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.

From the Archives - Speeding Ambulance

 Krakow, Poland   © Doug Hickok


Krakow is one of my all time favorite places, where an abundance of visuals can be found around every corner, especially in and around the historic city center. This will be the first of many posts from a really cool but underrated European destination.