Around Town

Sometimes I forget what interesting things I can find if I just stop to take a real look.

Three of a kind

Haven't had much of a chance to shoot fall shots yet. But I am headed for the mountains this week-end. This a shot I took in downtown Anderson. Just looking back at some oldies. Love the colors and the symmetry of this shot.

More of Downtown

I know the owner of The Kitchen Emporium in downtown Anderson, but I am ashamed to say I have not been in the store in a long while. But as I was on my photo walk recently I noticed the wonderful colors on the store's entrance. I especially love the tiles. It made a nice photo.

My Hometown

I took my friend Angie's advice and finally took a photo walk downtown. I live in Anderson, South Carolina. Like many other cities and towns, we are trying to rejuvenate our downtown area. This is a statue that stands in front of the courthouse on the downtown square. This is William Whitner. He was an engineer who produced a way for electricity to be conducted through wires to the many textile mills in the area. Anderson was the first city in the United States to have a continuous supply of electric power and the first in the world to create a cotton gin operated by electricity. Thus we are called "The Electric City". That is a pretty amazing legacy for a small town.

Garden Bench

Strategically placed in my mother's garden. The perfect place for a squirrel's lunch spot, a bird's perch, falling leaves, or a tired gardener. And one of our favorite photo spots.

Pre-spring Blossoms

The Lenten Roses in my yard are bountiful right now. They spread each year and require little care. (That is always my favorite kind of flower.) They also make a pretty picture. Spring is just days away--hopefully some nicer weather. We desperately need this rain but I do prefer a few sunny days in between. Here is another shot.

Snow in March

We had snow. That is a big deal in Anderson, SC. We just don't see much snow anymore. It is also the first big snow since I really started trying to develop my photography skills. So I was outside with my camera, a rain coat and an umbrella (It was a very wet snow!) trying to use my "photographic eye" and capture a special shot. I like this one. I was trying for a shallow depth of field. I have lines like we discussed the week in class and I think the dead leaf adds texture to the shot. Today the snow is almost gone and by Saturday the weatherman says 70's. That is March in South Carolina.

Boutique

My other daughter (the one not getting married) is the manager of a small boutique in downtown Anderson. She has asked me to take shots to use on their web site. This is a shot that I took and edited in Photo Shop to give it more of an artistic feel. I have had one of my photos on a billboard for their boutique and also several on a commercial that ran on the local cable network. I have a long way to go in learning the craft of photography but it is exciting to see my shots "out there." Visit the blake & brady website--or better yet, visit the boutique. Downtown Anderson, SC. http://www.blakeandbrady.com