Warped Mind Photography

Rabbit Hash

2010-11-21T10:16:00.000-05:00

Arches National Park CO

2010-10-13T05:37:00.000-04:00

Cortez and Delores CO

2010-10-13T05:18:00.000-04:00

Mesa Verde National Park CO

2010-10-13T05:07:00.001-04:00

Sandia Peak, NM

2010-10-10T08:09:00.000-04:00

The world’s longest aerial tramway transports you above deep canyons and breathtaking terrain a distance of 2.7 miles. Vantage point from the observation deck atop 10,378 foot Sandia Peak in the Cibola National Forest affords an 11,000 square-mile panoramic view of the Rio Grande Valley and the Land of Enchantment. Located on the eastern edge of Albuquerque in the Sandia Foothills at the end of Tramway Road.

Iclesia San Jose Cellillos - New Mexico

2010-10-09T19:45:00.000-04:00

Mountainair, NM

2010-09-29T18:58:00.000-04:00

Madrid, NM

2010-09-29T18:29:00.001-04:00

Travel the scenic Turquoise Trail and experience the village of Madrid nestled in a narrow canyon in the Ortiz Mountains. Once a historic coal mining town and ghost town, Madrid is now a creative community with over 40 shops and galleries representing 100's of artists.

Salinas Pueblos Gran Quivira & Quara

2010-09-29T18:02:00.001-04:00

Once, thriving American Indian trade communities of Tiwa and Tompiro speaking Puebloans inhabited this remote area of central New Mexico. Early in the 17th-century Spanish Franciscans visited the area and found it ripe for their missionary efforts. However by 1677 the entire Salinas District, was depopulated of both Indian and Spaniard alike.

What remains today are austere yet beautiful reminders of the early contact between Pueblo Indians and Spanish Colonials. The ruins of four mission churches, at Quarai, Abó, and Gran Quivira and the partially excavated pueblo of Las Humanas or, as it is known today, Gran Quivira. Established in 1980 through the combination of two New Mexico State Monuments and the former Gran Quivira National Monument, the present Monument comprises a total of 1,100 acres.

Roswell, NM

2010-09-26T18:03:00.000-04:00

On the Road in New Mexico

2010-09-26T12:54:00.000-04:00

3 Rivers Petroglyphs

2010-09-26T12:50:00.000-04:00

More of Ruidoso

2010-09-26T12:48:00.000-04:00

Hubbart Museum, Fort Stantion, Merchants & Marines Military Cemetery

2010-09-26T05:14:00.000-04:00

Hubbart Museum of the American West

Fort Stanton, New Mexico

Merchants & Marines Military Cemetery, Fort Stanton, New Mexico

Rudioso / White Sands

2010-09-24T08:14:00.000-04:00

Cloud Croft, NM

http://www.davemcgary.com/biography-of-dave-mcgary.htm

Rudioso, NM

White Sands, NM

Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

2010-09-23T08:15:00.001-04:00

History of Carlsbad Cavern National Park

More than 1,000 years ago prehistoric Native Americans ventured into Carlsbad Cavern seeking shelter. They left behind no record of what their impressions of the cave were, but they did leave some mysterious drawings on cave walls near the natural entrance. Much later, in the 1800s, settlers discovered the cavern, drawn to it by the spectacle of hundreds of thousands of bats rising up out of the natural entrance in the evening. Some stayed to mine the hugh deposits of bat guano in the cave and sell it as a natural fertilizer. One such man, a cowboy named Jim White, became fascinated by the cave and spent hour after hour exploring it. White was eager to show the many natural wonders of this extraordinary place to others, but few persons believed his improbable tales of a huge underground wilderness full of unusual cave formations. It took photographs to convince skeptics that Carlsbad Caverns was everything it was said to be and more.

Black and white pictures taken by Ray V. Davis, who accompanied White on a cave trip, were displayed in the town of Carlsbad in 1915. They created a sensation. People suddenly clamored to see the marvelous cave for themselves. White took them on tours that began with an unceremonious 170 foot descent in a bucket once used to haul bat guano from the cave.

Word of the cave spread, finally reaching Washington, D.C. Again, there were nonbelievers, but in 1923 the U.S. Department of the Interior sent inspectors Robert Holley to investigate and see whether Carlsbad Cavern was truly an outstanding natural scenic wonder. Originally a skeptic, Holly wrote in his final report: "...I am wholly conscious of the feebleness of my efforts to convey in the deep conflicting emotions, the feeling of fear and awe, and the desire for an inspired understanding of the Devine Creator's work which presents to the human eye such a complex aggregate of natural wonders...."

Later that year Carlsbad Cavern was proclaimed a national monument. White, who was to continue his cave explorations for most of his lifetime, became its first chief ranger. Seven years later Carlsbad Caverns National Park was created to protect the cave. Through illustrated articles published in magazines such as National Geographic and by word of mouth, Carlsbad Cavern became one of the world's most celebrated caves. Since its establishment, the park has been expanded and today includes 46,766 acres and more than 80 other smaller caves.

And the exploration of Carlsbad Cavern continues. Experienced underground explorers, or cavers and cave scientists are the Christopher Columbuses of today, journeying beyond the boundaries of what is known into the realm of the unknown. Carlsbad Cavern attracts many men and women who are eager to shed light on some of its mysteries. Teams of cavers well versed in safe exploration techniques continue to discover new portions of the cave. Their finds in recent years include the Guadalupe Room, Carlsbad Caverns second largest room, in 1966; the exceptionally colorful and much decorated Bifrost Room, in 1982; the Chocolate High, on of the most recent discoveries, in 1993.

Scientific discoveries by speleologists, or cave scientists, are expanding our knowledge of Carlsbad Cavern in other ways. Research is answering some of the questions about the complex creation of Carlsbad Cavern, about the unfamiliar world of bats and other members of the cave community, and about the effects of man's activities on the cave.
http://www.carlsbad.caverns.national-park.com/info.htm#his

Higginsport House

2010-09-01T07:37:00.000-04:00

Pt. Pleasant

2010-08-19T05:04:00.000-04:00

New Richmond

2010-08-19T05:03:00.000-04:00

Small Town - Bethel, Ohio

2010-08-01T14:18:00.000-04:00

Ohio River @ Meldahl Dam

2010-07-25T06:28:00.000-04:00

The Captain Anthony Meldahl Locks and Dam is a non-navigable river control dam with an associated lock, located at mile marker 436 on the Ohio River.

Red Oak Cemetery / Aunt Jemima

2010-07-15T05:33:00.000-04:00

Established in 1798, the picturesque church is situated among 200-year-old oak and sycamore trees. These days the church door, cinched with an old-time brass skeleton key, is only open for Sunday morning services. However, in the late 1700’s, this door was open year-round. Historical records mention Red Oak Presbyterian Church's involvement in the Underground Railroad movement and for over 100 years the church’s congregation has included whites as well as blacks.

As well, the church’s adjacent cemetery includes markers bearing the family names of those descending from formerly enslaved persons who settled around Red Oak. Rosa Washington Riles is buried there. For over 25 years, simple copper pipes marked her grave. A piece of metal dangled from the piping and adhesive letters formed the name “Aunt Jemima.” Using the meager profits from its annual pancake breakfast, the community purchased a brown marble headstone for Riles's grave. The unaffected piping remained until just recently.

Rosa Washington Riles, portrayed Aunt Jemima. Riles was born in 1901 in Red Oak, Ohio, a small farming community located 50 miles east of Cincinnati. In her mid-30s, Riles left Red Oak to work for the Quaker Oats Company. Quaker Oats hoped to bolster the public’s interest in their self-rising pancake mix by bringing their trademark to life. During the Depression, major newspapers carried Help Wanted Ads, seeking several dozen attractive black women to dress as Aunt Jemima and travel the nation, giving cooking demonstrations with Quaker Oats’ self-rising pancake mix.

Some of the women who portrayed the “real-life” Aunt Jemima gained national popularity; others, like Rosa Washington Riles, did not.

Gettysburg

2010-07-13T06:14:00.000-04:00

The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the Civil War, the Union victory in the summer of 1863 that ended General Robert E. Lee's second and most ambitious invasion of the North. Often referred to as the "High Water Mark of the Rebellion", it was the war's bloodiest battle with 51,000 casualties. It also provided President Abraham Lincoln with the setting for his most famous address.

Harpers Ferry

2010-07-11T05:30:00.000-04:00

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is located at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers in the states of West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, John Brown, "Stonewall" Jackson, and Frederick Douglass are just a few of the prominent individuals who left their mark on this place.

Cairo West Virginia

2010-07-08T05:30:00.000-04:00

The town of Cairo, West Virginia, lies on the banks of the Hughes River in Ritchie County. Cairo is a small town that flourished when the railroad came through town (1850's) and again later when the oil and gas industry began to grow in the area (1890's). When the railroad tracks were taken up, the town of Cairo lost part of its character and a significant part of its heritage.

Antietam

2010-07-07T04:34:00.000-04:00

The Bloodiest One Day Battle in American History

23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia’s first invasion into the North and led to Abraham Lincoln’s issuance of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

Topsail Beach

2010-06-13T18:20:00.001-04:00

Situated at the southern end of Topsail Island, off the coast of southeastern North Carolina, the Town of Topsail Beach. The Island is just off US Highway 17, about half-way between Wilmington and Jacksonville.

Topsail Island has a rich and varied history. Local folklore claims the name, Topsail (pronounced Tops’l), originated during the 1700’s when pirate ships roamed the coastal waters.

Historians explain that marauding pirates hid their ships in the channel behind the island and waited for passing merchant ships loaded with goods. The pirates would pursue and attack the merchants, claiming the cargoes as their own.

NoDa - Charlotte

2010-05-30T16:17:00.000-04:00

NoDa is now the home to the City's best collection of galleries and performance venues; some of the funkiest full service restaurants including authentic Cajun cooking, Southwest cuisine, a Creative pizza eatery and more.

The Botanical Gardens at UNCC

2010-05-04T05:36:00.001-04:00

The Botanical Gardens consist of three main areas – the McMillan Greenhouse complex, the 3-acre Susie Harwood Garden, and the 7-acre Van Landingham Glen. The three areas are located together, on the east side of the UNC Charlotte campus. Each garden has something unique to offer – from the orchids, desert plants, carnivorous plants, and tropical wonders of the greenhouse... to the native wildflowers, trees, and rhododendrons in the peaceful setting of the Glen... to the intimate, artful settings in the Harwood Garden including the Winter garden, Asian garden, Water Garden, and much rockwork throughout.

Maysville, Kentucky

2010-04-26T07:20:00.000-04:00

Maysville was a thriving little town in the 1950s. Downtown flourished with a multitude of retail business. Stores stayed open on Friday night. There was no Sunday sales. No parking meters. No one way streets. On weekend nights they just “ rolled up the sidewalk” People came from miles around to shop in downtown Maysville. For entertainment there was the Russell Theatre. For more information check out http://masoncountyky.blogspot.com/

Arnheim, Brown County, Ohio

2010-04-13T07:37:00.001-04:00

Peace Lutheran Church, Arnheim, Brown County, Ohio

Since 1825 there had been a large German element in the population of this locality. Arnheim is named after Jacob Arn, one of the first settlers. The latter part, "heim" is German for home.

In early years Arnheim was quite a business center. There were two stores, a blacksmith shop, wagon shop, cabinet maker, undertaker, coffin maker, tailor, brewery, distillery, tobacco warehouse, physician, post office, school, Catholic Church and Lutheran German Reformed Church. Some of the last Indians in Ohio were on the farm of the late John Abbott in north Arnheim, and Morgan's Raid came through on July 7, 1863. - http://www.lutheransonline.com/servlet/lo_ProcServ/dbpage=cge&gid=20052583890185283201111555&pg=20060207540490036901111555 -

Playing with Fire

2010-04-12T07:45:00.000-04:00

I could very easily turn into a fire bug. LOL

Old Rocky River Presbyterian Cemetery 1784-1845

2010-03-23T01:47:00.000-04:00

More Photos of Charlotte

2010-03-19T05:56:00.001-04:00

Early Morning in Charlotte

2010-03-18T06:03:00.001-04:00

More Pics from St Pat Parade

2010-03-16T05:36:00.001-04:00

St. Patrick

2010-03-15T05:53:00.001-04:00

Charlotte Goes Green Saint Patrick's Day Festival: The 14th Annual Charlotte St. Patrick's Day Parade

Strangers in the Parking Lot

2010-03-01T05:54:00.002-05:00

This for the strangers who stopped me in the parking lot of Concord Mills. If you want a higher res photo shoot me an email, debra.nickol@yahoo.com and I will send it to you.

Lake Wylie

2010-02-22T08:04:00.002-05:00

Finally it was a beautiful weekend to be out and about. In my wanderings I found a boat ramp for Lake Wylie I hadn't found before. Then I went to check out the dam access I had found last winter. It did my soul well.

End of the World 2010

2010-02-01T06:13:00.002-05:00

Ayrsley - New Year's Day

2010-01-04T05:17:00.003-05:00

Early morning walk around Ayrsley on New Year's Day.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-21T05:00:00.001-05:00

Wishing everyone a Happy Holidays and wonderful New Year.

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

2009-12-15T08:10:00.002-05:00

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. Everyone has a favorite charity this time of the year. This one is mine and the rest of the post was taken straight from their web site, http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/about_us/.

Pregnancy and birth are miraculous journeys. This amazing time of life is full of mystery, anticipation, joy, hope, and wonder. Feeling the powerful energy of birth and new life, watching as a new family is born unto each other. These things humble and amaze. These are the things that we celebrate when a baby is born.

But there is another aspect of pregnancy and birth. There is an unexpected place in this journey where some families may find themselves. When a baby dies, a world is turned upside down. There is confusion, sadness, fear, and uncertainty that cannot be explained. There is sorrow where there should have been joy. During this time, it might be impossible for families to know what they might need in order to heal in the future.

This is the place where the Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation gently provides a helping hand and a healing heart. For families overcome by grief and pain, the idea of photographing their baby may not immediately occur to them. Offering gentle and beautiful photography services in a compassionate and sensitive manner is the heart of this organization. The soft, gentle heirloom photographs of these beautiful babies are an important part of the healing process. They allow families to honor and cherish their babies, and share the spirits of their lives.

The Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep Foundation (NILMDTS) administers a network of almost 7,000 volunteer photographers in the United States and twenty-five countries. At a family's request, a NILMDTS Affiliated Photographer will come to your hospital or hospice location and conduct a sensitive and private portrait session. The portraits are then professionally retouched and presented to the families on an archival DVD or CD that can be used to print portraits of their cherished baby.

Our entire network of affiliated photographers graciously donate their time and talents to our families and we are proud to be able to offer our services at no cost. Your Donations are greatly needed and greatly appreciated.
Please consider supporting the mission of NILMDTS. To Donate

Daniel Boone and Frankfort, Kentucky

2009-12-01T05:30:00.004-05:00

No trip is complete for me without a trip to a cemetery. This trip it was the Frankfort Cemetery in Frankfort, Kentucky (among others LOL). Daniel Boone is supposely buried in Frankfort Cemetery. His remains were brought to Frankfort in 1845, along with those of his wife Rebecca who had died in 1813. Or at least, maybe they were: in the best Old World tradition, where his relics really lie is a matter of doubt and maybe deceit.

If you would like to see more photos from Frankfort please check out my flickr page.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail

2009-11-30T01:03:00.001-05:00

What better way to start the Thanksgiving Holiday season than a trip down the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky. Our first stop was the American Outpost of Jim Beam Distillery.

When Jacob Beam cooked up his first batch of bourbon back in 1795, debts were settled with duels. The American Dream was still taking shape. And you added more horsepower by, well, adding another horse. People also sipped 137 proof bourbon at 9:00 in the morning. It warms you right up and curls your toes.

Next stop was our favorite, Maker’s Mark. It is still family owned and small compared to the other huge bourbon distilleries. Needless to say the sipping kept me warm to the next stop.

Heaven Hill Distilleries was the third on our list. It is America’s largest independent family-owned producer of Bourbon, but after Maker’s Mark it was too big and modern for my taste. Shoot me I liked their wreath. I am lucky I took any photos by mid morning.

Wild Turkey was the last stop on the tour for us. They had cookies or something delicious made from Wild Turkey “Honey” for us to try which made for a great ending to a fun day.

No, I wasn’t driving. No, that wasn't me behind the sign pretending to be a turkey.

South End

2009-11-16T06:12:00.004-05:00

It was a beautiful weekend in Charlotte, with temps in the high 70's. The perfect day to be out and about.
I decided to walk around Historic South End, often referred to as The South End early Sunday morning. The South End is a neighborhood immediately south of Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina.

The South End has its beginning in the 1850's with Charlotte's first railroad line, connecting the Queen City to Columbia and Charleston, SC. As time passed a thriving manufacturing community sprang up along the tracks, centered on the booming textile industry. The industrial area declined during the 1970s and 1980s, only to be revived in the early 1990s as restaurants, shops, and design-related industries discovered the old mills and warehouses. The area is notable for the number of renovated factories and eclectic mix of retail, commercial and high end residential construction.

As usual, if you would like to see more photos from the South End please visit my flickr page

Key West Cemetery

2009-10-30T05:39:00.004-04:00

I can't past up an old cemetery.

An expansive bricked lot features the pink granite gravestones for three Yorkshire terriers and Elfina, a pet deer, along with members of the prominent Otto family. Dr. Otto was a Prussian-born medical officer at Fort Jefferson who fought the yellow fever epidemic. I couldn't find the owners of the Yorkshire buried in the family plot.

An expansive bricked lot features the pink granite gravestones for three Yorkshire terriers and Elfina, a pet deer, along with members of the prominent Otto family. Dr. Otto was a Prussian-born medical officer at Fort Jefferson who fought the yellow fever epidemic.

More photos on my flickr page.

Key West

2009-10-29T06:34:00.002-04:00

Key West is an arty town, and walking around the side streets of Old Town you'll see public art and sculpture all around you.

If you would like to see more Key West Photos please check my flickr page.

Day at Sea

2009-10-28T05:29:00.003-04:00

The seas were too rough for us to dock at our beach so we spent the 2nd day at sea. Can you tell I was bored?

Nassau

2009-10-27T06:07:00.004-04:00

The first port of call on the cruise was Nassau.

If you would like to see more photos from Nassau please check out my flickr page

Port of Miami

2009-10-26T05:37:00.002-04:00

A few shots from my cruise. These are from the Port of Miami.

If you would like to see more check out http://www.flickr.com/photos/debra_pictures/sets/72157622540938641/

Cemeteries

2009-10-08T06:38:00.003-04:00

I love old cemeteries. Elmwood Cemetery in Charlotte is a beautiful old cemetery in the city. Early morning is a wonderful time to go, the city raises up in the background, towering over grave stones that go back to the civil war. Anyone who was anyone in Charlotte is buried in Elmwood and it shows with the massive stones and crypts.

If you would like to see more photos of Elmwood Cemetery please check out my flickr page.

Charlotte Roller Girls

2009-10-05T06:24:00.003-04:00

The Charlotte Roller Girls are an all-female flat track roller derby league in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States.

The Charlotte Roller Girls held a free exhibition bout in front of the Ayrsley Grand Cinemas 14 to celebrate the opening night of Whip It, a roller derby themed movie directed by and starring Drew Barrymore.

If you would like to see more photos from the Charlotte Roller Girls, please check out my flickr page.

Race for the Cure

2009-10-04T08:05:00.004-04:00

Roughly 14,000 participants in Saturday morning's Susan G. Komen Charlotte Race for the Cure which brought a riot of pink to uptown Charlotte. They turned out with a sense of purpose (and humor) to remember those they've lost, honor survivors and raise $1.3million for breast cancer research.

They came wearing pink capes, feather boas, stuffed flamingoes, wigs, T-shirts and sweat suits. A group of burly men sported pink tutus. Pink sheets of paper pinned to their backs listed the people they walked for.

Supporters for Charlotte Radiology – pink woman group

If you would like to see more photos from the race, please check out my flickr page.

Renee #900481

2009-09-24T03:58:00.000-04:00

Sunday was such a gloomy overcast day, perfect for a photo shoot. Renee was a last minute scheduled shoot and I wasn't really in the mood to drive all over the city looking for a location. I decided to see if Ayrsley would do. We found a few places around the fountain and chess set to play. Renee was a good sport about the whole experiment and Dannie stopped around to help if need. All in all, it was a good company and a shoot.

If you would like to see more of Renee's photos check out my flickr account.

Amanda

2009-09-23T07:38:00.001-04:00

Sometimes the best shoots are the ones not planned. Ananda (MUA mm#667936) always seems to know the best models. Amanda was no expection, she channeled Twiggy for the entire shoot and we had a blast.

Amanda and Lynsey

2009-09-22T08:48:00.005-04:00

Sometimes shoots flow with an easy ebb and other times they are just painful to get done. Usually I can tell how the post production is going to go by the how the shoot actually went. The best I hope for is I am getting better so the shoots go well which will allow the post production to go quickly.

I am still amazed when I open a photo and the photo speaks to me. That I actually captured something with camera. I had so much fun with Lynsey, Amanda, and Ananda last weekend and it shows in the photos.

If you would like to see more photos of Amanda and Lynsey, please check out my flickr account.

Lynsey B

2009-09-22T06:18:00.002-04:00

I shot Lynsey B (mm#1305949)on Saturday in Elmwood Cemetery. Elmwood is a great location, great stones and the city in the background. The day was grey and very overcast with the threat of rain. Ananda (mm#667936) came to do Lynsey's makeup and I enjoy having him around. Ananda always brings friends who also model for me and the shoot wound up being so much fun. So far I have only gotten to Lynsey's photos, but will be posting Amanda's (Ananda's friend) soon.

If you would like to see more photos of Lynsey, please check out my flickr page.

Crown Memorial

2009-09-21T05:43:00.004-04:00

I am always driving around looking for places to take photos and sometimes I find the oddest things. I also seem to have a radar for cemeteries, I can find a cemetery like some women find a shoe store. This pass weekend both kicked in. I was driving through an industrial park when I found a very odd cemetery, The Crown Memorial.

The following passage was taken from their website. "In the middle of the park is the Crown of Life, Crown Memorial Park's centerpiece feature, welcomes souls into enternity. This stunning 3-story statue marks our premiere section."

I found the statue to be a bit creepy in the very early morning light out in the middle of no where.

If you would like to see more photos of Crown Memorial or Pineville, please check out my flickr page,

Finding my Center

2009-09-14T10:01:00.004-04:00

My life can be overwhelming and chaotic. When my mind is going full blast it is difficult to feel peaceful. I have tried many outside sources to help calm my mind and being but none seem to help near as much as photography. Photography forces me to slow down and to really look at things, to see the light and shadows playing across buildings and people we see everyday. To see how things look different in the early morning light compared to the harsh reality of the noon day sun. To see how the earth prepares for the nighttime, by giving us such a range of colors as the sun goes down.

So many times in our busy lives we have gotten away from the wonder that is a beautiful day, be it either sunrise or sunset. We have two chances most every day to be amazed and we let it slip away.

Passion

2009-09-08T07:00:00.003-04:00

I didn't have any model shoots this weekend, so I have been sitting here catching up on odds and ends photos that needed post processing. The following photos were taken in Charlotte near the Time Warner statium while I was waiting for Justice to show up last weekend.

As much as I like shooting models, my passion seems to be buildings and objects. Doesn't seem to matter if it is the city or decaying buildings, I like solitude of wandering around looking at objects differently.

If you would like to see the rest of the photos, please check out my flickr account, http://www.flickr.com/photos/debra_pictures/

Everyone needs a hobby

2009-09-08T01:49:00.000-04:00

Sam, the girls and I went to Latta Planation over the weekend. Taylor is such a history buff right now and Charlotte is full of history. If nothing else, I am learning there are two sides to every story. The "Southern" version that Taylor is learning is sometimes very different from the "Northern" version I learned in school.

They were staging a Revolutionary War Reenactment at the plantation and we thought Taylor would enjoy it. We didn't stay for the actual reenactment but wandering around chatting with the people was very interesting and we had a good time.

The sun was a bit harsh for my liking but I was still able to get some nice shots.

I chatted with the blacksmith for a bit, somehow we got on the topic of snow. His wife was from somewhere up northeast. He kept working as we talked. I am not sure what he was making but he must have left it in the fire a bit too long, because when he took it out and hit it with a hammer, the tip went flying off like a rocket. He had to chase it down, stomp on it and then empty his mug of water on it. "Damn that wasn't suppose to happen". When I asked to take his photo he wanted to make sure I got his "best side".

"Benjamin Franklin" made an appearence since he was on his Southern Tour. He was supposed to debated "John Adams", only "John" didn't show. Poor Ben, he was left to take questions from the "guests". Which was a bit painful, since Ben was a bit deaf and couldn't hear the questions. And really wasn't prepared for the ones he did.

And then there was this gentleman. He was quite entertaining and when I asked to take his photo, he proceeded to tell me his photo was in the every post office for 4 states. I didn't have the heart to tell him I don't think they had post offices during the Revolutionary War. And besides I am sure he was the Jedi Knight at the Microsoft Sharepoint gig I went to.

If you would like to see more photos from Latta Plantation, please check out my flickr page, http://www.flickr.com/photos/debra_pictures

Justice #897494

2009-09-04T09:30:00.003-04:00

Justice and I had a wonderful shoot in Charlotte last Sunday.

If you would like to see more of Justice's photos from the shoot, please go my flickr account, http://www.flickr.com/photos/debra_pictures/sets/72157622114503097/

Callie Terry mm#1146877

2009-09-01T05:55:00.000-04:00

I shot with Callie Terry on Friday evening in Harrisburg.

Great Cookie Crumble

2009-08-31T01:40:00.000-04:00

This annual tradition of the Green Market pits Center City restaurants, chefs, and bakeries against one another to determine who is crowned the Best Cookie in the Center City. There was a panel of judges but was also open up the judging to the public for a People's Choice Award.

Reid's (Samantha's store) came in 3rd. They haven't posted the results on their site yet, but I will update when they do.

Brushes

2009-08-27T06:03:00.005-04:00

I spent most of my time yesterday playing with brushes in CS3. Photoshop brushes are essentially tools that can be used in the brush palette of adobe photoshop. Each photoshop brush has a specific design or an effect. I enjoy playing around with the brushes to add graffitti to a bland wall or creating wings on a model.

With a bit of minor tweaking, I can create some really fun effects. One of the biggest attractions of using photoshop brushes is the fact they allow me to get over the problem of not being able to draw well. I am able to add some nice touches with photoshop brushes. And there are tons of free brushes on the web.

How to Load Brushes

1. Download the zip file to any folder on your local disk

2. Unzip the .abr file and copy it to Program files > Adobe > Photoshop > Presets > Brushes

3. After they’re downloaded, select brush tool from the main toolbar in Photoshop and open Brushes Window (or just press F5 to get the brushes window)

4. Click the arrow in the upper right corner to navigate through the Brushes Window

5. Now select “Load Brushes …” in order to activate the downloaded ones.

6. Select the brush and click on “Load”.

7. New Brushes will show up in "Brushes Window“

8. Select the Brush colour and play with the parameters.

9. Once you decide on which brush you are going to use, click on the a new layer to add it. Having it on its own layer makes it so much easier to tweak the brush as needed.

Ruth ChangThao mm#1085545

2009-08-25T01:51:00.000-04:00

I had a shoot with Ruth Chang Thao on Sunday. She needed head shots and hopefully I was able to provide her with what she needed. She was great to work with.

If you would like to see more shots of Ruth please check out my flickr page @http://www.flickr.com/photos/debra_pictures/sets/72157622132075578/

Why can't I take decent photos of my grandchildren?

2009-08-23T11:07:00.008-04:00

Saturday was my grandson, Anthony's 4th birthday and once again I am totally unhappy with the photos I took. I really suck at taking kids photos. Getting down on their level I only wind up with sticky lens and lots of shoots looking up their noses or at their tongues.

Chelsie's Shoot

2009-08-15T15:34:00.006-04:00

It has been a while since I have been out shooting models. My heart just hasn't been in it. I have always shot with other photographers mainly because I just wasn't sure I could the deliver good photos to the models. I wanted to make sure they got something for their time. And I learned alot from the other photographers, but I also realized, I wasn't always completely happy with the shoots.

This weekend was the first time I set up a shoot with just me and the model. Chelsie is a cutie and was so easy to work with and the time just flowed. Alot of the worries I usually have at shoots just weren't there.

Another hurdle has been overcome.

Click to see more photos from the shoot.

Charlotte Neighborhoods

2009-08-15T12:00:00.000-04:00

I belong to a group call ProjectCLT. Our goal is to visit a different neighborhood of Charlotte for each of 8 consecutive weeks and document that neighborhood photographically.

I have found it to be very interesting, not only does it force me to get out but it exposes me to places I wouldn't have known about. Each neighborhood has its own special flavor.

One of the really cool thing about posting your photos is you get to check each other photos. I am often suprised by what someone has seen on their walks around the neighborhood that I missed. Makes me pay more attention when I am out.

The following are my favorites from each week.

Week #8 (August 10th): South End

Week #7 (August 3rd): Myers Park

Week #6 (July 27th): Dilworth

Week #5 (July 20th): Elizabeth

Week #4 (July 13th): 4th Ward

Week #3 (July 6th): Eastover

Week #2 (June 29): Plaza Midwood

Week #1 (June 22): NoDa

How to shoot a rainbow

2009-08-12T08:43:00.002-04:00

Charlotte has a wonderfull photography group called the STOTM group. Alot of the members are either full time photographers or semi professionals. They are so willing to share their expertise with the rest of us.

We had planned a shoot but the rains kept getting in the way. As we were trying to dodge the rain a rainbow appeared over the city. The photo below was taken without a polarizing filter and post processed to enhance the rainbow.

The rest of the group quickly pulled out their polarizing filter and started shooting away. It turned into a class on polarizing filters (which one more thing I need to add to my photo bag).

Polarizing Filter

The use of a Circular Polarizing filter is the key to taking great photographs of rainbows. If you turn the filter one way, it will make the rainbow completely disappear, while if you turn it 180 degrees, then the rainbow will be brilliantly saturated. Because rainbows are made of myriad tiny droplets of water that are reflecting light, you use the polarizing filter to modulate the intensity of the colors. Simply mount the filter to the front of your SLR lens and, as you rotate it, watch in the viewfinder as the color bands brighten and then fade. Shoot when you see the saturation you want.

You would also use the polarizing filter if you were taking shots of a reflection in water or in windows.

Happiness is only real when shared

2009-08-07T07:31:00.002-04:00

Why do we stubbornly cling to an idea even when we are receiving messages that we need to change our course of action?

Trash the dress

2009-08-05T05:38:00.005-04:00

The "trash the dress" shoot has been a hit on my flickr account. I have had more hits on it than other set. The next set doesn't even come close.

Fun Shoot

2009-08-03T06:29:00.003-04:00

My creative juices have been at a stand still lately. I love photography but I have been a bit bummed with shooting models. Nothing I have done lately has really impressed me. I love the early morning but no one else does. LOL. I look at these kids whose main objective is "to be famous". They have been told their entire lives they are special, when in reality they are just like everyone else. They really don't have the look or the drive to stand out from the pack.

A girl from the office wanted to do a "trash the dress" shoot. My heart wasn't really into it but I agreed anyway. We did it at another photographer's home, in the back yard. We had so much fun with the shoot, it was what I needed so badly. We threw paint and mud on her, she rolled in the mud, then we turn the garden hose on her. It was so cool.

I like cemeteries

2009-07-20T05:24:00.002-04:00

I like old cemeteries. There is a joke in our family that I liked cemeteries so much that I named my youngest daughter after one.

I find them to be very interesting, the massive stones, etched with not only important dates but with information that either the person who died or the ones left behind deem so important it has to be on a tombstone.

This is a perfect example. This stone is in Pinewood Cemetery in Charlotte, NC. Pinewood was the black cemetery until the 1970s or so. I am sure the R.M. Miller, Jr. thought he was honoring George Miller by placing the stone. But why put that George Miller was a slave and servant to R. M. Miller? And why put his own name on the stone? After 84 years who is really being remembered? A search of the burial records of Pinewood Cemetery doesn't even list a George Miller as being buried there.

While researching Elmwood/Pinewood Cemetery in Charlotte I came across this insert:
http://www.cmhpf.org/Surveys&relmwood.htm

Segregation and the Mark of Jim Crow In Elmwood Cemetery
Elmwood Cemetery’s landscape design also tells the story of racial divisions within Charlotte-Mecklenburg, divisions that were strictly upheld throughout the South until the middle of the twentieth century.

The Elmwood Cemetery complex was, from its inception, a combination of three distinctly separate burial grounds: Elmwood Cemetery, containing plots available for sale only to white citizens; Pinewood Cemetery, with plots available only to paying African Americans; and Potter’s Field, a plot of land owned by the city and used exclusively for the burial of white citizens who could not afford to purchase a plot.

While Potter’s Field was placed on the edge but still within the boundaries of all-white Elmwood, Pinewood Cemetery was designed as a completely separate burial ground. No roads connected Elmwood and Pinewood, and Pinewood could not be accessed by the main entrance to Elmwood on Sixth Street – African Americans used an entrance on Ninth Street to enter Pinewood, which had no paved streets and no peripheral fencing until the middle of the twentieth century.

The system of strict racial segregation set up under the Jim Crow laws of the early decades of the twentieth century dictated not only where African Americans could work, eat, shop, and socialize, but also where they could bury their dead. To emphasize the boundaries between the already segregated Elmwood and Pinewood cemeteries, a fence was erected in the 1930s between the two burial grounds. At one point, a “No Trespassing” sign was added to the fence, its warning addressing visitors to Elmwood.

Years after the city of Charlotte voted against discrimination in the sale of cemetery plots, the fence between Elmwood and Pinewood continued to stand as a symbol of racial discrimination.

Finally, in the late 1960s, empowered by the successes of the African American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, black Charlotteans began a crusade to bring the fence down. Leading the fight was Fred Alexander, Charlotte’s first black city councilman and the political voice of African Americans in Charlotte.

During the spring, summer and fall of 1968, Alexander argued the case for voluntary removal of the fence, fighting a white majority opposition within the City Council until January of 1969, when “Mayor Stan R. Brookshire broke a three-to-three tie in the Council.”

The next day, the fence was removed by the Mecklenburg Jaycees, an African American boys organization whose members had volunteered repeatedly before the City Council to remove the fence.

“This fence,” Alexander told Charlotte News reporters as he watched the fence come down, “has always been an insult to Negroes. It didn’t mean anything to white folks, but when I was a little boy, I used to come here and see this and to me it was just the worst thing in the world.”

Harry Potter

2009-07-20T04:51:00.002-04:00

I really don't like to go to the movies, but Taylor (my granddaughter) loves to go. Something about being in the theater and watching the movie on the big screen appeals to her. About once every couple of months we will walk to the neighborhood theater and catch the early show. Usually it is some Pixar cartoon because I really don't like regular movies and she will watch anything as long as she gets to go and get a large bag of popcorn.

She talked me into taking her to see the new Harry Potter movie. It was a wonderful movie. Taylor had read all the books so she knew what was coming but I was on the edge of my seat most of the movie. The special effects were awesome and gave it the fantasy edge while the sub plots kept it real. Taylor will be getting the DVD when it comes out, if for no other reason, so we can it again and again to catch all of the sub plots.

There were 3 screens running the movie and it was packed. I would have thought it would have been overrun with kids, but there were only a handful of kids. It might just be my neighberhood but it was mostly late 20 -30 year old couples. Almost as many guys as there were women.