2011 Spoleto Festival - Shutter Pattern

Single house, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

One of my images was chosen this year for the cover of the 2011 Spoleto Festival USA Ticket Brochure. Charleston's international arts festival is one of the world's largest, lasting 17 days, and offering a wide array of performances from artists and musicians from around the globe. Kudos to Stitch Design Co. for their excellent creative work designing the brochure.
Incidentally, Spoleto held a contest asking their employees where they thought this photo was taken. It may be hard to guess, as I made this image several years ago, and recent renovations to this single house have changed its appearance somewhat. This underlines how transient the moments are that we capture with our cameras. The moment is there, then gone forever. All that remains is what was recorded in that instant, which lingers only in our memories and our memory cards.

From the Archives - Dangerous Work!

Colorful Architecture, Cincinnati, Ohio  © Doug Hickok


What more can I say?

A Tree Grows in Pisgah

Mountain Ash, Mt Pisgah, Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina  © Doug Hickok


Against all odds, despite the harshness of high altitude elements... driving rains, icy storms, gale force winds... a solitary Mountain Ash grows on a ridge near Mt. Pisgah, along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Rooted tenaciously, standing strong, the tree withstands a sudden autumn snow squall, its twisted, stunted form enveloped in the dimming light. In a sense, this hardy soul embodies the spirit of the mountains... in spite of relentless hardships, it endures.

Ode to a Classic

Old Truck, Burnsville, NC  © Doug Hickok

The old truck Zephyrus was once a god of the road. Breezing down a two lane highway at the jaw-dropping speed of 35 mph, his new body of freshly painted steel glinting, his spotless chrome trim gleaming, he became the talk of the town. But time passes, like the gusts of the west wind, and  Zephyrus soon blew gently toward the twilight of his winter, becoming obsolete, nearly forgotten, by-passed by the newer, the faster, the more beautiful. Yet, he persisted. Born into a new Spring and thriving once again, he assumed the mantel of a weathered, but colorful character. He stands today, proud, venerable, and wise, the classic symbol of a shining era gone by.

Fence on Fire?

Iron Fence, Murray Blvd., Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

Not quite. What you actually see here is the warm light of a setting sun suffusing blades of sweetgrass with fiery color. Sweetgrass occurs naturally in the lowcountry, and has been used for centuries by the famous Gullah basket weavers to hand craft their beautiful basketry. Also, many Charlestonians grow ornamental sweetgrass in their gardens.

From the Archives - Swamp Snow

Audubon Swamp Garden, Magnolia Gardens, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


It's rare for us to have snow, let alone enough accumulation to make a pretty winter scene. But, back in the late 1980's, we had such a snow. This is an image from that day, offering an unusual look at a southern swamp, though not what you'd expect. There are no alligators, no swarms of mosquitos, nor oppressive layers of stagnant air dripping with ego humbling humidity. Just a pretty snow, etching rare winter beauty.

Trivia note: You may remember a campy horror movie from 1982 called Swamp Thing. Parts of that movie were filmed right here in this very swamp. Yup.

Two for Tuesday - Orbs of a Different Sort

Chinese Lanterns, Crosby's Seafood, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok

Winking Sun, Cosmotique Boutique, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

Today, I offer a different sort of sunrise, one with a winking blue and gold happy face. I offer this as a warm and affectionate greeting to everyone, and to express my appreciation for all your kind comments. 

And the Chinese lanterns I included to celebrate the advent of the Chinese New Year, which is this Thursday!  2011 will be the Year of the Rabbit (no relation to that wascally wabbit, Bugs Bunny by the way).

Monday Morning Sunrise

Sunrise, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok

The great glowing orb of the sun, rising over the Atlantic Ocean, appears to teeter on the brink of the world.

Rhythm & Oranges

Castle Hill, Budapest, Hungary  © Doug Hickok

The repetition of windows and a roofline's shadow, plus various hues of orange, continue yesterday's theme of rhythm and color. I can't think of any jazz artists that would be appropriate for today's theme. But, for some obscure reason, that only my brain can understand, Bugs Bunny and piano keys come to mind. Hmm.

Here's a link to explain the rather obscure allusion to Bugs Bunny and piano keys... Hungarian Rhapsody #2

Rhythm & Blues

Folly Beach Fishing Pier, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok


Beneath the Folly Beach Fishing Pier, a repetition of pilings and the blurred motion of the sea add a jazzy rhythm to this twilight scene... hey, wait, a little rhythm, a little syncopation, a little improvisation... all of a sudden, I'm feeling kind of blue, a Miles Davis Kind of Blue.


This post is dedicated to MT.


Photography note: To accomplish this bluesy photo, I made a 5 second exposure to blur the ocean waves, and adjusted the camera shot setting to tungsten as the light faded to dusk.

Shem Creek Shrimp Boats

Shrimp Boats docked at Shem Creek, Mt Pleasant, SC  © Doug Hickok


A pair of painted prows proudly pose for pictures.

From the Archives - A Fountain in Krakow

Fountain near Market Square, Krakow, Poland  © Doug Hickok


A fountain near Krakow's Market Square (Rynek Glowny) attracts more than just tourists. Krakow is perhaps Europe's best kept secret. We loved our visit so much we'd like to go back one day. Among many of its attractions, Krakow boasts the largest medieval town square in Europe, which seems to emanate endless European charm at every turn. And for a photographers, it offers wonderful vistas and vignettes to capture your eye. Oh yes, there's excellent coffee to be had as well.

Where In the World Was Your Favorite Cup of Coffee?

Espresso and Hot Dog Stand, Portland, Oregon  © Doug Hickok


Seeing this colorful but curious Espresso and Hot Dog stand in Portland got me thinking about coffee (but not with popcorn, eek !), which is a favorite topic of mine, which then got me wondering, where in the world did I have my favorite cup of coffee? I'd have to answer that it was in Venice, at the Caffe' del Doge near the Realto. It may have been because we were in La Serenissima after all, or because it was late, and we were exhausted from walking all day, and cold, and thirsty. Or, it may have been because it was simply the most delicious cup of heaven I ever tasted. Ooh la la! Either way, it was fantastic! So, this got me wondering, where in the world did you have your favorite cup of coffee?

From the Archives - Fantastical Venice

Gondola docks near the Grand Canal, Venice, Italy  © Doug Hickok

 Venice, especially at night, seems like a dream world, a magical world of color and light and imagination. One feels transported to another time, one that is out of time with one's own, yet vaguely familiar. It's little wonder that so many writers, painters and composers have found inspiration in fantastical Venice.

A Little Misty, A Little Mystery

Colonial Lake, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok

A creeping fog veils Colonial Lake in the early hours of dawn. This could easily be the setting for an Alfred Hitchcock film or an Edgar Allen Poe mystery.

Market Hall Reflection

Market Hall, Charleston SC  © Doug Hickok


A colorful bookstore window display on the corner of Market Street features coffee table books about some of Charleston's finest attractions, antebellum architecture and courtyard gardens, plus a reflection of old Market Hall, built in the neoclassical style of a Roman temple.

Angel Hair Fashionista

Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, GA  © Doug Hickok


A statue in Savannah's Bonaventure Cemetery proudly points to her fabulous coiffure of Spanish moss. 

The Dancing Fish Net

Crosby's Seafood, Folly Beach, SC  © Doug Hickok

A fish net dangling in the air, becomes a dancer swaying in the breeze. It may not be the tarantella, but it's a fine jig nonetheless.

The Visitor in Velvet

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


One day in autumn, a few years back, as I steadied my camera to make a photograph of this old shed and fence row, an antlered visitor quietly appeared in the frame from the woods. He was so well camouflaged that I didn't notice him at first. And as soon as I pressed the shutter, the visitor vanished just as quietly back into the woods, as though the moment had never happened. But it wasn't my imagination, because the proof was in the emulsion.

Bridge Wednesday - Tower of Power

Ravenel Bridge, Charleston, SC  © Doug Hickok


This twilight image shows one of the powerful towers that suspends the Ravenel Bridge over the Cooper River in Charleston. The bridge is one of the longest cable-stayed bridges in the Western Hemisphere, and is designed to withstand both strong hurricanes and earthquakes, and the demented driving habits of some local denizens. Furthermore, a splendid pedestrian/biking trail parallels the span, providing lovely views of Charleston Harbor and its numerous semi-tropical icebergs.