Forests of James Island County Park

Of course we know that the woods of James Island County Park are not very expansive, but at times when you are walking or biking the trails, you can imagine that they are, because occasionally there is no sign of anything man made.  For fun I took some photos and converted them to black and white, and if you didn't know where they had been taken, you would never suspect that these scenes existed in the midst of our suburban sprawl.

Old Charleston Favorites

It's been alternately hot and rainy, and I haven't been motivated to get out and shoot much lately, so I've been working on organizing my files instead.  These were a couple that I shot in 2012 from the top of the Sergeant Jasper building. Ugly building I know, but kinda nostalgic because it will be coming down very soon.

Evening at the JICP Fishing Dock

After what seemed like weeks of unsettled weather, the clouds moved out of the area this evening, and with the humidity still relatively low (for July), it was just gorgeous.  I decided to get some exercise at the James Island County Park, but saw that it was shaping up to be a beautiful evening, so I grabbed my camera from the car and headed for the fishing dock to enjoy it.  I just love that park!

Full Moonrise

Always chasing the moon and pursuing the ultimate moon rise shot.  It's like being in search of the holy grail. I will never get there, but it sure was pretty on the West Ashley Greenway the other night.  Hot and buggy, but pretty.

New Aerial Images uploaded

I had been trying to schedule a flight for over two weeks, but the weather had been rainy, stormy, hazy or just uncooperative in some way or another.  I finally got a break on Thursday evening and even though the temperature was in the mid nineties (and it was also pretty windy), I think we managed to get some decent shots.  I paid for it because my stomach did not appreciate the flying conditions, but all in the line of duty!  I have 600+ to edit, but here are a few that caught my eye initially.

Happy Birthday USA

A day late, yes, but I didn't want to let the occasion slip by without marking it.  The United States is definitely not united.  As celebrations took place throughout the country yesterday, this is a solemn reality that should give most responsible citizens a reason to pause. Regardless of our political persuasions and agendas, wouldn't it be wonderful if we could restore mutual respect, be more willing to listen than to talk, and not be so arrogant as to believe it is only our point of view that has any value.  That's how it has to be in families, otherwise we don't get along very well.  I for one want to be a peacemaker in my corner on a daily basis, and try to become part of a solution instead of perpetuating the problem, of which there are legion.  Hatred and scorn have never achieved anything positive.

Chasing the ISS

My "spot the Station" email alerted me as follows:  "Time: Sunday July 02 5:50AM, Visible: 4 min, Max Height: 55°, Appears: 11° above SSW, Disappears: 43° above E". Looking at the Google map coordinates, I figured that the Folly Beach pier would be a good place from which to view and photograph it, so I set my alarm clock accordingly.  I guessed that a maximum height of 55 degrees could be included in the frame, but as I watched it hurtle through the sky, it passed almost overhead, impossible to photograph while still keeping the ground in view.  I would have thought that 90° maximum height would have been more accurate, but then I guess I'm interpreting it wrong (wouldn't wan't to argue with NASA) and anyway Math was never my strong point.  In any event, I enjoyed the show and then stayed to watch the sun come up in the company of lots of other early risers.  I'm always glad later that I made the effort to get out of bed although I need to find someone to explain how to correctly predict the path of the ISS.