It’s Monday and back to work you go. I hope you had a fabulous weekend. As I head home from the Outer Banks of North Carolina and paradise I’m looking forward to the week ahead. I am excited to be back home and have a full weeks schedule shooting for clients.

With all my travels, what I find most intriguing is when I happen upon something that makes me stop, look and go “HMMMMMMMM!?!?!?!” Such was the case on a recent trip to the island of Ocracoke. Having finished a days shoot and with a hour to kill before we were to catch the ferry back to Hatteras, we decided to take Ramp 59 which provides the closest vehicle access to the beach near the ferry docks. With the sun settling in the west, we drove out to the point and came across a series of pilings in a pool of seawater. How wonderfully mesmerizing and beautiful the formation was. It was as if the pilings were guardians of the coast, soldiers left behind from a time forgotten. For a moment, the historical significance of Black Beard’s adventures around the islands and his infamous capture and beheading on Ocracoke gave magical allure to the setting. Fantasy finally gave way to the reality of the moment. With the last fleeting rays of the sun, I realized it was time to head back to catch the ferry.

The pilings are actually the remains of a structure that was once part of the former dock for the Hatteras ferry’s, established in the 1950′s, coming to Ocracoke. A lasting tribute if you will to those early days and to those that heeded the call of island adventure.

For the record, any of the images you have seen in this or any or the previous blogs are available for corporate and private collection, as well as for stock use. Just contact me.

Best regards …….
~dK~

With the arrival of daylight savings time, we find ourselves with spring slowing following suit. I trust you all had a great weekend and find yourself full of “spring fever.”

I write you from the Outer Banks of North Carolina where it was – I hate to say - absolute paradise this last weekend. The weather could have not been any more beautiful and fisherman flocked to the harbor charters where word was Tuna was running wild off the coast. I took the opportunity over the three days to do a lot of photography in and around the harbors and the one prevalent theme in every port, Blue Fin, Yellow Fin and Black Fin tuna gracing all of the cutting tables. It is amazing to see a 150-pound tuna ….marked by the differing color of the fins. More amazing, the tales you hear as you stand near while the fish are filleted, the “one that got away”.

What I find most intriguing to my lens, though, is the majestic beauty of the fishing vessels and their beautifully painted hulls or markings. They sit in harbor beaming with pride from a days catch waiting the arrival of a new day and a new trip to sea. As I walk the docks of Hatteras Village I am drawn to a fleet of 3 identical ships marked by red and white outriggers. The “triplets” sit dead center in the harbor as if to say we stand alone.

The oldest fishing fleet in Hatteras, Albatross was originally captained by the late Capt. Ernal Foster. The Albatross Fleet has fished the deep waters off the coast of North Carolina since 1937. Ernals’ son, Capt Ernie Foster, now commands the fleet along with Capt. Bryan Mattingly and Capt. Mike Scott. When not at sea you can find the vessels Albatross, Albatross II and Albatross III moored at Foster’s Quay in the heart of the harbor at Hatteras Village.

With the vessels dead center, I give you a panoramic view of  the harbor.

In Maritime lore an albatross could be both an omen of good or bad luck, as well as a metaphor for a burden to be carried (as penance).

Best regards …….

~dK~

One week back from teaching at a photographic workshop in Vegas and I think I am finally rested and caught up on my sleep. They say it is a city that never sleeps and I am sure that it is true of most of the people that visit. Las Vegas really comes alive as the sun sets and the glow of the strip shines bright above the city.

Teaching at a photographic workshop is somewhat like being a chef at a restaurant. You are surrounded by incredible food all day long but seldom are able to enjoy the fare because you are cooking. The instructors and mentors spend the majority of our time teaching aspiring photographers new techniques in beautiful locations with beautiful models and little time by us is actually spent shooting during the workshop.

With a day leftover after the Supershoots.com workshop, a group of instructors and models headed out for what has become a workshop tradition. We pack our gear, purchase snacks that would sustain us for a week in the wilderness and travel to a scenic location to decompress, enjoy a little fellowship and have some personal shoot time. We affectionately call it – “Road Trippn!!’

Our destination was Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Red Rock Canyon. Close to the city, it provided us ample opportunity to shoot due to the late departure we were to get because of those that ventured into the city the night before. As we finished up our “half day shoot” and headed back, we found ourselves chasing the last remaining light from the sunset knowing that there was one last stop we needed to make. Coming out of the state park there is an overlook that provides one of the most spectacular views of the cityscape. With the “city lights awakening” we stopped to capture the view that greets all who visit. With our “mission accomplished” it was back to the city and one more night of “Sleepless in Vegas!”

As they say in Vegas, “What goes on in Vegas stays in Vegas!” Well that may be true for everything except – if it has been photographed.

I wish you well this week, Happy St. Patrick’s day!! May you have the “Luck of the Irish!” and find your pot gold. Of course – you will have to share.

~dK~

I trust you all had an enjoyable weekend and now it is time to get back to work. As for myself, I “had” to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada to instruct at a photographic workshop.

One of the things that we constantly do when conducting workshops is scout out new and interesting out door scenic locations to host the groups we are teaching. While traveling north out of Vegas on Hwy 95 to check out a few locations we noticed a group of planes flying in formation a few miles in front of us. We were very close to Creech Air Force Base around Indian Springs, NV. Creech is known for being the host unit for the 432nd Wing squadron and home to the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper. As we continued north observing the low flying aircraft it became apparent that these we no ordinary planes on a training run but rather a very highly specialized group practicing formation flying. As luck would have it, Creech is named in honor of General Wilbur L. Bill Creech who is known as the “Father of the Thunderbirds”.

Creech just happens to be the aerial demonstration-training site for the Thunderbirds and what we were witnessing was a very rare opportunity of the Thunderbirds in action. We pulled over at a truck stop adjacent to the base and directly across from the airfield, grabbed our cameras and stood in amazement as we were treated to a private showing of the Thunderbirds aerial show. I have photographed numerous aerial shows but could not get past the fact of just how close we were to the action. It was an amazing display of aerial artistry.

With the private showing coming to an end, we packed our cameras and continued north to seek out the two locations we had been given as prospective sites. We all sat in amazement of what we had just been treated to, a very rare front row seat to one of the greatest shows on earth, the flying Thunderbirds. I have attached one of the many of hundreds of images I shot during our private showing.

Enjoy and have a wonderful week.

~dK~

How wonderful to have had two weekends as beautiful as the last two. Although just a wee bit cold, they were the kind of winter weekends we all dream about after a week at the office.

One of the most enjoyable things about my “job” these days is that I do a fair amount of traveling (the fortunate or unfortunate nature of the current market) and I get to see parts of the U.S. that I may not have seen otherwise. I spend a fair amount of time in airports and on airplanes, but it is the time driving in the car that I value most. I try to arrange my travel schedules to allow extra time to get out and travel the side roads of America. My blog  – Postcards from My Miss-Adventures – is a direct by-product of my travels. I saw it as a way to keep in touch with clients and friends, as well as, share my visual travel experiences.

If you are like me, when going from A to B you do so as fast as you can. We generally do not drive the country roads and in doing so bypass small town USA’s with their unique character and real Americana. We just do not allow time to  stop anymore to smell the roses.

With such a beautiful weekend predicted, I headed out Saturday up Hwy 72 finding myself at days end in South Pittsburg, TN. On my way up I reflected back to the days when Hwy 72 did not by pass South Pittsburg. Instead Hwy 72/27 ran right through the heart of downtown. I remember how excited I got each time when greeted at the state line with the Tennessee welcome sign and the many firework outlets all touting great deals.

As I approached the city on Saturday, I decided to locate Hwy 27 and see how it had changed. The welcome signs and buildings are all still there to greet you but due to the lack of traffic many of the businesses have closed and the fireworks moved to the interstate. Downtown looks allot the same just a little more freshly groomed.

One of the most notable icons of South Pittsburg is the Shelby Reinhart Bridge or the “Blue Bridge” as most of us affectionately call it. With all my travels to Chattanooga, I have never taken the time to stop and photographic this majestic icon of the city. With the sun setting I thought what an opportunity to finally do what I should have done years ago. I found some side roads and spent the rest of the twilight capturing the beauty of this magnificent structure. Attached is one of those splendid moments.

If you find yourself heading east and past South Pittsburg here are a few tips to make your trip more enjoyable.

A)   Take the side road Hwy 27 in to town and stop at the Lodge Cast Iron factory store where they sell the finest cast iron cookware. Lodge has been in business for over 100 years.
B)   If traveling to Chattanooga, instead of taking Hwy 72 to I-24 head across the “blue bridge” taking Hwy 156 through New Hope. It is one of the most picturesque and scenic mountain top roads, not to mention a thrill ride of curves.  You will end up at I-24 and Big Daddy’s Fireworks.
C)   Third and most important, mark your calendars for the last weekend in April (24 & 25) and join in the festivities at the 14^th annual National Corn Bread Festival. http://www.nationalcornbread.com/

Best regards …..
~dK~