Category Archives: Photo Projects

One Large Aircraft!

August 14, 2023 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Antonov AN-124 cargo plane departing from Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Thanks to our son Scott, Kathy & I were alerted to a somewhat rare aircraft viewing opportunity. An Antonov AR-124 cargo aircraft, currently the largest production aircraft in the skies, had come to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to deliver some aircraft parts. It was due to depart this afternoon at 3:40PM.

CLT has had an “Airport Overlook” for years, overlooking the center runway, providing views of the terminal and many of the arriving and departing aircraft. The airport is currently adding a fourth parallel runway, so the overlook has been temporarily relocated to a spot a little farther away. Not really a big deal, although I had to crop out a lot of foreground construction clutter, thus the 1:2 aspect ratio. Although it isn’t a bad aspect ratio for the subject matter anyway.

Other than the Air Force Reserve C-17s and the Lufthansa A-340s, and of course the occasional visit from Air Force One, this is about the largest plane we see in lil’ ole Charlotte. It was pretty impressive!

Close To Home

Bill’s Tree

April 15, 2023 Tom Dills 8 Comments

My next door neighbor’s tree, silhouetted against the evening sky.

One evening a few weeks ago, Kathy & I were sitting at the kitchen table after dinner, likely finishing some wine before venturing off the do the dishes. The sun had recently set, and the sky was crystal clear. As we sat there, one of us (I’ll give Kathy the credit) said something about how interesting our neighbor’s tree looked against the sky. I sat there, looked at it and at some point said “I’m going to get my camera.”

It took me just a few minutes to drag out the camera and tripod, attach the L-bracket and set it up on the patio. There was no wind, so I didn’t have to worry about movement, and I made a couple dozen frames. They aren’t technically perfect – I could have used a little more depth of field – but they do have a bit of a zen-like look to them.

It’s another lesson in being willing to make a photograph when it presents itself, even if it is right outside our window.

Close To Home

A Real Wiener

September 5, 2022 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Oscar Mayer Wiener Mobile at Mountain Island Harris Teeter

Stopped by our local grocery store yesterday and found this. Sadly they were only giving out T-shirts and tote bags, no hot dogs.

Whatever you do, don’t start singing the song…. 😉

Close To Home

A Visit To The Bull City

May 26, 2022 Tom Dills 7 Comments

“Major” – Durham Bull Bronze Sculpture in downtown Durham, North Carolina

Kathy & I fulfilled one of our goals yesterday – we rode the Amtrak “Piedmont” to Durham, North Carolina for lunch. It was our first-ever Amtrak trip, and while not exactly an epic journey, it was something we have wanted to do for a while.

Riding the Amtrak “Piedmont” from Charlotte to Durham, North Carolina

We were impressed. Parking at the Charlotte station was free and convenient, the people were friendly and there is no arduous “security theatre” screening process. The train was on time, boarding was quick and orderly, and even though the seats were not reserved, everyone had a row to themselves (it helped that the Piedmont originates in Charlotte so the train was empty when we boarded). The seats were comfortable, comparable to first class airplane seats with plenty of leg (and butt) room. Bottled water and pretty decent coffee were available for free in the cafe car, and there were vending machines for those needing to buy a snack. The two rest rooms in our car were clean and roomy.

We arrived in Durham at 1:00 and had about 2 1/2 hours until the Piedmont returned from Raleigh to take us back to Charlotte. So we explored the downtown area a bit. Durham is known as the Bull City, and there were bull themes prevalent everywhere. We found a lunch spot that specializes in craft beer and burgers made from pasture-raised beef (the burgers, not the beer 😉 ), called, appropriately enough, Bull City Burger and Brewery. A good find for lunch!

Bull City Burger and Brewery in downtown Durham, North Carolina

As with most downtowns these days, there are not too many retail businesses, but lots of bars and restaurants. Many of the former tobacco warehouses have been or are being converted to residential buildings with street level commercial, which makes for an interesting vibe. I don’t know where all the people work, but Duke University is nearby, and Durham is the county seat, so those would be sources of employment.

It was kind of a dark and gloomy day in Durham, a little on the cool side. But it didn’t rain so that was a plus! Most of my photos are processed as black & white since there wasn’t much color to get excited about.

The return trip to Charlotte was uneventful. Since the train originated in Raleigh it was already pretty full when it got to us. We scored seats together, although they were facing backward. Not a problem but a little weird. We boarded at 3:30 and arrived back in Charlotte at 6:00, in time to be home for dinner. It was a long way to go and kind of an expensive lunch when including the cost of transportation. But it was a fun day! We’re glad we took the plunge and look forward to planning a longer trip in the near future. Perhaps to DC or NYC.

The “Piedmont” arriving at the Durham station

Photo Project: 50 States

Hawaii Five-Oh!

February 25, 2022 Tom Dills 16 Comments

Early morning light at the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea, Maui

Well, we made it! Kathy & I arrived on Maui this past Tuesday, and that marks our 50th state visited. We’ll be here about 10 days, home on Friday, March 4.

We’ve got a pretty busy schedule and I’ve been taking a lot of photos. But I don’t think I’m going to spend much of my time at the computer, so here are a few shots from our first evening and first morning to give you all something to look at.

The scenery here is amazing, the people are terrific, the weather is beautiful and we are eating lots of fish. I love Poke, and like lobster in Maine, Hawaii is the place for Poke! 😉

Early morning light on the beach near the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea, Maui

Early morning light on the Maui shoreline near Wailea

Photo Projects

Something In Red

February 21, 2022 Tom Dills 2 Comments

These aren’t all “decor” photos, but they are RED!

Tom’s Mustang at the Davis General Store in Croft, North Carolina

Karman GhiaCars & Coffee in Charlotte, NC August 3, 2013

National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky

John Hippley gardens and public park in Columbiana, Ohio

Videographer aboard Sea Princess departing from San Francisco, California

Ship’s photographer in Victoria British Columbia

Motif #1 at Rockport Harbor, Rockport, Massachusetts

Tabasco Factory in Avery Island, Louisiana

“Big Red Lighthouse” at Holland State Park in Holland, Michigan

Fall Colors near Linville Falls on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Golden Rock Plantation Inn in Nevis, West Indies

Photo Projects

Call Me Mellow Yellow

February 16, 2022 Tom Dills 4 Comments

Yellow Goatsbeard aka Jack-Go-To-Bed-At-Noon growing on the Torrence Creek Greenway, Huntersville, NC

Kathy & I are working on a decorating project and looking at various groupings of colors. One of the themes is “Yellow.” Yes, a lot of the photos are of flowers, but there are a lot of yellow flowers! 😉

Bearded Beggarticks (Bidens aristosa) along the Torrence Creek Greenway in Huntersville, North Carolina

Cone Flower along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Linville Falls

Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas

Photo Project: 50 States

A Treasure Trove Of Memories

December 8, 2021 Tom Dills 8 Comments

The Vermont Toy Museum, located in Quechee Village, Vermont

As promised in a previous post, here is a selection of my photos from the Vermont Toy Museum in Quechee Gorge Village near Hartford, Vermont. The museum’s website is down, possibly due to the recent AWS issues, but I got the following from Atlas Obscura:

Nestled above a charming general store near the Quechee Gorge, the Vermont Toy Museum’s vast collection of dolls, action figures, lunchboxes, yo-yos, and matchbox cars is a hidden treasure right off the White River Junction. Around 100,000 toys are housed inside the museum.

The museum’s items largely came from members of the local community. They were collected and compiled decade-by-decade, which displays the evolution of toys and games from the 1950s to the present day. Though it’s unknown who operates and maintains the museum, it’s closely watched by the employees at the downstairs Cabot Cheese Store and the antique mall next door.

The museum also houses an intricate model train exhibit that takes visitors through the four seasons of the Green Mountain state for only a quarter. This museum’s tireless attention to detail, nostalgia, and cozy atmosphere make it a must-see for travelers on Route 4.

It was a fun visit. A place we might have spent a lot more time, but just like the camera museum in Staunton, Virginia, there is only so much time…. 😉 As it was, we spent a lot of time saying things like, “I had that!” or “I remember those” or “the kids had these.” Fun stuff!

Almost forgot! I have completed processing my photos from our New England trip and have posted them on my Adobe Portfolio site.

Photo Project: 50 States

State Number 49: New York

December 7, 2021 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Growing up in western Pennsylvania, I had actually visited New York many times prior to this most recent trip. I went to Peek’n Peek to ski, visited Buffalo, Corning, Watkins Glen, Troy and even Lake Placid. But those visits were all before I started getting serious about photography, and many of them, including Lake Placid, were Before Kathy, and I wanted to take her there. While I had some photos that would have worked – they’re our rules, after all! – we decided that another swing through the state would be the right way to do it. Plus we wanted to visit the Finger Lakes.

Departing Burlington, we swung around the south shore of Lake Champlain, crossing into New York near the town of Moriah. Moriah’s claim to fame is as the home of Johnny Podres, 1955 World Series MVP for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Your trivia for the day. 😉 The rain and fog were still with us, but as we drove north and west the skies finally began to clear.

Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid, New York

Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping Complex in Lake Placid, New York

Our first destination was Lake Placid, and we arrived there in time for a late breakfast and a few photos of the fall color on the lake. We didn’t stay long, since we had a long day ahead and didn’t want to linger at the beginning. Also, the town was in the process of some major road work in town. Main Street was torn up and loaded with piles of dirt, rocks and road equipment, rendering the normally picturesque town pretty rough looking. Another technicality is that the lake in town is actually Mirror Lake, and that Lake Placid is out of town to the north. We did stop to see the Olympic ski jumping site on our way into town, but didn’t try to take a tour.

Reflection of fall color on the Raquette River on SR 3 near Piercefield, New York

Leaving Lake Placid and heading west through Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, we crossed a bridge over the Raquette River near Piercefield and were greeted with a lovely park overlooking the river, complete with still water reflecting the fall color of the trees along the riverbank. The skies were clearing but still mostly cloudy, providing us with ideal conditions for photos. It made for one of those unplanned stops we were glad to have taken the time for.

Morning on Seneca Lake at Plum Point Lodge near Himrod, New York

The Glenn H Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, New York

Our ultimate destination was a lodge on the west shore of Seneca Lake, one of the Finger Lakes and central to the Finger Lakes wine region. I had a chance to do a little early photography before heading out to explore the area attractions. We visited three wineries, bought souvenirs at two of them, visited a distillery and the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport. We took a boat cruise on Saranac Lake out of Watkins Glen. That was the seventh boat cruise of our trip – do you get the feeling we like boat cruises? 🙂

The George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York, on the estate of George Eastman

One of our days there was dedicated to a drive to Rochester, where we visited the George Eastman Museum and, most importantly, met up with two of our long-time photo buddies Paul Maxim and Ken Bello. We had lunch with them and Ken’s wife before driving along the shore of Lake Ontario through Webster (Where Life Is Worth Living) and ultimately returning to our lodge.

Sodus Bay Lighthouse on the shore of Lake Ontario at Sodus Point, New York

New York made for our 49th state visited. Number 50 is Hawaii, and we have plans to visit there in February. After that? We’ll have to see, but there is a lot more of this country we want to see, we have friends to visit all over, and we might want to see a little bit more of the world. 🙂

Heron Hill Winery near Hammondsport, New York

Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery near Hammondsport, New York

Atwater Winery near Watkins Glen, New York

Finger Lakes Distilling Tasting Room near Watkins Glen, New York

Hector Falls along SR 414 near Watkins Glen, New York

Village Marina on the south short of Seneca Lake in Watkins Glen, New York

The Schooner “True Love” sailing on Seneca Lake, New York

The US Salt plant on Seneca Lake, New York from aboard Seneca Spirit with Captain Bill’s Cruises

Photo Project: 50 States

No, We Didn’t See Bernie – But We Saw Vermont

December 5, 2021 Tom Dills 2 Comments

There’s no question we didn’t spend enough time in Vermont. Even if it hadn’t rained most of the time we were there, it would not have been enough. But what a beautiful state!

The King Arthur Baking Company store in Norwich, Vermont

Our first stop after crossing the VT-NH state line was the King Arthur Baking Company in Norwich. We’re not bakers but know the name, and since it was on the way we thought we’d check it out. I guess if you are into making breads and cakes from scratch, this would be your Mecca. From what I could tell they have a little bit of everything in the store, including seemingly dozens of types of flour, pans, mixers, storage containers, you name it. Like a camera store for bakers! There is a cafe on site where they serve products that are made in-house, and there is a cooking school where you can learn to make lots of yummy things – after buying all of the proper equipment and ingredients, of course!

Vermont Spirits Distillery at Quechee Gorge Village in Hartford, Vermont

Quechee Covered Bridge in Hartford, Vermont

Next we stopped at a place called Quechee Village, and visited the Vermont Toy Museum (what a place – I’ll do a separate post) and Vermont Spirits Distilling Company. Of course we brought home souvenirs. Then it was on to Sugarbush Farm, a working maple syrup and cheese making farm near Woodstock, where we sampled and purchased some of their products. After that we visited The New England Maple Museum in Pittsford.

Sugarbush Farm, a maple syrup and Vermont cheese producer in Woodstock, Vermont

We spent most of our time in Burlington, which was essentially only one day since we got there late and were only staying two nights. But we crammed as much as possible into one day, visiting Ben & Jerry’s, taking a boat cruise on Lake Champlain, and exploring the town. After a nice dinner at an Irish pub, we headed back to our motel to prepare for the drive to New York.