Baton Rouge Tourist

When I was working for the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association, I had the opportunity to take a number of tourism-promotion photographs across the state, but mainly in the Baton Rouge area. Here is one of my favorites, taken on the Mississippi River levee, with the old train and the Old State Capitol in the background. 

Backlit Leaves

The leaves on the trees in Autumn are colorful all on their own, but when the sunlight shines through them, then it's even better.

Downtown Drumming

One of the surprises of visiting downtown Asheville, North Carolina, was coming across a drumming circle. Every Friday evening, hundreds of people gather in a downtown park and drum. Some bring their own drums, others just drum on somebody else's drum. There's even a little dancing that breaks out spontaneously. 

So when you are trying to drum up something to do on vacation....

Water Wheel at Desoto Caverns

One of my favorite vacation places is Desoto Caverns in Childersburg, AL. It is a family place, filled with all kinds of things to do for kids and adults. One of those things is to "pan for gems" in the water-filled trough that features running water to help separate the sand from the gems. 

Part of that set-up is a real old-fashioned water wheel that powers the operation. Here is a picture of that water wheel doing its thing with the water flow also heading down the troughs to the gem panning area. 

Click on the image to make it larger. 

Through a Greenhouse Window

This greenhouse window was photographed at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina. The greenhouse in the gardens was larger than most homes.

Flowerbeds at Fort Collins

The university agricultural research station in Fort Collins, CO, always has a flower bed blooming with test varieties of various plants. 

Sunrise at Lamar

Here are a few photos of a sunrise in Lamar, Colorado, along with a couple of shots of the flowers in the motel parking lot.

Leaves Against Rock

Click on the image below to make it larger.

Peering Pigeon

There's something about having a pigeon stare at you that is unsettling. Almost as if they are saying, "What are you looking at? You going to toss me that bread crumb, or what?" 

Field of Flowers

This is one of the many garden scenes at the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina. 

Cat Portrait

Every once in a while when taking a picture of someone, you can expect them to stick their tongue out at the camera just in fun. But you don't expect it when you are taking a picture of a cat. 

Jean On The Tire Swing

Here is one of the many portraits I have taken over the years.

Being a newspaper photographer means that sometimes you are asked to take pictures for advertisements that are going to be published, such as this one for Little Villa.

New Orleans Riverfront

This picture of the New Orleans riverfront was taken in the early 1970's, during construction of the Hilton Hotel (background center) and before the Aquarium was built. 

Paddleboating In The Park

Here's a photo of a couple enjoying an afternoon paddleboat ride in the park. 

Roof Truss Abstract

Open air pavilions can be built in many different ways. Here's a look at the underside of a pavilion roof at City Park in New Orleans. 

Oaks In The Park

Riding the train at City Park in New Orleans takes you on a tour of the park's most scenic oak trees.

Explosion of Greenery

This plant obviously felt that it should cover as much space as possible in as short a time as possible, so it came up with this fireworks explosion look.

Fairhope Fountain

The water fountain down at the Fairhope, AL, municipal pier is always worth a photograph or two when going that way. 

Fall Color Review

Timing trips to the Smokey Mountains to get the best of the fall leaf colors is an art. The fall color map graphics on the Weather Channel website help. 

Some years I've been pretty lucky to get to these autumn showcases just at the right time. Here are some photographs of the leaves changing color, in North Carolina and especially at Cheaha State Park in Anniston, AL.

Click on the images to make them larger. 

Fog Over Eureka

Early morning fog shrouds a valley in Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Fallen Tree

Here's a picture of a tree that fell in the forest many years before. Click on the image to enlarge.