For most of you … it is the last days of summer. One more Holiday weekend and the bathing suits get put away. I wish you a productive and speedy work week as you daydream about the dog days of summer.

The Big News facing the Outer Banks this week was that Hurricane season appeared to be blooming out in the Atlantic but luckily, Hurricane Danielle, did not make her way ashore.  The massive “swell” hitting the shores of North Carolina were tons of surfers, kite boarders and wind surfers expecting big things from the lady.  Few could resist the predictions of big waves and winds as the beaches became jammed with cars, surfboards and the beautiful people surfers heading from beach to beach jockeying for the perfect position and the perfect wave

For two days it was difficult to find a piece of beach to claim all for your own with all of the surfers, shore fisherman and spectators lining the shores. In the end it was the perfect weekend but the ultimate surf and waves never quite lived up to its billing.

So Brah (friend) most all that came were stokaboka (very excited) about the sand, sun and surf but d-u-u-u-de  (term said way too slowly by a valley sheep) there were way too many hodads (person who never goes in the water but acts and dresses as if he does} who sat and soaked up the sun as their dogs went sognar (wet dog shaking off) around them.

Over all it as a great weekend for the Outer Banks because any surfer will tell you he never wants to hear, “Brah, you should have been here yesterday!”

So with that said.” “Howzit, brah? The surf was epic today, fully macking double overhead corduroy to the horizon. Now it’s all buggery. Think I’ll jet to the food hut and grab a burrito and some sweet nectar. Latronic, dude.” Surfer speak translated in English, “the surf was good, now it is not, so lets head and get some food and libations.”

If you find yourself in need of stock photography or have an assignment coming up, give thought to giving us a call and see how we can bring your vision to fruition.  Please do keep you fingers crossed that Hurricane Earl will miss the NE coast and not become a Knarly and un-welcomed visitor.

Best regards
~dK~

Every Monday I have the honor and privilege of providing you with a little glimpse of my world and vision in hopes that it might in some small way start your week off with a little ray of sunshine. In return I have received numerous responses in which some of you have indicated it is something that you now look forward to with your Monday cup of coffee. I hope that you find the ray of sunshine in this weeks’ blog and, as well, please excuse the length.

Last week was a very trying week for me in that I had four friends and acquaintances in varying parts of country depart for higher ground. Any one of those passings would have been difficult to accept but for all to occur in the same week gave cause for a lot of reflection. One individual was a long time neighbor of my parents, one the mother of a friend and photographer, one a dear friend and fellow photography instructor and the last a very dear friend and Yacht captain. Each of these individuals is worthy of remembrance due to the effect that they had on my life.

The last of those passing hit home a little harder. Daniel Stephen Long, was known to all that the pleasure to make his acquaintance as Captain Dan. Dan was the man at the helm of the 124’ Christensen, “High Tide II” owned by Adtran founder, Mark Smith. The yacht ( to say the least) was very noticeable when it was moored at Lake Guntersville or when it stopped at the Hard Dock in Decatur AL for their first dining experience as they started their annual trip south to the Caribbean.

I met Capt. Dan for the very first time on my 50^th birthday and from that moment felt as if we had known each other all of our adult lives. He just had a way about him that was so accepting and open and made everyone feel comfortable in his presence. Over the next couple of years we spent a fair amount of time on the river swapping tales and sharing exploits.  After he retired, he moved back home to Texas and I would hear from him with a comment or two concerning the blog or just to stop in, say hello and catch up on what we were both up to. His was always a welcomed voice and I relished in acknowledging his call by saying, “Capt. Dan, Capt. Dan”, a spin on the Lt Dan phrase from the movie Forest Gump.

I had the pleasure on two occasions to spend time with Dan on the High Tide II. Once in Ft Lauderdale to ring in the New Year and once in the British Virgin Islands while doing a magazine cover story on him and his long-term friendship and Maritime relationship with Mr. Smith. We spent five glorious days motoring in and around the Virgin Islands. I had enjoyed a few sail trips to the BVI’s always wondering who exactly it was on the back deck of those huge yachts moored in the harbors and there I was sipping a Corona while others passed by, hopefully wondering the same thing about me and my band of brothers. As you can imagine it never quite felt like I was there on business.

The funny part of the story was I had already been invited down by Dan as a guest and was checking travel details when the magazine called and inquired about my availability to cover a story they were considering doing on Mr. Smiths retirement and his boating adventures.  I assured them that was probably not a story that they would ever secure but suggested the next best thing, his Yacht captain. Not the “man” but the “man that sat next to the man!” Five days in the islands, all expenses paid and day rate covered, I was on my way. And a glorious five days it was with my friend and crew. The unfortunate part of it all, was the local magazine closed it doors prior to the story being published and I have always felt a little remorse about “my friend” not getting his due.

I had an opportunity to talk with his long time friend and First Mate, Ray Caraway and he said Dan wanted us all to rejoice in our friendship and celebrate his life. To that end I hope Capt. Dan is somewhere reading this blog with that same wryly smile he greeted everyone with. Ray left me with the comment that over the 20 plus years that he and Dan worked together that they were at odds only a couple of times. Capt Dan always finished the discussion with Ray by saying, “You know the Captain may not always be right, but he will always be the Captain!” To that end I salute you … Capt Dan!

If you are in need of stock photography, have an assignment coming up or just miss me, do not hesitate to call or email.

Best regards
~dK~

Happy Monday morning to you all and I hope this email finds you in good spirits after hopefully what was an enjoyable weekend. I know many of you are giving thought to your last few days of the summer before the kid’s head back to school. Where did the summer go?

Last week I had the absolute pleasure of going up to Baltimore to be an instructor for the Supershoots photographic workshops. Not only was it a great time for education but also I must admit that Baltimore is one of my favorite cities to visit. The inner harbor is incredible for sights and sounds and the food in Baltimore, just exceptional. For those that know me it goes without saying that one night had to be sushi night and I must say – fabulous. The other two nights were spent at a restaurant called “Mama’s on the Half Shell!” The crab cakes were so incredible we felt the need to go back a second time. And then again I cannot say enough about their famous baked Mac and cheese.

I have had the pleasure of traveling to Baltimore on numerous corporate and editorial shoots and I am always drawn to the inner harbor and it’s beauty. On one side, the majestic cityscape reflecting in the harbor and the other the incredible reflections of the Neon sign of Dominos Sugar Plant. Either view worthy of an artist canvas. It was one of those cities that just is so inviting and definitely worth coming back to for the crab cakes.

With that I give you one man’s visual appreciation of Baltimore.

If you find yourself in Baltimore do not miss the opportunity to go to “Lennys” for lunch and get the Reuben. It is an experience both for the visit and as well as the food.

If you are in need of stock photography, have an assignment coming up or just miss me, do not hesitate to call or email. I might even answer.

Best regards
~dK~

I hope that you all had a fabulous weekend and are now hitting the office with Monday Morning Mania. I am on the road traveling back from Baltimore where I was instructing at a photographic workshop.

Sometimes it just pays to be in the right place at the right time. Last week my girlfriend and I decided to head out to the beach and do a little location scouting in spite of the bad weather that was looming. As we got to the beach it started to rain but ever so slightly so we chose to continue with our mission. As we toured the area I looked to the ocean and saw what appeared to be the start of a rainbow. While we stood and watched, the rainbow continued to grow little by little and increased ever so slightly in color intensity. As we stood there, I began to think it would never reach it’s full potential but it continued to grow both in size and in color. It was as if the colors began pulsating in rich neon colors and each band of the rainbow was becoming more defined. But again as we stood and watch as the colors became more brilliant we both thought that we would never see if continue to become a full arch. It was if it was teasing us with some growth and tempting us with its brilliant colors. I decided to go back to vehicle and get another lens just in case. As I turned back from the car to see the extent of the rainbow, it had miraculously manifested itself into the most majestic image of brilliant colors and shape I have ever witnessed. It was breathtaking and I can honestly say in all the years I have been a photographer I have not witnessed the beauty of a rainbow or experienced the intensity of colors this rainbow possessed. To top it off it was a double rainbow.

We stood in awe of the beauty of what appeared before us and it was difficult to decide whether to continue to photograph it or just stand and take in the moment. It was a hard decision to make so I attempted to do both. As the rainbow diminished we both stood in disbelief of what we had just seen.

Over the next couple of days the talk of the island was whether or not you had seen the rainbow that evening. I even think the island shifted a little to the east with everyone attempting to get a view of the double rainbow. Everyone was talking about just how amazing if was and how incredibly neon the colors were. I could not help but join in the conversation knowing that I had not only been witness to one of the most incredible acts of nature I had ever seen but I actually had proof.

If there ever was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow this was the one where it would have been found. The only way to describe it is, “It was Picture Perfect!”

All my best for the week ahead and if you are in need of any photographic services do not hesitate to call.

Best regards ……… dK

If there is one thing that has been proven for sure with my weekly blog is even though I love their beauty, I do not know “jack” about flowers and it appears that my flower experts do not either. It was brought to my attention last week that my flower of the week was not a Black Eyed Susan but rather an Indian Blanket Flower or a Gaillardia. I will keep photographing them but it appears that I need to enlist some new experts.

Last week I was hired by one of the local Outer Banks magazines, the Island Breeze, to photograph a tour conducted by the National Park Service at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. It was not just any tour but one that is offered once a month to the public during the full moon. As we went through the procedures of getting the ok from the NPS, I received a press release which stated in part, “All participants are required to be at least 42 inches tall and must climb the 257 steps on their own (the equivalent of a 12 story building) – they can not be carried! The lighthouse is tall, dark, often hot, humid, and can be a challenge to climb.” All I could think was that I had the 42 inch requirement covered but that 257 steps and no one to carry me, I was just a little concerned. I contemplated whether being drug up the stairs would be considered being carried.

It ended up being a beautiful, cool and breezy evening for the climb.  As the moon ascended from the ocean floor with the sun’s reflection, it appeared as a brilliant orange disk and then proceeded to take on it’s own identity as it rose in the evening sky lighting up the coast of the outer banks. It was the perfect Full Moon and no one making the 257 step climb left disappointed. I stood in amazement of the beautiful spectacle by mother nature and for the moment thought that it was definitely worth the climb to have the view.

Not to be out done by the expectations of the anticipated “full moon rising”, earlier that evening sky was layered with a beautiful array of clouds highlighted by the setting sun. It was as if the sun were saying I have my own show to worthy of notice. With the lighthouse in the foreground it was all of that and more. To say the least, either show was well worth the price of admission.

Many thanks to everyone at the NPS for their assistance.
If you are in need of any stock photography or have an assignment coming up, do not hesitate to contact me. I am no more than a phone call or an email away!

Best regards
~dK~