Evening in the Cove

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



A copse of trees stand alone in a mountain meadow
 as evening envelops the Great Smoky Mountains.

Warming Up the Details

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



The unusual texture of a palmetto trunk
 comes to light as the sun begins to set,
tinting our state tree with a wash of color.

Scroll Patterns

Ironwork Shadows, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Ironwork shadows stretch across slate squares
 at South Carolina Society Hall.

The Art of Stone

Colonnades, Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City, Italy
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Rows of colonnades designed by Bernini
curve in a graceful arch
 around the edge of Saint Peter's Square.

Spring Cheer

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



A cherry tree brightens historic Tradd Street
 on a warm spring afternoon.

From Before Our Time

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



A long exposure transforms a mountain stream
 into ribbons of motion that rush past boulders
 formed millions of years ago.

Rosy Spring

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



Rosy spring hues form a soft background
 for this ornate garden gate in the Historic District.

Marooned in the Mist

Sailboat, Ashley River, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



An abandoned sailboat lies in the tidal marsh
 of a fog shrouded river.

Sea Island Dusk

Dusk, Kiawah Island, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



A clutch of live oaks witnesses the calm
 of sunset along the coast of Kiawah Island.

Charleston Color

East Bay Street, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Sunrise enhances warm hues
 along East Bay Street during springtime.

A Tangle of Oaks

Live Oaks, near Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A tangle of arching limbs
 recedes into a misty woodland.

March of Time

Doorway, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



An ancient door in Rome shows the passage of time.

Walk in the Park

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



A sunny afternoon is the perfect time for a stroll
 beneath the oaks in Hampton Park.

Tulip Paradise

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



A warm spring day in Charleston is the setting
 for this tulip garden at the Nathaniel Russell House.

High Battery Finery

Balconies, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Blooming palo verde adds a fine adornment
 to a trio of cast iron balconies on the High Battery.

Crouching for the Sunrise

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



Crouching low behind remnants of a maritime forest
 gave me diagonal lines to silhouette against a morning sky.

The Feeling of Spring

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



A mixture of textures highlights a Charleston garden
 at an historic home South of Broad.

The Red

Cliff in the Mist, Red River Gorge, Kentucky
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Mists clear momentarily to reveal a sandstone cliff
 in the Red River Gorge Geological Area in Kentucky.
This area is famous not only for its rock formations
 but also for its challenging rock climbing.

A Moonlight Sea

The Surf at Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Silvery moonlight shimmers
 on the surf at Folly Beach.

Brand New Day

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



Oleanders add hues for the eyes to enjoy
 as Charleston's East Battery greets the morning sun.

Aromatic Sunset

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



A sprig of rosemary adds texture to a sunset
 at the Meditation Garden. I love the fragrance
 of this aromatic herb... so soothing and calming.

Odd Couple

The Battery at Dusk, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Standing in proximity,
two silhouettes on The Battery
 form an odd couple.

Sol

Morning Sun, Folly Beach, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A star shines above the sea,
radiating light while giving life.

Marbled Hall

Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Rome, Italy
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A columned corridor of a basilica in Rome
 dazzles the eye with mirrored repetition
 in its architectural design.

Accessories

Purple Door, Rome, Italy  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved




A purple door in Rome is accompanied
 by a miscellany of accessories.

Towers in the Mist

Ravenel Bridge, Mt. Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Heavy fog moves in over Charleston Harbor
 on a cool winter morning.

Fireplug Man

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



Fireplug man stands completely still by the street
 in hopes of one day being put to good use.
His super power is unending patience.



 

When in Rome

View from the Pincio Hill, Rome, Italy
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



To experience one of the best views of Rome
 visit the gardens on the Pincian Hill
 which overlooks the Piazza del Popolo.

Eagle in the Mist

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



A dawn shrouded in fog
 silhouettes an eagle finial
 near Saint Michael's Alley.

Sunbeam

Sunbeam, Francis Marion National Forest, South Carolina
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



My camera lens catches a ray of light at just the right angle,
creating a textured sunbeam that streaks across the frame.

Scintillating Morning

Morris Island Lighthouse, Folly Beach, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



The rising sun glimmers on the Atlantic like a fiery gem
as it embraces the Morris Island Lighthouse.

Throwback Thursday - Rare Sighting

Cypress Swamp, Magnolia Gardens, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



I captured this wintery scene on film almost 20 years ago
 when Charleston experienced one of its occasional snow falls.
Usually snow melts quickly here, but not that day.  
Looking back now, a cypress swamp pictured with fresh snow
 is a very rare thing to witness in the Lowcountry.

Catching My Fancy

Balcony, Tradd Street, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A balcony cantilevered by fancy scroll work
 caught my eye on a house
 in the historic district South of Broad.

Coming Soon

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



Fresh blooms amid historic architecture
 epitomize the spring show in Charleston.

Service with a Smile

Mailbox, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



If I were a letter carrier, it would cheer me up
 delivering mail to this house in the Historic District.

An Avenue for the Eyes

Avenue of Oaks, near Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



Live oaks overlaid with resurrection fern and Spanish moss
 form an impressive row of repeating shapes and lines.

Morning Magic

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



A misty morning on the peninsula adds a magical mood
 to this Charleston courtyard garden.

Zephyrous Touch

Tide Pool, Kiawah Island, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A gentle breeze caresses the surface of a tide pool
 on the sea island of Kiawah.

Night Walk

French Quarter, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A walk in Charleston at night
 presents the historic city
 in an entirely different light.

Captured in a Lily Pond

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



This garden pond reflects a neo-classical portico
 in Charleston's Historic District.

Split Trunk

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



This old, gnarled, split-trunked tree seems to enjoy
 the sunlight at Hampton Park.

Lowcountry Gothic

Gate, Fenwick Hall, John's Island, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



An eerie presence envelopes the entrance to Fenwick Hall,
also known as Fenwick Castle, an old plantation
 that dates back to the colonial era. Note the distant 
wild turkey in the road behind the gate.

Keen for Spring

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



Light, color and texture come together nicely
 in this depiction of a scrolly garden gate in spring.

Journey

Forest Path, New Brunswick, Canada
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Light at the pathway's bend
 entices us to keep exploring.

Prime Real Estate

Lanterns and Steeple, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



These distinctively shaped lanterns belong to Hibernian Hall,
 which is situated near Charleston's prime landmark,
 the colonial era Saint Michael's Church.

Edisto Sunrise

Sunrise, Boneyard Beach at Botany Bay, Edisto Island, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Morning sun peeks above the Atlantic Ocean
 as the surf inundates what remains
 of a maritime forest on Edisto Island.

Street Charm

French Quarter, Charleston, SC
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved



A stroll in Charleston's French Quarter
 offers charming vignettes around every corner.

Icy Waters

A Cascade near Mount Hood, Oregon
© Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved
(Click on image for larger view.)



Glacial runoff from the sides of Mount Hood
 creates a cascade of icy cold water in the White River valley.

Magic Show

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



This garden gate near the Battery stands next to a sidewalk
 used by many walkers and runners.
At sunset warm light transforms the ironwork
 into something magical for them to enjoy.



 

A Winter Refuge

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



Courtyard gardens in Charleston are often protected
 from winter chills by the tall houses
 and brick walls that enclose them.