Summer is not the ideal time for taking family portraits, but sometimes you just have to fit it into the schedule, and this is the only time that works. Even at 7pm, the sun is still high in the sky and the temperatures are close to 90 degrees in Charleston, never mind the humidity. All of that said, this family did great. The kids were engaged and cooperative, and Mom and Dad never lost their sense of humor.
Well, not technically (biologically) family, but we’ve known Jamie for 90% of his life, so he may as well be. After years of searching, he finally found his girl, also called Jayme, spelled differently but pronounced the same. It was an exciting weekend of re-connecting with friends and family, some of whom traveled a long way to be a part of the celebrations. Congrats Mr. & Mrs!
My client Jody is re-branding his business, creating a new website, etc. and needed some new headshots for his marketing plan. Don’t know where he found all these crazy shirts, but I believe his clients will get the message 🙂
The marsh was not my intended subject matter. Sometimes things just don’t work out the way you planned them, quite often in fact. I had decided to drive down to Edisto to do some long exposure photography at low tide, but conditions were less than ideal. Too many biting bugs, too few clouds, too many people, etc. I was determined to justify the (high) cost of gas plus my time so I needed to come away with something, anything! These were my despondent thoughts as I trudged back from the beach in the heat to the car across the stretch of marsh. As I stopped to swat yet another bug and set my camera bag down for a moment, I grabbed a couple of sweeping shots as a last ditch attempt to redeem the afternoon. Actually these two I like, and I did learn something from them too, ways to improve the technique. So, it is what it is. Can’t win ’em all. Kinda like golf.
When my grandkids come to me for a sleepover, we often end up playing in my studio. These are some of the images that we created this evening.
This event was held at the Hanahan Amphitheater last weekend. A bunch of Christian rock groups from mostly Southeastern states entertained the public from 11am in the morning to 11pm that evening. Folks had also set up booths and tents offering merchandise and counseling/prayer, and there were also fun activities for the kids. Great family friendly stuff and everyone had a good time.
On the last full day of my stay here, I boarded the bus that takes the coastal route all the way from Ryde in the east to the Needles headland in the West. I got lost a few times between the walking and finding the correct bus stop to get back on track, but I kept reminding myself of the old saying “Not all who wander are lost” and convinced myself that I was just wearily wandering, not necessarily lost. There is an Island Breezer bus (see pic below) that follows a more local route through the villages and points of interest in the western tip. This is fun and open at the top for better views.
I mentioned in the previous instalment of my UK trip saga that I was planning to travel to the Isle of Wight for a few days. This I have done, by means of a train, hovercraft, bus, and tired legs. Once I had established the whereabouts of a grocery store and other mundane necessities, it was time to explore the island. I had decided not to bring a car so I have been relying solely on public transport. This involves a lot of walking, since the buses are not obliged to drop you off exactly at your point of interest. These are some images from today as I explored my little village of Bonchurch, together with its quaint beach, and the Ventnor and Wroxall Downs which rise up from the coast and overlook the coastal villages below.
Sometimes things just don’t work out as planned. Such is the case with my English expedition. The plan was to meet my sister in Stanton, the Cotswolds, spend a couple of nights in this cosy B&B, and then continue on to her home in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Well, the entire family came down with COVID (again) so as my Google Maps app says, “re-routing, re-routing”. Missing Mandy, I nevertheless found old ruins to explore, traditional pubs in which to dine, country walks for exercise and also for photo opportunities. Here are a couple more of those Cotswold area photos. Next, instead of going to Wales, I am heading in the opposite direction to the Isle of Wight, where I have found a place to stay that is part of the Home Exchange program that I belong to. Currently I am on a train bound for Portsmouth Harbor, and I will get the hovercraft from there to the IOW Ryde ferry terminal. I don’t yet have the exact address of my destination in Ventnor, IOW. Just praying that info comes in by the time I get there!
And now for something completely different from the marshes of the low country. I am in England for a couple of weeks, and staying in a beautiful little stone cottage in a village called Stanton. Here are some of the images that I captured yesterday while exploring the town. There is only one pub, no other restaurant facility, the nearest grocery store is an “express” (fruit, sandwiches, other basics) and is located a few miles away in the next village. The village is surrounded by soft green hills abounding with sheep, cows, and horses. It’s raining today but hopefully the weather will allow some further wanderings in the area.
