Posts from the ‘landscapes’ Category
Slowing Down to Catch Up
A surfer scopes out the waves at Wrightsville Beach while a sailing armada drifts in the distance.
It’s been almost three weeks since my last post, but I still don’t have a motorcycle. During the interim, Kristen and I have been stripping and repainting the interior of our home, I’ve been transitioning into a new job at The Sanford Herald and working with our downtown development director on a personal project to add some atmosphere to my neighborhood. It feels more like three months than three weeks, but I had a good energy boost that kicked it all off.
Back in May, Kristen and I took a day trip to Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach. We had lunch on the waterfront in Wilmington, strolled through the historic district and then spent a good five hours wasting the day away on the sand at Wrightsville.
Kristen strolls near the water's edge looking at the treasures washed in with each new wave.
I’ve been to dozens of beaches along the Carolina coast, lived at a few of them, and seen more exotic shores in Asia, Florida and the Caribbean. The more beaches I visit though, the more I’m impressed by how unique each mile of sand really is — especially in Carolina. On this overcast Saturday, we found Wrightsville Beach covered in a powdery white sand that faded into the bluest water I’ve seen north of Cozumel. Typically the ocean in the mid-Atlantic holds a greenish-gray tint within 10 miles of the coast and then slowly starts to blend into the richer blues of the gulf stream 100 miles out. Not this day, though. I couldn’t take a picture that did the water justice, but standing their looking out, it just seemed to transition perfectly into the rich blue sky.
About 500 yards out, hundreds of sailing dinghies clustered together for a couple of hours, possibly waiting to see if the brooding clouds would dish out any rain, and then scattered off into the sea. Without any fanfare or warning, a wedding party complete with a steel-drum player, stormed the beach, each guest carrying his or her own folding chair, and held a short ceremony in the midst of the sunbathers and surfers.
Being at the beach really gives Kristen and I a great chance to catch up with each other and talk about where our life has brought us and what we plan to do next. We split most of the day between laying in the sand reading and walking for a few miles along the coast. I couldn’t resist the rush of racing into the cool water and fighting with the salty waves, though, and I was able to drag Kristen along a couple of times. The ocean offers a true feeling of renewal when I need it most.
At times I wish I could live in a real beach town again. Somewhere with real character and history like Wilmington, a peaceful fishing village like Beaufort or even my native Myrtle Beach. But I do love the town I’m in now, and Wrightsville Beach is just a little more than an hour’s drive from my door — not even twice my daily commute to work — so for the time being, it’s perfect. I hope to make many more day trips like this as the summer continues.
Looking Ahead.
Flipping Through Memories
It’s hard to explain why photography is so much fun. Even when frames don’t turn out like I’d hoped, it’s still exciting to study the lines, colors and layout to learn from my mistakes and, hopefully, shoot better in the future. In just about any situation bringing along a camera really adds to the experience of the day, if just by offering a purpose to an otherwise mediocre outing.
I was flipping through some of the thousands of pictures I’ve taken over the past few years (most of them were better left covered) and, even though I’m sure I’ve seen them all many times, every now and then one pops out that I never really noticed before.
Distant Dreams
I don’t remember what inspired me to take this far-off picture of the U.S. Capitol, but I do remember the trip I took it on. I can say with certainty that as I walked along the gravel path that day I was almost spellbound at the experience of being in the midst of real power. When I look at the picture today it leaves a different impression. I’m struck by how far away the Capitol — one of the many grand products from an earlier age, when a nation was built on personal sacrifice and hopes for a better future — is. It seems almost too far to reach and definitely too small to be of any real importance in the world of this image.
The picture of the Capitol serves as both a reminder of my trip to D.C. that day and, at least in my opinion, a fun piece of art. Other photos fall short of both of these goals, but are still just as fun to make and look at.
Spinning Turkey
This was just a spontaneous shot of Kristen pulling the bird out of our oven last Thanksgiving. Below is another fun shot of my brother Jacob, having fun and smiling of all things. I think the different shades of green and yellow in the background add a neat touch.
"Where's my helmet?"
Neither pictures try anything that hasn’t been done, and over-done, millions of times before; but both were fun for me to take and fun to look at again.
Wilson Creek
This post was originally published as a gallery page on April 20, 2009. It has been moved into the blog for archive purposes.
Kristen and I spent two nights in the Wilson Creek wilderness area, just south of Grandfather Mountain, over Easter weekend in 2009. We had intended to stay for longer, but, being freshmen backpackers, we weren’t able to accurately pace ourselves using the rough map of the area.
Click any image in the sequence to open up a slideshow viewer.
 At least we started the trip on the right note. This was our first time backpacking together, and the first real outing we used our new Canon 450D. |
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 Our trail followed the Lost Cove Creek for the first four miles. The lightly blazed trail crossed the river every few hundred yards, usually with no 'easy' way across. |
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 We didn't start hiking our first day until about 5:30 p.m., giving just a couple of hours to get familiar with the terrain before we had to set up camp. |
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 Kristen managed to find the sun, despite cloudy skies and thick rhododendron overhead. |
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 Having not passed anyone but a group of a day hikers who started at the same time as we had, we just set up camp on the trail by the creek our first night. |
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 Posing together after breakfast. |
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 Much to our surprise, barely 100 feet from our camp site was a beautiful set of waterfalls we lounged by the next morning. |
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 In April the water was still too cool for swimming, though it was tempting. |
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 Water crashing off a rock |
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 We spent hours baking on the cool rock, reading, eating grapes and listening to the rushing water on Easter Sunday. |
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 Waterfalls feed a whirlpool perfect for soaking. |
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 Kristen and Dulles romping on the rocks. |
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 Another mile or so down the trail and we came across this towering blue waterfall. |
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 Kristen rests after reading by a mountain lake Sunday afternoon. |
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 We camped just above this waterfall, which poured down another tier before emptying into a crystal lake. |
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 Camping in the Blue Ridge. |
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 A mountain watering hole. |
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 Loaded up and ready for the home stretch. |
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 The only crossing where staying dry was an option. |
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 Days well spent. |
Backpacking
Kristen and I spent a few days backpacking in the Wilson Creek wilderness area over Easter weekend. While we take day hikes and go camping pretty often, this was our first foray into backpacking. Wilson Creek is a beautiful area, but the trails are definitely the most technical hiking either of us have ever done, making the pictures and memories that much more rewarding.
