Happy New Year!

So how did 2015 work out for you?  I hope it was a good one, and that you accomplished most of the goals you set for yourself.  The best way to put it all in perspective for me is to count my blessings.  I have a home, unlike many global refugees; I haven't lost a loved one to tragedy, unlike the many families who have been affected by terrorism, and I have not gone hungry - far from it.  I do not live with pain and am not lonely. When I add all those up, I realize that I have no cause for complaint.  My top three resolutions for 2016 are to lose that 10 pounds (I think that was a goal for 2015 ...), spend more time helping others, and spend more time practicing hearing from God.

I have been working with adding textures to images. Here are a couple that I like.  The originals were taken at Botany Bay and Hunting Island State Park.

This Christmas in Charleston

The weather across the world has been highly unusual of late.  Floods in North England, droughts in Africa, blizzards and terrible tornadoes in the US Midwest, and beach weather in Charleston - not just for a day, or a weekend, but for weeks! Here are a couple of pics from Folly Beach yesterday evening.

Merry Christmas 2015

"The Reason for the Season" has  become such a cliche, but it's still funny how people just seem to be a little more tolerant around Christmas time, a little more friendly, a little less impatient (except in the traffic around the malls perhaps).  There a probably a plethora of reasons for that, diverse as the people they represent, but I think for many (at least for me), it is the reminder that we have been given so much and it is an outflow of gratitude.  God gave the very best He had for us, so let's pay it forward. Merry Christmas!

Ruins Plantation, Sumter SC

As part of my involvement with the Slave Dwelling Project (slavedwellingproject.org) I visited Ruins Plantation in Sumter recently to document what is believed was once a slave cabin.  The owners were very gracious and were happy for me to photograph the main house and grounds.  It was beautifully decorated for Christmas.  Here are a couple of the images.

Car Camping in Hunting Island State Park

This was an experiment.  I chose Hunting Island not only because it is a beautiful part of South Carolina, but also because if car camping became intolerable at any point, I was only an hour and half drive away from home.  As it was, I had a site reserved for two nights (the minimum required) and was very happy to drive home to my own bed for the second night.  It was fun in a limited way, but there is just not enough space in the back of a SUV for food, clothing, camping equipment, photography equipment, and me.  Cons were the mosquitos and bugs that chased me into my car prematurely at dusk, and pros were finally finding a use for my moonroof and being able to walk straight on to the beach at dawn.  I stopped in at the St. Helena Parish Chapel of Ease ruins, and the old store in Seabrook on my way home.  All in all, another interesting adventure to add to my collection.

God Speed Mr. Thomas

I only heard today that Mr. Thomas Backman (aka Mr. Love) passed away four days ago on November 20th.  I don't yet even know the details, but I know that Charleston and the Low Country has lost a treasure.  To me he represented all that was iconic about the South; the creeks, marshes, shrimping, oysters, the stories... Oh my, he loved to tell stories.  I only met him about five years ago, but he was patient and tolerant with me and my camera.  I wanted to take a new set of portraits of him on his trawler, but he didn't like posing so he would wave me off on that subject, and launch into another story about how it was on the island back in the day.  He was always tinkering with something on his boat, getting it ready to get back to working the seas again.  I know he was loved and respected by all and that he will be sorely missed by many.  To his family and his community I extend my sincere condolences.  He was a man of faith, so I know it is not goodbye, but you have dipped beneath my horizon for the moment.  Your boat slipped its moorings and you are home.  This photo was taken on his dock in May of 2011.

Unitarian Church Cemetery After Dark

This evening we did a shoot with Tour Charleston, LLC, a local tour company that specializes in Charleston ghost tours.  They have exclusive access to the Unitarian Church cemetery after the gates have been closed to the public and this evening we took some photos for marketing purposes.  It was a lot of fun.  The only thing we agreed was missing as the time went by was some wine.  I wonder if anyone would think that a little weird, drinking wine in a creepy cemetery at night :)

Photographing 3 year old Jenna

I have photographed this little girl since we took her Mom's maternity pics, and she is growing up fast.  She was a real trooper in this shoot and did everything that was asked of her with a big smile. What a sweet child.

Euphrates turns 3 years old

Wow, this little trooper has come such a long way.  She was born needing multiple surgeries but she came through them all, and a sweeter, happier child you would be hard pressed to find.  We celebrated her third birthday yesterday and she had a blast.  We know God has big plans for her life - go Euphrates!!

Some New Aerial Images

I had been trying for the longest time to schedule a trip to capture some new aerial images.  I was trying to get ahead of Mother Nature and do it before the marsh grass turned brown, but I didn't quite make it, thanks to weather related and other scheduling delays.  Saturday was hazy by the afternoon so it wasn't one of my more successful shoots, but there were definitely a few keepers amongst the bunch.

Middleton Place

Bohicket Marina, Seabrook Island

Sam's Spit - they did it anyway despite all the objections

Kiawah Golf Club

Morris Island Lighthouse

Patriot's Point, Mount Pleasant

The Most Magnificent Oaks in the Carolinas

I had the opportunity to photograph my favorite oak trees this afternoon.  They are on private property and so not very accessible, but I was given permission to be there and I hope these images go some way towards doing justice to the subject matter.

More Images from the Road

Well 800+ miles later I'm back home, always with heartfelt gratitude to my ever-vigilant guardian angels, as I wade through rivers, climb and wander along trails, usually alone and usually without a cell signal.  I am particularly grateful that I have repeatedly survived driving the I-26, especially through the Columbia portion, but that diatribe is for another time.  For the record, I believe that there will still be great color to be seen next weekend between elevations 2,000-3,000ft.

Portion of US 276 near the Cradle of Forestry

US 276 near the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Davidson River near Brevard

Rural Brevard

One of the trails in the Caesar's Head State Park

Campbell's Covered Bridge, Landrum