Light at the Inn

An Inn on the Battery, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



As twilight falls, lights come on to lead the way
 into an inn on the Battery.

The Joy of Shallow Focus

Boat Landing, Ashley River, North Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The concrete surface of a boat landing on the edge
 of the Ashley River makes a surreal subject at sundown.

Skeletons in the Mist

Spruce/Fir Forest near Clingman's Dome,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The remains of old fir trees stand like silent sentinels
 in the clouds near the Smoky's highest peak.

Bird Alert

Great Egret, Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A great egret is alert for signs of a potential meal
 in the pluff mud at Shem Creek.

Goblets of Light

Three Goblets, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Wine goblets fill with natural light from a garden window.

Zen Moment

Live Oak, Meditation Garden, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Captured in this photo,
sun rays light the trunk of a live oak at the end of the day,
 transforming a peaceful moment in the Meditation Garden
 into a lasting image.

Lead the Eye

Monument Rocks, Kansas
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A visual line of foreground shapes leads the eye to a gap
 in a chalk butte at Monument Rocks.

The Between Spaces

Theater Facade, North Charleston, SC
 © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Neon tubing adds interesting detail in the spaces between
 colorful lines and shapes on a local movie theater.

Lovely Evening

Park Bench by the Marina, North Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Sunset colors reflect off water near a marina
 on the Ashley River. It's a lovely way to end the day.

Let the Light In

Wooden Door, Al Ain, UAE  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A wooden door inside a desert fortress
 opens to the light from a bright Arabian sky.

Inner Glow

Hampton Park, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A tree in Hampton Park catches sunlight
 in a way that suggests a heart of radiant warmth.

A Wealth of Detail

Step Railing, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Shooting through a wrought iron fence,
I focused on the details of a stair rail
which leads up to the front door.

Palmetto

Palmetto Tree, North Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A palmetto tree as a natural design subject
features spokes radiating from the trunk.

Fall Light

Live Oaks and Spanish Moss, North Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




Live oaks catch and hold the warm glow of light
 from a November setting sun.

A Day to Be Thankful

Old Gate, Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Hope your day of Thanksgiving
is filled with warmth!

Sea Full of Light

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



Light rays filter through an atmosphere thick with moisture,
 illuminating darkened ridges of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Key to Entering

Old Gate on the Battery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A front gate on the Battery
 features an old fashioned keyhole.

Eye Candy

Theater Facade, North Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A vibrant spectrum of hues attracts the eyes of movie goers
 as they enter this theater in North Charleston.

Wearing Away

Headstone, First Scotts Churchyard, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



An old headstone in a Charleston churchyard
 wears the sign of relentless time.

Room at the Inn

Garden Gate to Two Meeting Street Inn, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



No worries about where to sleep tonight...
there's room at the inn.

Spare Moment

Bench by the Harbor Marsh, Waterfront Park, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A minimalist approach to photography
 captures a quiet moment
 by the marsh edge at Waterfront Park.

Keeper of the Stone

Tree Roots, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, North Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Twining tree roots enclose a stone for safekeeping
 in an old growth forest in the Southern Appalachians.

Loud Bark

Sidewalk, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Crepe myrtles with their vibrant colored bark
 line a sidewalk along King Street in Charleston.

Doing the Dock Walk

Great Egret, Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A great egret struts its stuff along the runway
 of a boat dock at Shem Creek.

Bygone Era

Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A timeworn fence surrounds an old family plot
 at Charleston's Magnolia Cemetery.

Fall Bloomers

Cassia Flowers, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



It's that time of year when autumn blooms
 unfold in Charleston gardens.

Pelican Brief

Shrimp Boats, Shem Creek, Mt. Pleasant, SC  
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



I captured a brief moment in time...
 pelicans taking flight along Shem Creek
 where shrimp boats dock for the evening.

Outdoorsy

Doors in Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Here is a small collection of doors
 found outside in Charleston.

Pew With a View

Church Pew, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



In Cades Cove in the 1800's, a window seat at church
 offered natural air conditioning with the added benefit
 of a view of the surrounding forest.

Evening Allure

Piazza Entry, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Lanterns set a warm mood at dusk
 at a single house in the historic district.

Evening Walk

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



A perfect glowing orb setting over the salt marsh
 is a peaceful sight to see from Shem Creek Boardwalk.

Small Embellishments

Step Railing, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Curls of ironwork add a touch of charm
 to these brick stairs in a courtyard garden.

Whippersnappers

Tree Line, Mt. Sneffels Wilderness, Colorado  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



In contrast to the worn and rounded peaks of the ancient Smokies,
 Colorado's San Juan Mountains are rocky and rough.
 Geologically speaking they are young whippersnappers.

Live Streaming...

Mountain Stream, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The process of taking photos
 of actual streams in the wild.

Colonial Town

Early Morning on Tradd Street, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Sunrise illuminates a house in a section of the historic district
 that dates from the 1700's when Charleston thrived as a colonial port city.

Subtlety

Fence Line, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Once you focus on these fence posts mirrored in a rain puddle, you might then notice the more subtle detail of a mountain ridge reflected in the pool as well.
Its soft rounded contour worn down over millions of years is typical of
the ancient mountains that are the Smokies.

An Inclination to List

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



Some of Charleston's older structures tend to...
1. have a bit of a lean to them.
2. be far from plumb.
3. appear distorted like a fun house mirror.
4. defy gravity.

Boo

Saint Philip's Church, French Quarter, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Ghost tours of Charleston often start near the churchyards
 of the French Quarter, where spirits hide
 beneath the shroud of misty shadows.

Gateway Design

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



Twin gates frame the doorway
 of a mansion near Charleston's High Battery.

Johnson's Row

Johnson's Row on Queen Street, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Morning sun warms early 19th century tenements
 in Charleston's French Quarter.

Blue Mood

Country Lane, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Afternoon showers darken the day
 along a rural lane in the Smokies.

Fall for the Carolinas

Walker, Ravenel Bridge, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Crisp clear autumn days in the Lowcountry are perfect
 for invigorating the spirit with fresh air and sunshine.

Wireless

Rustic Fence, Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The old ways are not forgotten in the Smokies.
Pioneer life is on display for visitors to imagine
 the austerities of mountain life in the 19th century.

Treescape in the Park

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



Palmetto trees abound in Charleston's Waterfront Park.
They are ideal for framing this symbol of the city's hospitality,
 the Pineapple Fountain.

Old Guard

Live Oak, Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



An ancient live oak stands sentinel over a burial plot
 at Charleston's historic Magnolia Cemetery.

Smoothing Out the Wrinkles

Mountain Stream, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A long camera exposure transforms the turmoil
 of a rushing mountain stream into a silky smoothness.

High Art

Mary Shrine on a Corner Facade, Rome, Italy
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Elaborate styling on this baroque shrine placed above the street
 exemplifies Italian architectural art.

No Hay Required

Street Corner, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



In the modern era of Charleston
 bicycles are hitched to posts instead of horses.