Surgeon's Warning

Tobacco Field, near Maggie Valley, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



Curving rows of tobacco march across a field
on an Appalachian farm near the Great Smoky Mountains.
This pretty view belies the fact that this is where addictions begin.

Abandoned

Deadwood and Morris Island Lighthouse, Folly Beach, SC  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Dead trees along Folly Beach offer interesting
foreground detail, with the abandoned
Morris Island Lighthouse serving as a backdrop.

Beneath the Palms

Garden Path, near The Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A stone walkway leads past sego palms and palmetto trees
 in this enchanting Lowcountry garden.

2014 Spoleto Festival USA

Detail, Porch Ceiling and Molding, Sottile House, Charleston, SC  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)




The image above was selected as this year's Spoleto Festival USA
ticket brochure cover. It's an abstract detail of a
porch ceiling (green) and its elaborate crown molding.
Shown below is how the artists at Stitch Design Co. rotated
 and cropped the image to fit their design. 

2014 Ticket Brochure Cover



Spoleto Festival USA begins this week in Charleston.
It is one of the world's largest international art festivals
 and lasts a little over two weeks.
You can see a copy of the entire ticket brochure here.

A Graphic Oak

Angel Oak, John's Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



A sprawling limb of the ancient Angel Oak
 provides an ideal leading line into this photograph.
The giant live oak is estimated to be about 500 years old.
I am excited that this image was recently featured
on the National Geographic Travel blog.

Misty Monday - Above the Ridges

View from Clingman's Dome, Tennessee  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved (Film)



Morning fog veils Appalachian mountain ridges
 as the rising sun illuminates their softened edges.

Home on the Range?

Mesquite Tree and Rock Formation, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



An old mesquite tree stands in the front yard
 of what looks like a gargantuan rock house.
I wonder what giant lives there?

Hansome George

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



George Washington never looked so good.

A Myriad of Anemones

Tide Pool, near Cape Perpetua, Oregon  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



I used a polarizing filter on my lens to clear the water's surface
 of reflections so that this myriad of sea anemones could be seen
 in the tide pool.

Throwback Thursday - Twilight Mood

Lantern and Gate, Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, SC  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved (Velvia slide film.)



Ornate designs and bold colors can be found all around Charleston.
But it is twilight that enhances the mood.
This image was shot on film, years ago, before the restoration
 of the Dock Street Theatre was completed.

Abandoned in Time

Abandoned Structure, Western Kansas  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



An abandoned building sits alone on a stretch of empty prairie
 in western Kansas. Once there was life here,
but time has faded all memory of it.




 

Early Morning Shadow

Porch Chair and Shadows, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A chair casts an intricate shadow pattern on the wall of a Charleston piazza.
The peacefulness of early morning on a lowcountry porch is
one of life's simple pleasures.

On Patrol

Alligator and Azaleas, Middleton Place, Charleston, SC
(Click on image for larger view.)



A young gator patrols the Rice Mill Pond at Middleton Place.

Happy Mother's Day

Garden Gate, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



For all the wonderful mothers in this world,
 may your children open the gates of their hearts
and show you all the love and appreciation you deserve.

Happy Mother's Day Gramomistel!
Becky and Doug love and appreciate you...
and can't wait to see you!

2014 Commencment

Randolph Hall, College of Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)


Pictured here is Randolph Hall at the College of Charleston.
 Today, in front of this campus landmark, undergraduate students
 will commence to graduate after four long years of hard work...
 and fun!

Piece of the Puzzle

Shadows and Reflections, Gondolas, Venice, Italy  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



There are plenty of beautiful vistas to photograph in the incomparable city of Venice, Italy. But I am the kind of photographer that tends to hone in on details... impressions or abstractions that show an archetypal piece of the whole puzzle. This image shows the prows of two gondolas and their reflections in the waters of a canal, an unmistakably Venetian tableau.

Throwback Thursday - Point of View

Azaleas and Pedestrian Bridge, Magnolia Gardens, Charleston, SC  (Film)



When my wife and I first moved to South Carolina back in the 1980's,
 I was fortunate to have worked at Magnolia Gardens for a couple of years.
 On my time off, I would walk the plantation paths, with camera in hand,
 and learn the tricks of garden photography. For this point of view,
 I climbed up a ladder to peer over the masses of blooming azaleas.
This gave me a clear view of the colors and the old pedestrian bridge
  that is a landmark of the gardens.

Ornate Fence Post

Fence Post, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok All Rights Reserved



A fence post in Charleston is never a dull affair.

Cool Path

Hiking Trail, Mount Mitchell State Park, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A quiet path meanders up Mount Mitchell's forested slope.
 In summer, when the temperatures in the lowlands are unbearable,
 a quick trip to Mount Mitchell will surely cool your body
 as well as your temperament.

Photographer's Best Friend

Live Oak Branches and Reflections, Charles Towne Landing State Park, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Backlighting may be a photographer's best friend,
especially the way it can transform and highlight a subject,
such as this overhanging branch at Charles Towne Landing.

Above the Street

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



Charleston has plenty of fascinating views at eye level.
 But, above the street interesting sights also abound,
such as this finial detail atop a tall entry gate.
To get near enough for this shot, I climbed a step ladder...
then held out my camera to get even closer.
Luckily, there was enough oxygen
in the atmosphere at that height for me to breath!

Mailbox

Mailbox and Vines, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



It must be a pleasure for the postman to deposit letters
 in a mailbox like this one everyday... one bounded
 by luxuriant displays of verdant vines and purple blooms.

Painter in the Garden

Painter at Work, Middleton Place Gardens, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Spring not only brings out colorful blooms in the gardens,
but also the artists who paint them.




 

Throwback Thursday - Primeval Forest

Mountain Stream, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved (Film)



This is a photograph that I made back in the 1980's
 at Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, which protects
 one of the last stands of virgin forest in the
 Eastern United States.

Joyce Kilmer wrote a famous poem called "Trees",
which begins with the familiar lines...

"I think that I shall never see
a poem lovely as a tree... "

Arabesque

Lantern, Gate and Shadows, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A synthesis of iron, light and shadow form a complex tapestry of shapes
 in this image of an entry gate to a South Battery home.

Surreal But Real

Clouds and Dunes, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



The clouds hovering above these 700 foot high dunes appear a bit surreal,
 like a cut and paste addition to the image. But they are real nonetheless,
 helping to make a photograph rich in contrasting texture and form.

Waterfront Morning

Pineapple Fountain, Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A great way to begin your day is to enjoy a sunrise at Waterfront Park.
 Not only do you witness the warm hues of dawn suffusing the placid waters
 of Charleston Harbor, but you can then savor the colorful flowers surrounding
 the Pineapple Fountain, a symbol of Charleston's hospitality.

Door in the Rock

Natural Doorway, Monument Rocks, Western Kansas
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



An archway eroded in rock becomes a natural doorway
  to peek through to the other side.



 

Living Textures

Cypress Swamp, Magnolia Gardens, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Living textures abound throughout this cypress swamp garden,
 from new leaves and spring blooms to the detritus
 sprinkled across the sheen of the pond.

Vintage

Antique Ford, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



When walking the narrow streets and alleyways of Charleston,
I occasionally stumble upon a scene that transports me to times past...
such are the charms of the old city.

Summer Rockies

Forest Canyon Overlook, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A view of the Rocky Mountains from an elevation over 11,000 feet
 is impressive, even in summer when most of the snow has melted away,
 revealing the ancient igneous rock.

Multiple Uses?

Fence Detail, Sottile House, College of Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved


This fence in the garden of the Sottile House
 is not only decorative, but may be the perfect tool
 to uncork your bottle of chardonnay!

Heron Garden

Heron Statue, Middleton Place Gardens, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



One of my favorite places to visit in Charleston during springtime is
Middleton Place Gardens. The special attractions here include beautiful landscaping amid colonial era buildings, hillsides of colorful azaleas,
and mini gardens within the larger gardens... like this heron garden
overlooking the Spring House and Mill Pond.




 

Misty Monday - Old Time Determination

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



Life still thrives even when drastically challenged.
 This old tree, in an Appalachian mountain meadow, 
sprouts branches and foliage in spite of its top being broken away.
 My, that's relentless determination!

Enter in Style

Architectural Details, Trinity Church, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



The beautiful detailing on the portico
 of Trinity United Methodist Church welcomes
all those who enter. Happy Easter!




 

A Spot of Hope

Cloud over the Ocean, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)


Off the coast of Folly Beach one dreary morning,
 a little spotlight of sunlight manages to shine through
a dark cloud hovering over the sea.
Perhaps a sunny day is ahead after all.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Rhododendron Tunnel,  Craggy Gardens, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Velvia slide film.)



Just off the Blue Ridge Parkway is Craggy Gardens, a mountain ridge covered with a natural garden of rhododendron. A hike along Craggy Pinnacle Trail takes you through thickets of these shrubs which arch over the path to form a natural tunnel. At the end of the tunnel is a dramatic 360 degree view over the surrounding mountains.... kind of like heaven.

Creeping Shadows

Coastal Live Oak, Kiawah Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



As the evening sun sets on Kiawah Island, 
shadows slowly edge up the trunk and branches 
of a coastal live oak.

Tropical Zone

Sego Palm Courtyard, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Protected from the elements in a brick walled courtyard,
 a sego palm grows hardily among other tropical plants.

Narrow

A Narrow House, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



In Charleston you can discover a slice of the
city's charm in the narrowest of niches.

Hoodoo

Hikers, The Lighthouse, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The arrival at a hoodoo rock formation called The Lighthouse
 is the apex of a hot 6 mile hike through Palo Duro Canyon.

 It also puts a twist on an old bit of wisdom that goes something like this...
 It's not what do you know, but hoodoo you know.

Retreat in the Rockies

Chapel on the Rock, Allenspark, Colorado  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A retreat in the mountains takes on another level of meaning at
 the Chapel on the Rock, where one may go to seek peace of mind
 amid the awe inspiring Rocky Mountains. Pope John Paul II
 visited here to pray and hike in the forest nearby.

Advance and Recede

Sunrise, Folly Beach Fishing Pier, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Duel perspective adds interest to this image of a Folly Beach sunrise...
on one side of the photo the sun throws shadows toward you,
 while on the other side the pier recedes into the sea.

Beneath an Ancient Oak

Pedestrian Bridge and Live Oak, Magnolia Gardens, Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A small footbridge passes beneath the arching branch
 of a large live oak at Magnolia Gardens.

The Apex of Spring

Wisteria and Church Steeples,  Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



As spring blooms fill every nook and cranny in Charleston,
 wisteria flowers are at their apex. This image was taken along
 Meeting Street, with the twin steeples of First Scots Church
 filling the background.

Away From It All

Beach Walker, Kiawah Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Film photography)



As this solitary soul walks Kiawah Island beach,
the strife and clamor of urban life no longer exists.

The Color of Calm

Japanese Maple, Japanese Garden, Portland, Oregon
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



Green hues fill this photo of a tranquil spot
in Portland's Japanese Garden.
A stroll through this verdant paradise
is sure to calm the soul.

Misty Monday - A Stillness on the Creek

Shrimp Boats, James Island, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Dawn on a James Island tidal creek finds two shrimp boats
 reflected in calm morning waters.

Early Settlers

Homestead, Oconaluftee Mountain Farm, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view. Velvia slide film.)



The Oconaluftee bottomlands were first settled by 
European/Americans in the 1790's,
just below Rattlesnake Mountain, seen in the distant mist.
 This exhibit of a mountain farm consists of reconstructed log structures
brought in to give visitors a sense of what it was like
 to live as early Appalachian homesteaders.