Photography by VanessaK : The Carolinas

The Carolinas Galleries

Lowcountry : Miscellaneous Lowcountry images taken over the years.

Charleston, SC : These images were taken mostly from ground level, and a few from the tops of buildings, bridges, etc. For aerial images of Charleston, please see here.

Folly Beach, South Carolina :

Folly Beach, South Carolina

Shem Creek, Charleston :

Shem Creek, Charleston

Georgetown, Awendaw and McClellanville, Cape Romaine, SC :

Georgetown, Awendaw and McClellanville, Cape Romaine, SC

McLeod Plantation, Charleston, SC : McLeod Plantation was recently purchased by the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission (CCPRC). The local community and preservationists have been concerned for a long time that the integrity of this unique property be preserved and protected for generations to come, so this is a win-win deal for everyone. I am privileged to photograph the plantation for the CCPRC for the purposes of documenting and marketing, so I will be uploading images as the project progresses. In the meantime, for updates from the CCPRC, please see their website here http://www.ccprc.com/index.aspx?NID=1447 and for those interested its history, visit the Friends of McLeod website here http://www.mcleodplantation.org/history.html

McLeod Plantation, Charleston, SC

Mansfield Plantation : I spent some time at Mansfield Plantation near Georgetown, SC over the New Year weekend. I had been wanting to visit for awhile and the weekend provided an ideal get-away window. It is a very special place and it is gradually being fully restored by its owners - quite an overwhelming project. For more information visit them here on their website, or even better - take a road trip. ***UPDATE JUNE 2011*** The plantation called me back and so I returned towards the end of May. It was getting hot, but still pleasant with a cool breeze during the evening. I took some more photographs (of course) which I have added to this gallery.

Mansfield Plantation

St. Helena Sound, Beaufort, SC -October 2011 :

St. Helena Sound, Beaufort, SC -October 2011

Spirit of the Lowcountry, a Photographic Exhibition. : A photographic exhibition at the Saul Alexander Gallery, Charleston County Public Library, Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC 29401; December 1st - December 31st, 2011
The allure of the lowcountry creeks and marshes with their ever-changing tides and seasons is irresistible, but the footprint of her people completes the picture. Echoes of the past are everywhere. Relics and ruins testify of a rich and tumultuous heritage alongside the vibrancy of daily life today. They tell stories of this land that gave generously of its bounty and the people who loved it. It’s hard to separate the two. Stories of glory, honor, pathos, and shame all inextricably bound together. Find a quiet spot on the banks of a creek, or swing gently under a massive live oak, and you will sense the “Spirit of the Lowcountry.”

Spirit of the Lowcountry, a Photographic Exhibition.

Backman Seafood : Backman Seafood is one of the few remaining family-owned seafood distributors left in these parts. Thomas Backman represents to me so much of what the lowcountry is all about. I never tire of photographing his property through the tides and seasons, and he was gracious enough to allow me to photograph him recently in the context of the environment he loves and embodies.

Backman Seafood

Johns Island Conservancy : The Johns Island Conservancy is dedicated to preserving and safeguarding the natural habitat, wildlife, historical and agricultural resources of Johns Island. They pursue this goal through research, education, community networking and conservation action programs. For more information about the organization and their activities, see their website at jicsc.org

Johns Island Conservancy

McLeod Plantation - Christmas 2008 :

McLeod Plantation - Christmas 2008

Craggy Pinnacle, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC : I had the opportunity to escape the final dog days of a Charleston summer and spend the weekend near Asheville, North Carolina. These images are of a hike up to the summit of Craggy Pinnacle, approximately 18 miles north of Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway. From the 360 degree viewpoint at the top, I watched the sunset and an almost full moonrise.

Craggy Pinnacle, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC

North Carolina :

Outer Banks, NC : The Outer Banks of North Carolina, mainly around Nags Head, Lakes Mattamuskeet and Pocosin, Cape Hatteras and Bodie Island. It was one of the coldest weekends in recorded history. The Canadian geese that winter there must have wondered why they flew all that way to be just as cold.

Outer Banks, NC

Savannah, GA :

Southern Country Roads : I traveled to Atlanta from Charleston for a friend's wedding recently, and since I had time to spare on Sunday, I decided not to use the tree and kudzu-lined interstates with their ubiquitous fast food outlets and ez exits, and explore the roads less traveled. Yes, sometimes it is a little challenging to find a restroom when you need one, but the charm of the rural landscapes and small towns more than compensated for the occasional inconvenience. I know one thing. There is much more to be discovered and I will be back. My idea is to begin a image series of "Backroads" through all the seasons. This is of course part of the Summer series.

Southern Country Roads

Yonce Farm Ridge Spring, SC : This weekend I took a roadtrip with friends to visit a most interesting couple who farm gourds, mainly to house Purple Martins through the breeding season when they arrive from South America, but also for crafters who decorate and sell them. It was the second visit out of what will be a series of visits through the year because I will be documenting the story of gourds and Purple Martins through four seasons in a photo essay. The first visit was back in February when there was nothing much going on except sales of stored gourds to folks who were preparing for the late spring arrival of the birds. For images of the first visit and some more information see my blog entry here. This trip was to photograph the flowering of the gourd plants and the appearance of some young fruit. Bobbie and Loris Yonce also grow daylilies, and since they are much more photogenic than the fledgling gourds (with all due respect) they stole the show.***UPDATE DECEMBER 2011*** Bobby called to let us know they were harvesting the gourds, so we made a trip back up to the farm to photograph the activity. What a difference the seasons make, especially in the country. The vines are all dead by now, leaving the gourds lying in the fields drying out and ready to be harvested. Here are some of the images. ****UPDATE APRIL 2012*** Up until now I had photographed each stage of the gourds / Purple Martin cycle, from the planting and growing of the gourds, the harvesting (the daylily bonus season inbetween), the gathering of all the birds on Bomb Island (Lake Murray near Columbia, SC), but the last unfinished business was to photograph the Purple Martins using the gourds. This was accomplished over the weekend of April 28th when I found them busily making their nests in preparation for the soon to be born babies. They seemed very satisfied with their homes!

Yonce Farm Ridge Spring, SC

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