Images
A photographic passion was born…
… 1967 in a black & white darkroom. Old habits die hard, or not at all. Goose bumps accompanied observing a b&w print evolve in a tray of developer, no matter how often this phenomenon occurred. Now, “the thrill is not gone” whenever a b&w appears on the computer monitor. Color can be beautiful, but b&w leans to the dramatic.
1. Poetic shrimp trawler names in the Oriental, NC harbor.
Distinctive note cards for discriminating tastes …
Note cards from the article Images on the homepage of this website, 5.5 × 8.5, on 8.5 × 11 heavy weight, Canson’s Baryta Fine Art Paper, archival chrome inks, individually printed and signed, with envelopes, are $8.00 each, 5 for $35.00
Enlarged photos for framing, up to 12 × 18, are printed on the same Canson Baryta Fine Art Paper. Price of enlarged photos is determined by size. Learn more about pricing and ordering note cards or prints,
contact ben@towndock.net.
or text 252-675-1230.
2. The name of a trawler can characterize a working life on the water.
3. Dawson’s Creek on a winter day.
4. On Kershaw Creek. … Kershaw Creek headwaters cross Kershaw Road near the site of the first motorized school bus placed in service in North Carolina just north of Oriental, NC.
5. Winter 2001
Historically, a significant print, this area is now the Oriental Harbor Marina with about 150 slips for sailing vessels and power boats, all recreational. Adjacent to the Oriental Harbor Marina is the old Oriental harbor where a typical day sees a small number of working shrimp trawlers tied to the docks compared to the number of recreational boats at Oriental Harbor Marina.
Early in my photography career…
…enriched reading about famous artists who spent time in and around Taos, New Mexico. A poster of Georgia O’Keefe’s sunflower painting was once used for a children’s sermon to illustrate nature as an original artist. At Taos, Paul Strand convinced Ansel Adams to pursue his passion for photography over his formal training as a concert pianist.
Jumping ahead to the next century, older photographers, sometimes limited by how one feels on a given day, often pursue subjects within walking distance of the back door … Sunflowers painted by camera, with homage to Georgia O’Keefe.
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7. Rear Window.
8. Profile.
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10.Transitioning to a different life cycle, Don Lee Farms, Arapahoe.
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11-A.
11-AA.
11-B. The only proper place for monarchs, in a bed of zinnias.
11-C.
11-D.
12. Tropical hibiscus bloom, early fall.
Hand-craft bud vases, no two crafted the same way, from solid black walnut or solid red cedar.
Contact ben@towndock.net.
A note about the note cards.
A reminder, each image as a note card or enlarged photo is an original, signed print. An all time favorite nature image captured in over 58 years of serious photographic endeavors is this humming bird. Shared with the best of friends and relatives, the cards are not merely note cards, but gifts to be treassured. The front of the card is a print which can be tastefully framed, or with personal notes written on the inside, they can be used for a myriad of occasions: expressing spontaneous joy, uplifting a friend or relative, expressing comfort when someone has suffered a loss, congratulatory acknowledgements.
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18. Johnny and B.T., Dawson’s Creek foggy morn.
19. Oriental dock, back in the days of film.
20. Raindrops kept fallin’ on BJ Thomas … but he never stopped the rain by complainin’ … and I don’t either.
21. Water hyacinth, bed of the Trent River near Trenton.
22. The life of an independent commercial fisherman with a small operation.
23. Ospreys, commonly known as sea hawks, and the name of a line of small outboard vessels.
24. A traditional Core Sound fishing skiff.
25. Neuse River #1, a pelican watch at the confluence of the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound.
26. They should be the state flower of North Carolina, ditch bank day lilies.
28. A 1940s – 1960s tobacco barn, from. another era of “good ol’ days.”
29. Serenity … comes in all forms.
30. Approaching cold front … but not really cooler.
31. Serene morning, Core Sound, Sept 5, 2025.
32. Nor’easter aftermath.
33. Smith Creek pancakes, tall stack.
34. Swamp daisies, late September following the emergence of spider lilies.
35. Incoming …Core Sound.
36. A fish in the beak is worth two in a school.
37. Cleared for take-off.
38 Twins.
