One of my favorite photography genres is people in their element.  I love to capture people in their most comfortable and familiar environments, with no additions or subtractions.  Just let it be what it is.  My friends down at Backman Seafood are always great subjects, always relaxed.  There’s always something going on, friends or family stopping by, customers drifting in and out, easy talk and easy listening.  Mr. Thomas was working on his trawler, getting it ready to shrimp in Florida. Great place to hang out for awhile.

Right now the Audubon Swamp at Magnolia Gardens Plantation is buzzing with nesting activity. Birds in the rookeries are busily building their nests and chicks have already hatched.  Since this wonderful habitat is almost on my doorstep, I have taken to checking on it regularly.  Here are a couple of images of a pair of nesting Great Egrets taken over the past couple of days.

I am so glad I had the opportunity to photograph these guys on practice day, Friday 4/10  because I think it was the only day that saw blue skies; much more photogenic than a dull gray backdrop, which is how it was Saturday, and I suspect how it was today. Photographing fast moving jets is very different to photographing landscapes, and I had to quickly learn a whole set of new skills to get them in the frame, nevermind in focus. Needless to say, I deleted many unworthies, and was left with a few keepers, some of which I have shared below.  Enjoy!

As one of the MCAS Beaufort Airshow media perks, I was offered a ride in “Fat Albert”.  I jumped at the chance, but the more YouTube videos I watched, the more dubious I became at the prospect.  It is jet assisted and can take off (and land) almost vertically.  After signing multiple waivers and completing medical questionnaires, and being briefed on the flight, it was time to board.  Up until that point I still wasn’t sure that I was going to do it.  We had all been issued sick bags, and I really didn’t want to have to use mine.  Anyway, it was better than any rollercoaster ride, negative g’s, positive g’s, not your average commercial plane ride.  Thank you Blue Angels.

I have this love/hate relationship with Wisteria.  On one hand, it must be the most beautiful display of cascading purple that nature produces and I love to photograph it.  On the other, I am convinced that it is primarily responsible for my miserable allergic symptoms for the couple of weeks that it flowers. Anyway, the love wins out; after all, that’s why the drug companies developed Benadryl and Claritin. This is what it looked like this afternoon.

I had a great opportunity this morning to photograph some classic “Southern” in the form of a rare 1967 Ford F100 Ranger, and an aging Labrador against the backdrop of Mel’s Filling Station.  Thanks to my friend Bubba who provided the Ford and the dog, and thanks to the Rautons who own the iconic old time filling station.

Although, like many I love this tree, it is not an easy photographic subject.  Firstly it is surrounded by ugliness, porta-potties, a chain link fence, cars, a tacky building, not to mention a plethora of warning signs insisting that no one mistreat the tree in any way.  Add to that the fact that no tripods are allowed under the spread of the tree, so all shots have to be hand held; not easy on a dreary day with very little light.  I did the best I could with what I had to work with, but I think my energies could be better directed elsewhere in future.  

I will be editing my mill images for weeks, trying to extract the feel of the real thing, the experience of being there, so these are perhaps premature, but I still want to share them now.  A little later I will create a dedicated gallery on my website and feature my favorites.

I heard about this place a few years ago and so it became a “bucket list” item, one that I have now checked off – been there, done that.  This mill was also known as the Klotz Throwing Company, and is the last intact silk mill in the US.  It was abandoned in 1957 after workers walked off the job and the doors closed permanently.  Nothing much has changed in the mill since then, except of course that it is falling into disrepair. That is a severe summary of the history of the mill, along with the town that it once supported, but more can be found with a web search.  I’m very glad I made the trip.  Here are a few images from today.  I will return tomorrow since one could spend a week in the facility and still not cover everything.  It is a veritable gold mine of fascinating history – like stepping back in time.

Yesterday evening on the urging of a photo buddy, I took advantage of our extra hour of light and headed for Folly Beach.  I am so glad I did.  After the endless succession of cold, miserable days, it was such a treat to walk on the sand with a soft breeze blowing and not feel cold.  A fog was rolling in over the sea, steadily advancing towards the shore, until eventually everything was enveloped by it.  Morris Island Lighthouse looked so beautiful, sometimes visible, sometimes not.  Here are a couple of the images.  Welcome Spring!!