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!

South of Broad

Gate and Door, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A beautiful decorative gate contrasts with a rustic brick wall that hosts soft mosses and ferns. Beyond the gate is a Georgian style house that dates from the 18th century. It exemplifies an old city charm often found in the area called South of Broad, where some of Charleston's earliest neighborhoods remain. 

Revisiting

Crabtree Falls, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina  
© Doug Hickok. All Rights Reserved
 (Click on image for larger view)




Occasionally I like to revisit "old friends", such as Crabtree Falls, 
high in the lush folds of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 
This old friend is a cool, refreshing spot away from the madding crowd, 
in a thickly wooded ravine where tranquil water blows cool moist breezes. 
In essence, it is a natural air conditioner, perfect for hot summer relief.

Beached

Old Tree Trunk, Botany Bay Plantation, Edisto Island SC 
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Unlike the long smooth beaches of South Carolina's resorts, the 
sea island beach at Botany Bay is wild and chaotic. It is strewn with the remains of an old maritime forest. The relentless forces of the sea whittle away at the forest's edge. Trees topple onto the sand where they lie beached and bleached by sun and salt.

Broad Street Blues

Broad Street at Sunrise, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok. All Rights Reserved 
(Click on image for larger view)



A look down Broad Street shows a variety of architectural styles indicative of Charleston's long history, from the colonial era to the 19th century. The blues in the shadows reflect the sky's color temperature on a cloudless morning... 
infused with the sway of Miles Davis notes running through my head.

Anthropomorphism?

Electrical Box, Maritime Center, Charleston, SC  © Doug  Hickok. All Rights Reserved 
(Click on image for larger view)




People have excelled over the millennia at projecting human characteristics on to non-human objects. Very often the comparisons require genuine suspension of disbelief or at least a stretch of the imagination. A case in point is this electrical box at a Charleston marina which has anthropomorphic qualities, 
looking a bit like a fantastical face... or not.

The Colors of Folly

Palmetto Tree and Mural, Folly Beach, SC  Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The town of Folly Beach is one of my favorite places to photograph color. 
At the beach, sunrise or sunset offers beautiful warm colors. 
But in town, it is possible to find a kaleidoscope of colors. 
I try to frame my images tightly in the camera and explore combinations of hues, both natural and man made.

Indirectly Speaking

Sunrise on Charleston Harbor, Charleston, SC  Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view)




When telling a story, whether its fiction writing or photography, 
it may be effective to show a subject indirectly, 
letting the viewer's imagination complete the picture.

Fallen Timber

Fallen Timber, Little Hunter's Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved 
(Click on image for larger view)



Fallen timber stretches across a jumble of rock along the coast of Maine. 
The beach here is quintessential Maine, wild and rugged.

Core of the French Quarter

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



In the center of Charleston's Historic District stands a tandem of churches
that form the core of the French Quarter. Seen here, from left to right,
are the Tuscan style Saint Philip's Anglican Church, its parish house,
and the Gothic style French Huguenot Church. The early settlement
of Charleston was open to an array of faiths, making it unique among
the original colonies for its religious tolerance.

Balance

Sunrise, Atlantic Ocean, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for large view. Velvia slide film.)



Morning on Folly Beach finds the sun
balanced upon the sea.

Flowers Runneth Over

Flower Boxes, Meeting Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Every year this house on Meeting Street displays lush,
overflowing, flower boxes. Combined with the ornate ironwork,
the large shuttered windows and the warm colors,
it exemplifies the beauty and charm regularly seen along
Charleston streets.

Past Glory

Red Mountain, near Ouray, Colorado  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Red Mountain is named for the color of the iron ore exposed on its slopes.
It's peak is framed by the remains of a mining operation which dates from the
late 1800's, when this part of Colorado was one of the richest sources of
precious minerals in the world.

Up Into the Light

Steps, Fort Moultre, Sullivan's Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



Beneath the 19th century defenses of Fort Moultrie
is a network of dimly lit tunnels. When following the maze
of twists and turns you wonder how long it will be until you
step out of the darkness and up into the light.

Rainbow at Dawn

Lantern, Rainbow Row, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



Dawn light brings out the lovely color scheme of Charleston's Rainbow Row.

Misty Monday - Two Trees

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



Two conifers stand in contrast to the misty ridges
of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Night Stroll

Saint Michael's Church at Night, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Framed by a pair of gas lanterns, the steeple of Saint Michael's Church glows like a candle on a peaceful summer evening. Whether ambling through the historic district after dinner at one of Charleston's fabulous restaurants, or just out for a romantic night stroll, this is just one of the charming scenes you are sure to see.