Boardwalk Sunset

Boardwalk, Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Right Reserved



A splendid way to end the day is a stroll
 along the boardwalk at Shem Creek.

Afternoon Etching

Gate Shadow, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(iPad photography)



Afternoon sunlight "etches" an ornate pattern on the pavement,
 thanks to a nearby courtyard gate.




 

Vast

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



A lone surfer seems humbled by the vastness of the sea
on a cloudy morning at Folly Beach.

Way of the Crane

Crane Statue and Pond, Middleton Place, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A garden sculpture cranes its neck as if to meet the morning light...
or perhaps nab an airborne insect.
In either case, it alit amid a peaceful setting
 to strike its pose.

A Tangled Frame

Boneyard Beach, Botany Bay Plantation, Edisto Island, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A tangle of old trees frames the boneyard beach
 on Pockoy Island at Botany Bay Plantation.

Summer Rainbow

Near Rainbow Row, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(iPad photography)



These colorful houses near Rainbow Row are a
 cool sight, even in the heat of summer time.

Tradd Street

Row of Homes, Tradd Street, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Soft morning light greets a row of homes along Tradd Street,
one of the oldest streets in Charleston.
Tradd Street dates back to the late 17th century,
and some of the present day houses were built in the Colonial era.

They Gave Me Vinegar to Drink

Angel Sculpture, Ponte Sant'Angelo, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Film photography)


This sponge wielding angel was designed by Italian sculptor Antonio Giorgetti, and is one of ten marble angels on the Ponte Sant'Angelo in Rome.
Each holds an instrument used during the Passion, and is inscribed with
Latin phrases referencing the events leading up to Christ's crucifixion. 

Night Path

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



For those who are in the mood to stroll, Charleston's Gateway Walk 
offers an off-the-beaten-path adventure. Along the way you will encounter 
intimate charms that make this city unique.

Twinkle

Garden Door and Twinkle Lights, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A garden door can't hide the beauty of
a flourishing cherry tree strung with twinkle lights.

Misty Monday - Painterly

West Quoddy Head Light, Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A lighthouse stands vigil at the edge of a misty sea, 
a subject that is perhaps worthy of an Edward Hopper painting.

Rhythm of the Pier

Fishing Pier at Dusk, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A pattern of pilings at dusk makes a fascinating graphic 
enhanced by the glassy sheen of the beach.

Morning Garden

Garden Gate, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



Morning light graces a garden 
tucked away behind scrolling ironwork.

Tidelands at Dusk

Palmettos and Tidal Marsh, Daniel Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Palmetto fronds are silhouetted at dusk 
beside a tranquil tidal marsh on Daniel Island.

Sun Watching

Pelican at Sunrise, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A brown pelican has the perfect perch for watching the sun 
peek over a boardwalk on Charleston Harbor.

Lighting the Night

Lantern at Dusk, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film)



A glowing lantern offers warm light as twilight fades to night.

Streets of Gold

Cobblestone Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



A cobblestone street looks as though 
it was touched by the hand of Midas.

Number One, Still

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



Charleston was recently named the top city in North America as a travel destination by Travel and Leisure magazine... and number two world wide. 
The city continues its run as one of the best travel experiences anywhere.
And it's a fun place to photograph!

Autumn in the Cove

Barn in the Autumn, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



Autumn in Cades Cove accentuates 
the rustic and idyllic nature 
of this Appalachian scene.

Elongated

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



Sunset transforms a street lamp into an elongated shadow 
down the narrow alleyway of Elliott Street.

Garden

Garden Gate with Flowering Vines, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Stepping through this garden gate
 envelopes you with the fragrance of flowering vines.

Adam, may your birthday be a sunlit garden
full of peace and joy... and an awesome futbol pitch.




 

Waiting for the Rush

Tables, Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



Before the midday rush, empty tables quietly await the arrival 
of customers at a restaurant in Saint Mark's Square.

Fenced In

Sand Fence, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




Fences placed strategically along the beach
 keep unruly sand from roving around too much.

Snow Mountain

Mt. Snefells Wilderness, San Juan Mountains, Colorado
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Freshness fills this Colorado scene both in verdant flora and invigorating mountain air. Mt. Snefells derives its name from the Nordic word snaefell,
which means "snow mountain".... clearly an appropriate appellation
for even in summer the high peak holds ribbons of snow.

Battery Balconies

Balconies on the East Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Sunrise suffuses the balconies of a Greek Revival mansion on 
Charleston's East Battery. In 1865, evacuating Confederate 
troops demolished their cannons along the Battery by blowing 
them up. A 500 pound piece of cannon landed atop this house 
and is still lodged in the attic. 

Paradise Found

Pond, Japanese Garden, Portland, Oregon  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



If you're looking for paradise this summer,
you'll find it at the Japanese Garden in Portland, Oregon.

High Above

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



I like heights. Whether it's being up in the Burj Khalifa overlooking Dubai and
the Arabian Desert, being on a mountain top in Yosemite overlooking
the Sierra Nevada ranges, or flying at 30,000 feet above Earth and
seeing its amazing topography. So, it was exciting to visit Colorado National Monument, where Rim Rock Drive offered dramatic views of canyons and
the Colorado River valley in the distance.

Independence

Single House Entry on a Cobblestone Street, Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Happy 4th of July from Charleston,
where Edward Rutledge and Arthur Middleton,
two signers of the Declaration of Independence,
were born and raised.

Throwbaack Thursday - Not a Photo App

Sand Dune Fence, Folly Beach, SC. © Doug Hickok, All Rights Reserved. 
(Click on image for larger view. Kodachrome Film)




Before the invention of photo apps that were made to look like film photography, there was film photography. This image of a sand dune fence at Folly Beach was made on 35mm Kodachrome back in the 1980's. I pulled the slide from my files recently and scanned it. It shows a bit of aging, yet is mostly in good condition. 
If I had my choice of photo apps, I'd go for the old Kodachrome look. 
But there's nothing like the original.

Finding an Angle

Fishing Pier, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




The long fishing pier at Folly Beach is a frequently photographed subject along the South Carolina coast. I like photographing it too. It has a certain rustic architectural handsomeness. On this occasion, I sought to portray it with evening light and color. But I wanted a different perspective than the usual. Eventually I found an angle that emphasizes the pier's height... a sensation further enhanced by its reflection mirrored in wet sand.

Dawn Chorus

Oak Tree at Dawn, Bear Island Wildlife Management Area, ACE Basin, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



The dawn chorus refers to the stirring of bird life at twilight,
when their songs and calls come together as one,
and take to the cool morning air.
Add to this arrangement vociferous crickets and frogs
and you have quite an ensemble!