Looks Like It's From a Catalog

This is undoubtedly my favorite photo- graph of a wristwatch. The watch is not one from my collection, darn it! It is an 18k gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual owned by a friend in Australia. He paid the photograph a high compliment when he asked if I had copied the picture from a Christie's or Sotheby's auction catalogue. I told him I had taken the picture, to which he replied, "It looks like it came from a catalog." What an awesome watch, with a gorgeous dial. The lighting turned out just right to show off the dial, without detracting from the beauty of the timepiece in any way.
BTW, I'll post my second favorite watch photo soon. That one, a SS/18k Tudor Oysterdate Chronograph, was in my collection. It's long gone, though I wish that watch had never been sold. Bummer -- but then again, I'm blessed to have worn it and to have some awesome pictures of the watch. Tick, tock...

Back to Watch Collecting

Watch collecting has not been an active part of my life for more than a year now. There's the whole PayPal rip-off thing -- and my own mistakes on eBay. But, that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy my watch collection.
Here's a two-tone Rolex Datejust with gorgeous white dial and leather strap. I just love these vintage timepieces -- and the way they photograph. Watches are not as pretty as some animals nor flowers, etc. BUT, they are technically very pleasing to the eye.

Itty, Bitty Spider...

My son and I found this spider in, of all places, a wading pool full of water. She was waiting, on the underside of a large leaf, to make a meal out of the plethora of tadpoles that were frolicking about in the cool Fall water. After we accidentally disturbed her, she came around to the top of the leaf. This photo was taken with my Nikon E5700 -- on macro, about 1.5" from the spider's head. Make sure you look at the full-size image. It is fascinating!

Pink Flowers

Spring is one of the worst times of the year for me. Well, that's not entirely accurate. Spring is the worst time of the year for my allergies. Personally, I love Spring and Fall more than any other time of the year. Spring is the time I am reminded of God's love and the renewal He gives through His infinite grace and mercy.
This blossoming pink flower is a good example of the new growth of Spring. The photo was taken among the azalea bushes in the "back yard" of the office where I work. BTW, it took approximately 10 minutes to take 7-8 pictures AND completely clog my nose with allergies. ARGH!

My Ball Python - Zorro

Meet Zorro, my yearling ball python. Zorro is a handsome little guy with a great temp- erament. If this pic is received well, you'll likely see a few more photos of Zorro on Charlie's Blog/o/Foto. This picture was taken during the late evening, with my Nikon CP5700, using bounced flash. The ISO was a little higher than I wanted, but the picture was taken through the glass of Zorro's vivarium. Let me know what you think of this and ALL the photographs you see here on Charlie's Blog/o/Foto.

Pink Flamingo

I took this photograph at the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, South Carolina. Our family took a Fall weekend trip to the zoo in 2004. If you have never visited any zoo, you're missing out on a real treat. If you're in the Southeastern USA, and you've never visited the Riverbanks Zoo in the heart of Columbia, you're missing out on another treat. The wildlife is gorgeous. The exhibits are well-maintained. The staff is friendly and the climate is awesome. Reptiles, an aviary, big cats, it's all there. Enjoy!

One if by land, two if by sea...

This photo was taken during a recent trip to New England -- with the youth from my church. The photo features a reproduction of a vintage oil lantern used in the Boston Harbor area. The flowers and architecture near the wharf and harbor are awesome! I'll post a Boston skyline photo soon. ENJOY!

Ansel Adams? I Wish!

If only I was one-tenth as talented as Ansel Adams... I would be ecstatic! Alas, I'll have to settle for being a mere mortal in the world of photography. Even so, this is one of my most Ansel-esc photos. It was taken on a mountaintop, near a small family cemetary. The only edits are to downsize to 800x600, darken by -5% and add 10% contrast. Other than that, this is the way the photo originally looked -- uncropped.

Mountain Stream - Simms Fork, NC

I wish you could hear the soothing sounds of this babbling brook in the mountains of western North Carolina. This photo was taken while my wife & I were on a mission trip to a little church in the Simms Fork, NC. The people were wonderful. The scenery of God's creation was awesome to behold!

Cherub statue at Brookgreen Gardens in SC

This photo was taken during a family outing to Brookgreen Gardens, near Myrtle Beach, SC. The sun was just starting to set, the mosquitoes were rampant and the kids were starting to complain. Thus, the result was a quick pic of the little cherub playing his flute.

Stop and smell the flowers...

Flowers lend themselves to photo- graphy in a way that very few other things do. They are pleasing the the eye and naturally arranged so as to make themselves even more beautiful than mere mortals could accomplish. Again, these were found along an unpaved mountain road near Simms Fork, NC.