From the Archives - When Really in Rome...

Piazza del Popolo, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok

Borga District, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok

Ponte District, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok

Borga District, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok

Ripa District, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok

Near The Vatican, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok

Borga District, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok

Esquilino, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok

Colosseum, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok

Near Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok

Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok


... do as the Romans really do, drive really neat, really really colorful, really really really small cars. And park next to really really really really cool places. And drink espresso. Really.

The Eyes Have It

Tall Ship's Sail, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

While strolling along the wharf where the tall ships dock, something suddenly caught my eye. I looked up and set eyes upon the eye-catching eye of a one-eyed sail. In my mind's eye, I thought to myself, in the twinkling of an eye, "Oh, My eye! Are you making an eye at me?" While staring eye to eye with the all seeing eye, I shouted, "Mind your eye, you!" But thinking further I wondered if there was more to this eye in the wind than met the eye. I was up to my eyes in doubt. Maybe this wasn't a one-eyed sail, but one of the one-eyed beings of lore. Could it be a cyclops? A Polyphemus perhaps? The eye of Ra even? But of course that was a silly idea. That could be no more possible than a camel passing through the eye of a needle. "Do you take me for a fool?" I muttered. "Do you see any green in my eyes?" Having an eye to the future, I turned a blind eye from that eye in the sky, and moved away in a blink of an eye, keeping my eyes pealed for other evil-eyed things. Without batting an eye, I thought to myself, "This eye-opening episode has certainly been an eye-popping ordeal". And with a wink of an eye and a laugh, I cried aloud, "Aye, Aye!"

From the Archives - The Dragon of Krakow

Florianska Street, Krakow, Poland  © Doug Hickok


There was a time, long ago, when we dragons ruled the Earth. We dominated the skies with fire and dread. We filled the imagination of men with fear and awe. We were the very stuff of legend and myth. Our magical blood was sought after for its protection against harm, and our teeth were sown like seeds to incite war and chaos. But as time passed so too did our power and prestige, due to the emergence of dragon slayers, like Beowulf, Siegfried, St. George, and Bard the Bowman. Woeful now are the days of dragons, for we are barely remembered, relegated to the roles of cartoon characters, fantasy games, tattoos, or worse. None is a better example of our fall than the Dragon of Krakow. Smok was his name. He dwelt in a cave under Wawel Hill, and ravaged the countryside, but was finally subdued by the wit of a shoemaker's apprentice. Today the unfortunate dragon wanders the streets of Krakow, a shadow of his former self, scorned or ignored, a lonely and broken creature. Woeful now are the days of dragons. Woeful now indeed. 

From the Archives - Poof!

Vaporetto Ramp, Grand Canal, Venice, Italy  © Doug Hickok


Since no cars are permitted in the city of Venice, the best way to travel from place to place, other than walking the streets, alleyways and bridges, is riding the waterways on public transportation, known as the canal bus or vaporetto. Vaporettos make stops to pick-up passengers at vaporetto ramps, which are like bus stops, strategically located along the canals of Venice. When the vaporetto pulls-up, you just walk down the ramp and hop on. Vaporetto means "steamship" in Italian, but it may also mean "to vanish in a vapor", much like what happened to planet Earth in A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Poof! Vaporetto! And much like what happened to the passengers waiting on this ramp just moments before I snapped this picture. Poof! Vaporetto! Probably the handy work of Vogons.

Tis the Season

Holiday Lights Abstract, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


Wagging the camera in front of holiday lights.

(See November 26th blog entry for wagging the camera tutorial)

From the Archives - Ship Harbor

Ship Harbor Nature Trail, Acadia National Park, Maine  © Doug Hickok

If you seek a wild, rugged coastal landscape, there is no other on the eastern seaboard like that of Acadia National Park on Maine's Mount Desert Island. Small in size but great in beauty, Acadia offers a wilderness-like experience within a day's drive from many major metropolitan areas in the eastern United States. About 30 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Bar Harbor, the island's tourist center, is Ship Harbor Nature Trail, an easy leg stretcher that introduces visitors to the natural wonders of Acadia. Quiet secluded coves, cool dark forests, and wild rocky coastlines with remarkable views of the vast Atlantic Ocean are all accessible along the roughly one mile trail. In this photo one can almost hear the haunting calls of a solitary loon echoing from the misty cove.

A Dickensian Sunrise

East Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


A Tale of Two Moments

It was the worst of times. It was the best of times.
One moment, dawn was bitterly cold.
The next, so lovely to behold.
It was a far, far better thing for them to endure the worst,
for the best was a far, far better thing
 than they had ever known.

The End

The Sultans of Swat

Vintage Posters, City Market, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


Charleston's City Market has been offering goods for sale since the 1830's. Back then it was fresh seafood, meat and produce which Charlestonians shopped for to supply their kitchens. Today the City Market supplies merchandise mainly for shopping tourists. They can find local hand crafts, artwork and collectables, like these vintage posters. Displayed above are icons of the pop/rock music world... The Beatles, The Doors, Elvis, The Rolling Stones and Babe Ruth. Yes, George Herman Ruth! 
Babe and the Sultans of Swat had a brief but mercurial career rocking-out ball parks across America. Where ever they played, their unique blend of hard-driving heartland rock and Big Apple blues made them an instant smash. Many of their songs became memorable hits, and a few went on to become what some in the music business call "home runs".  Oldies but goodies like "I'm Roundin' Third and Headed Home to You, Hunny", "Tootse, You're My Divin' Catch", "High and Tight", "You Send Me Up Like a Pop-Fly", "Ain't No Way I'm Stealin' For You" , "Whiffed on Love", "My Heart Got Dinged by Your Curveball Baby", "Bad Case of Blooper Blues", "Called Out Lookin' for Love", "You Ain't Nothin' But a Sandlot Slugger", "Good Bunting Gone Bad", "Swingin' for the Fences" and their hall of fame hit, their multi-platinum single, "All You Need is Glove". Tragically their run at legend would end with a strikeout. Their sudden and dramatic downfall occurred when many of the band members succumbed to cola addiction.

Imagination Gone Wild

Ornate woodwork, Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

The oldest building designed as a theatre in America is not in New York, or Chicago, or San Francisco. Nor is it in Santa Fe, or Saint Augustine or Williamsburg. Nor is it in True or Consequences, or Kickapoo, or even South of the Border. It's here in Charleston at the Dock Street Theatre. Last year, when I worked on a photo shoot for the Spoleto Festival USA ticket brochure, I came across this interesting detail of decorative woodwork on a door frame at the Dock Street Theatre. The theatre was nearing completion after a long period of renovation, and final touches were being made to much of the ornate interior. There were so many wonderful close-ups like this one that caught my eye. My imagination tends to get the best of me sometimes, but when I look at this photo I see a face, a sort of whimsical, fantastic face that might belong to a Cirque du Soleil character. I thought of them because of their blend of wild imagination and stunning theatrical production.

Charleston Saves Western Civilization

Old Exchange, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

The Old Exchange was the last public building the British erected in Charleston before the American Revolutionary War. More importantly, it was here where local patriots ratified the US Constitution, making the Old Exchange one of the few nationally significant colonial sites of its kind still standing today.
It was also near here where the last sighting in North America was of Genghis Khan, great lord and master of the Mongol Empire. He and his invading armies had swept across the steppes of Central Asia from Mongolia and were driving into Europe, vanquishing in their path city after city after city. Then, needing a break from all the vanquishing, Genghis Khan booked a pleasure cruise to Charleston, where he refreshed himself amid the city's Southern charm and sophistication. He spent ample time strolling along the Battery promenade, taking in the sea breeze, and indulging his sweet tooth with lavish helpings of key lime pie. Thus was Charleston the real reason Western Civilization was spared the wrath of the Great Khan.

Mystery Photo

Mystery  © Doug Hickok




Crinkled aluminum foil
or
Chaos theory in action?




Jackson Pollock abstract
or
Hubble shot of an exploding supernova?




Doodling pad of a chimpanzee
or
US Tax Code?




Shrimp boat reflections in a creek
or
Cosmic echo from the Big Bang?




Dime store kaleidoscope
or
Santa obscured by streamers in a NYC parade?




Pre-schooler scribbles
or
One of the merry pranks of Till Eulenspiegel?




Maze of snail trails on an artist's palette
or
Cross section of mineral rich rock from Timbuktu?




Atoms smashing in a particle accelerator
or
Lady Gaga's hairdo?




St Elmo's Fire
or
Jean-Michel Basquiat's graffiti art?




Mad Hatter's sketch book
or
Blueprint of the Minotaur's Labyrinth?




Sonogram of Jabberwocky speak
or
Where's Waldo?




Magnified view of a butterfly wing
or
Aerial view of the Painted Desert?




Poltergeist in the TV
or
What fish see?




Pharmaceutically inspired dream vision
or
Doug's brain wave pattern after chewing Gummy Bears?








Ummm, what do you think?

From the Archives - Finding Splendor: A Postscript

Dear Viewer,

     I'm writing this letter today to inform you the world is lit by splendor, a splendor of color, and line, and shape. Where ever you are now, take a minute to look around and see for yourself. (Go ahead, I'll wait). Sometimes splendor is easy to see. Sometimes not. It may not jump out and say "Look at me!" It may be disguised as the ordinary, the everyday, the mundane. And sometimes splendor is nothing tangible at all. Sometimes it's the ineffable sense of a place, or a fleeting moment of awareness. Or sometimes it's the feeling of something much larger than yourself.

     Below are 3 images from the Midwest that have nice color, line, and shape, and offer a glimpse of splendor. Enjoy!


Sincerely,
Doug

Old Blue Steps, Newport, Kentucky  © Doug Hickok

Old Silo, Harrison, Indiana  © Doug Hickok

Old Sign, Yellow Springs, Ohio  © Doug Hickok


Oh, I almost forgot to mention, If you're having trouble finding splendor, chew some Gummy Bears. It's the small things that help make a difference. 

From the Archives - The King of Early B-Boy

God of the Tiber, Capitoline Hill, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok


A legend from the dawn of Rome's founding tells of King Tiberinus, who drowned in what is know today as the Tiber River, which flowed near The Capitoline Hill, one of the Seven Hills of Rome. Jupiter, taking pity on the dead king, resurrected him as God of the Tiber, a personification of the river's life sustaining bounty.
Inspired by his new life, Tiberinus began a hip-hop group, the Society for the Promotion of a Qool Rome (SPQR), whose task it was to encourage certain avant-garde societal trends, the first of which was a fast growing dance craze known as breakdancing, or as the Romans called it "breaking" or "B-boying". Tiberinus was the king of early B-boy, regarded for his signature moves, such as the Hopping Turtle, the Romulus Airbaby, the Nutcracker, the Pretzel Hop and the Etruscan Munchmill.
In this photo the God of the Tiber is immortalized in travertine, likely finishing a sequence of power moves... a float, a glide and freezing in a slide. Remarkably, Tiberinus managed breaking all his moves in a toga while holding aloft his cornucopia. Now that's kicking it old school.

From the Archives - "Mad Mountain" Haystack vs The "Killer" Needles

Haystack Rock & The Needles, Cannon Beach, Oregon  © Doug Hickok


The 100 million year stand-off between rival rock formations continues, still. For eons the landmark sea stacks of Cannon Beach have battled for position along a spectacular stretch of Oregon coastline. Although the iconic Haystack Rock has the advantage in size (235 feet in elevation), the upstart challengers, commonly known as The Needles, have the advantage in numbers (2). The fiercely combative monoliths are simply enthralling to watch in action. The complex strategies of moves and counter-moves, feints and counter-feints, are utterly captivating. Of course the minor drawback for fight fans is that you have to be a little patient. The imperceptible nature of this geological fray usually takes a few millennia to play out. But still... you have to admit its a match for the ages!

Tahiti in Hiding

Fast and French, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

Tahiti is missing. Rumors abound that it has been secretly placed in a witness protection program. The island paradise is likely hidden in a secluded safe house that is perhaps disguised as a cafe or boutique. Furthermore, Tahiti may have changed its appearance and assumed an alias. (This could mean curtains for Tahitian vacations).
Sources say such an elaborate scheme may be the result of an ongoing investigation into tourist laundering by a neighboring island paradise, Bora Bora, which has allegedly made unspecified threats against Tahiti, its chief rival. Details remain nebulous. Speculation runs rampant.

Cold Blue Fountain

Pineapple Fountain, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


In recognition of our icy cold Fahrenheits, I've turned on the blue lights on the Pineapple Fountain at Waterfront Park. Burrr!

King of Fashion

King Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


A model of stylish fashion...
the King Street Shopping District.

From the Archives - The Fishermen Warriors of Buda

Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Hungary  © Doug Hickok



During the Middle Ages, the Fisherman's Guild of the Hungarian town of Buda took charge of defending its walls during times of conflict. Centuries later, the city of Budapest built the Fisherman's Bastion to honor these brave souls, but more importantly to lure tourists to the Castle District. And they easily took the bate... hook, line and sinker. Hundreds of them visit every day. Designed in a neo-Romanesque style, the monument resembles a fairy tale castle with ornate towers, ramparts, passageways and stairwells. Perched on a hill overlooking the Danube River, the attraction also offers beautiful vistas of the modern day capital.
The three sculpted anglers shown above have cast aside their fishing nets and donned the garb of warriors. Note the fierce nonchalance of their demeanor. Furthermore, not only are they defending the city walls, they're in the city walls!

From the Archives - Gateway to the Renaissance

Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy  © Doug Hickok


As you approach the renown Uffizi Art Gallery from along the Arno River, you pass beneath this gateway facade designed by the architect Vasari, and enter into the heart of the Italian Renaissance. The Uffizi began as municipal "offices" in 1581, but soon evolved into a world class museum showcasing the vast art collection of the Medici, the ruling family of Florence. A sampling of works on display include those of Michelangelo, da Vinci, Botticelli, Raphael, and Titian, a who's who of Renaissance giants.
Walking through this passageway, I glanced up to see this beautiful archway and the balance, proportion, and attention to detail that so identified with the artistic spirit of the age. 
Framed nicely by the opening is the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio, the "old Palace" of the Florentine Republic. Imprisoned in this fortress-like tower was the radical Dominican monk Savonarola, who infamously convinced citizens of the city to burn their books and other "immoral" belongings, hence the "Bonfire of the Vanities".

Stones of Silence

Stone Angel, Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston SC  © Doug Hickok


Magnolia Cemetery has been called Charleston's best kept secret. Tucked away off the beaten path, it peacefully overlooks coastal marshes, and rests beneath the shade of live oaks draped with Spanish moss. Dating back 150 years, the older areas of the cemetery evoke a beautiful atmosphere of decay, and the remarkable stone art compares to that of Savannah's famous Bonaventure Cemetery. From time to time I like walking among the old headstones and mausoleums, enjoying the tranquility, and searching for interesting compositions, such as this stone angel with Palmetto fronds.

From the Archives - Where is the Ware?

East Quoddy Lighthouse, Campobello Island, New Brunswick  © Doug Hickok


Passamaquoddy Bay, Schooner Cove, Welshpool, Friar's Head... if this sounds like you're not in Kansas anymore you're right. Where you are is across a short bridge from Lubec, Maine on the small Canadian island of Campobello, from where these colorful place names derive. This mostly rugged landscape of rustic fishing communities, rocky shorelines, and misty forests is a step back in time, a departure from the frenetic life style of the metropolis.
Pictured above is a painted-on window of a shed. It is attached to the East Quoddy Lighthouse, which anchors the northern tip of the island and overlooks the Bay of Fundy. Just visible in the distance is a Herring weir, which the locals call ware. (Where?) Yes, ware. (No, where, where is the ware?) Oh, just there, there is the ware.

Pythagoras and the Geometry of Gas

Sidewalk, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

Pythagoras of Samos, the 6th century BCE Greek philosopher and mathematician, was a pretty clever fellow, even if he's the bane of the mathematically challenged. Pythagoras expanded Euclidean geometry, theorized on the transmigration of souls, and revolutionized thought on the mechanics of the universe. His genius beams across the ages. So it is not surprising that an employee from the Gas and Electric Company is apparently a practitioner of the Pythagorean System, a line of thinking which seeks to explain the geometric harmony of the heavenly spheres, as this scholarly diagram on a Charleston sidewalk so clearly demonstrates. Note the brilliant use of the term "gas" as a metaphor for swirling stars and planets. Observe with keen interest the position of the Sun and its neighboring planets, and their triangular relationship with one another. Simply amazing! Bravo gas person, Pythagoras would be proud!

Blue Angel

Angel Oak, John's Island, SC  © Doug Hickok

It would be an understatement to say this old live oak has witnessed much change in the world during its time. Ancient beyond what many can imagine, the Angel Oak is estimated to exceed 1400 years in age. It was just a seedling when the Chinese were perfecting the water clock and the Great Wall was STILL under construction! Europe was entrenched in the Dark Ages. Not only was there no Facebook, no internet, no computers, there was no electricity! There was no France yet, and no French cuisine! In the tropical rainforests of Central America, the Mayas were building pyramids and inscribing calenders in stone. North America was largely wilderness, with no NASCAR, no football, and, dare it be said, no shopping malls! And the whole concept of Lady Gaga was simply inconceivable! Go figure!

(Photography note: The Angel Oak is not normally blue. It's certainly very green. I just added a little filtration to match the introspective mood of that day. Local lore relates that the spirits of slaves would gather around the tree and appear as angels, which I envisioned happening during the nebulous moment between day and night).

From the Archives - A Zen Koan

Japanese Garden, Portland, Oregon
All Photos  © Doug Hickok

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

And Quiet Flows the Dawn

Ashley River, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

A peaceful morning in our lovely low-lying country. A little tidbit of local history is called upon I think. The Ashley River was named after 17th century English politician Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, who was one of the Lords Proprietors of the newly formed Province of Carolina. He was also the patron of philosopher John Locke, who everyone knows eventually went on to play an infamous role in the TV series LOST, sans powdered wig.

Wagging the Camera

 Maple Tree , Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

With the beautiful autumn foliage peaking in Charleston, I thought I'd try portraying the warm colors with a photography technique I call "wagging the camera". This is setting a slow shutter speed for a long exposure and generally moving the camera around in front of the subject, in this case, a red maple in my front yard. You can try this technique with an assortment of subjects, such as shiny things, colorful things, brightly lit things, Rachmaninoff's Piano Concert #3, hydroplaning tractor trailer trucks, Buckminster Fuller's t-square, pumpkin pecan pie, the stupas of Katmandu, bodkins, wadis, Vulcan's hammer, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, oblivion, Glaucous-winged Gulls, David Bowie's hairdo, regular-looking things, ziggurats, pseudo-intellectuals, Iman, stampeding herds of duck-billed platypuses, kazoos, page 62 from Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, the killer white bunny from Monte Python and the Holy Grail, shrubbery, self-propelling lawnmowers, perplexing stuff, Leonardo da Vinci's 
Vitruvian Man, immovable objects, The Eleusinian Mysteries (may be too obscure for most including myself), Red Hot Chili Peppers, psychedelic rock, Manifest Destiny, Inspector Clouseau's mustache, and silly run-on sentences. This is of course just the short list of suggested material. I'll post the long list another day. (My apologies, the font size seems to be weakening from the weight of too much nonsense).

From the Archives - Happy Thanksgiving from the Caesars

Ruins of the Temple of Saturn, Roman Forum, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok



It may seem a stretch of the imagination to say the Caesars of Ancient Rome had significant influence on our modern day Thanksgivings. But it was here in the Roman Forum, along the Via Sacra, where the conquering Caesars famously held their triumphal processions, spectacles that often featured captives, hoards of treasure, marching bands and colorful floats. It was here the Caesars famously ate their salads topped with dressing and croutons. It was here the Caesars (especially the little Caesars) famously held their feasts of the pepperoni pizzas. It was such places as this where gastronomic reputations were born. Was not the esteemed warrior-philosopher, Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, renown for his fondness for pizza pies with extra cheese?
So it follows logically to conclude the Caesars had an indisputable influence on the way we celebrate today's holiday feast. After all, we do watch our parades, we do enjoy our salads and our dressings. And who doesn't love gobbling-up pizzas for Thanksgiving? Duh.

The Shocking Truth About Yuccas

3 Yuccas, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok

There hasn't been much in the headlines lately about yuccas, so you're probably wondering why that is. Could it be there's a media blackout, a government cover-up, a yucca conspiracy in the making? Is what "they" know about yuccas too unnerving for us to hear? So dangerous for the public that yucca knowledge must be hidden?
Well, I have the inside scoop, and believe now is the moment to reveal the shocking truth about yuccas. After all, someone must rise to the occasion... Yuccas actually belong to the lily family, Liliaceae (WHAT!?). Yes, furthermore, the cup-like flowers open at night but aren't particularly fragrant (NO WAY, GET OUT!). It's a fact. And to make matters worse, the southeastern species, Aloe Yucca, yucca aloifolia, grows as tall as 25 feet! (SAY NO MORE, SAY NO MORE!).
Good citizens, it's time to revolt against the cover-up! Spread the word. The shocking truth about yuccas must be told!
To learn more, visit www.yuccamania.com ( Please note, Yuccamania should not be confused with any small Eastern European nations).
Also, coming soon to a city near you, Yuccapalooza!

A True Charleston Ghost Story

Market Hall, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

Charleston has more than its share of ghost stories, but few are more curious than that of the Bicycle Taxi ghost. The tale begins like this...

While peddling across the Meeting and Market streets intersection, a speeding bicycle taxi suddenly collided with Firefly, a large, lumbering circus elephant, who had slipped on a banana peel while dodging a piano plummeting from the sky. The scene was a dreadful sight.
 Several bystanders claimed to have actually witnessed the ghost of the Bicycle Taxi departing into the spirit world.

As with many ghost stories, some suspension of disbelief is necessary, but I am told this tale really is true. If you're observant, it's not uncommon to see this unfortunate soul from time to time, especially at night in the haunts around Market Hall.

So don't be alarmed if you see a ghost. Do be alarmed if you see an elephant.

A Great Morning for a Bike Ride

Ravenel Bridge, Mt Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok

Another beautiful sunrise on the Ravenel Bridge. Where else can you have such a string of marvelous weather but in the Lowcountry in autumn? When I lived in Iceland for a year we had a warm day once. Well, almost warm. More like lukewarm. Yes, that's it. We had a tepid day, once. But we still had to wear our mukluks.