.
But the last few weeks have been unusually wet and rainy.

Impressionistic Sunrise

Charleston Harbor, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Warm light shimmers on the surface of Charleston Harbor
 in this impressionistic rendering of a Lowcountry sunrise.

Park Bench

Shem Creek Park, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok



Benches along the boardwalk at Shem Creek
 are perfectly placed to watch a sunset
 over our Lowcountry tidelands.

A Fine Twine

Blue Plumbago, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



This blue flowering vine twines and arches over
 the ornate ironwork at one of Charleston's famous historic inns,
 the John Rutledge House bed and breakfast.

Tree Cemetery

Boneyard, Folly Beach, SC   © Doug Hickok

Bleached by the rigors of time and the elements,

 this old boneyard beach can be found at the

 Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve on Folly Beach.

Narrow Road in the Smokies

Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok



A narrow country road stretches across a pastoral
 mountain cove in the Southern Appalachians of East Tennessee.

Courtyard Shadows

Entry Courtyard, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Morning light casts shadows of an entry gate
into a courtyard along East Bay Street.

Old Man's Beard

Rural Road, near Savannah, Georgia  © Doug Hickok



A curve in the road takes travelers past oak trees
 covered in Spanish moss, which grows thickly
 in this part of the Old South.

Pyramids of the Prairie

Monument Rocks, Western Kansas   © Doug Hickok



Most people think of Kansas as flat farmland or prairieland.
But jutting out of the soil is the protected area
 called Monument Rocks, or Chalk Pyramids.
These ancient formations were once part
of a vast shallow sea that spaned across the continent.

Odd Bird

Sunset, near Harrison, Ohio   © Doug Hickok



After an evening rain storm passed,
the sun set the sky ablaze with color.
This oddly shaped cloud "flew" above the tree line
like a strange meterological bird.

French Quarter Delight

Window Box, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



This lush window box in Charleston's French Quarter
 is delightful to see, year after year.

Mirror, Mirror

Marshland, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok



Calm wetland waters reflect oak trees
 at the edge of a marsh like a polished mirror.