Southern Documentary Journal - Page 7 of 18

Fall is chicken stew time …

When the weather begins to turn cold, stomachs churn for the warmth of soul soups and stews from derivatives of harvest. Chickens apply here - harvest doesn't have to be vegetables. The "make-ready" step of gathering the chickens is traditional for this family in Piedmont North Carolina. If the chicken source is not Harris Teeter, Food Lion, or Earth Fare; then the more hands the merrier. There is at least an hour of investment to in…

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November 10, 2014

Journal

Photolucida competition finalist … but not Top 50

In August of 2014, I was notified of being selected one of the Top 200 Finalists in the internationally recognized photography advocacy organization, Photolucida, and their Critical Mass Photography Competition. I was and still am deeply honored. Being the superstitious person that I am (I read my horoscope daily while I am looking over my shoulder), I told no one but waited until today when the Top 5o of the 200 were announced to tell anyone. I…

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November 5, 2014

Journal

The Butter Bean … a new farm venture

One of my strong remembrances about growing up was eating hand-picked, hand-shelled, home-cooked butter beans. In those days, there were no efficient mechanical harvesters so their fine delicacy reputation was bred into their preparation ... much like a blackberry pie tasting it's best when the berries are hand-picked - by the one doing the eat'in! Southern brand recognition and family tradition goes a long way so imagine my personal delight when I learned that again in my…

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October 27, 2014

Journal

Harvest time …

Once peanuts are dug from the ground, they are left in the field to dry before being combined (peanuts separated from the dug plant), graded, and prepared for market. Optimal conditions are when the peanuts sun-dry for a few days on top of the ground. This reduces the need and duration of mechanical drying with forced hot air ($$ propane $$). A sun drenched field also creates dust storms which farmers had to endure before there were…

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October 25, 2014

Journal

The Carolina’s battle that changed the course of the Revolutionary War …

Each year, Revolutionary War re-enactors march from Abingdon, Virginia and Elkin, NC to commemorate the march of the frontier patriots over the Appalachian Mountains to defeat the Loyalist army at the Battle of King's Mountain (S.C.). A portrayal and interpretation site is at the Bright's Cemetery on the Unimin Quarry property in Avery County (near Spruce Pine, NC) where almost 400 school children are bused annually to witness the tribute to Captain Robert Sevier who was mortally wounded in…

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October 1, 2014

Journal

World Triathlon Championships … The Story in Front of the Images

[portfolio_slideshow] 3,000 athletes from 73 countries participated the recent World Triathlon championships in Alberta, Canada … my wife was one, finishing in the top 10 in her age group, and my reason for attending the event as her domestique. A sense of wonder prevailed in all the venues and served as a testimony to the human conditions of genuine goodness and joy – a welcome relief from the news which we left at home…

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September 7, 2014

Journal

More Joy Welcomed in N.Y. Times Pictures of the Day

The N.Y. Times Pictures of the Day are a dependable source of inspiration for photographers. They trend with the news which is currently resplendent with grief and pain from locations like the Ukraine, Iraq, and Ferguson, Missouri. The images have become repetitive with bombed out buildings, makeshift coffins carried by wailing families, and of soldiers being beaten or beating. I was particularly proud of my wife who captured this moment during the baptism of the son of a close…

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August 14, 2014

Journal

Pre-Dawn Arrivals: Lake Logan Triathlon

During the first weekend of August 2014, over 900 athletes arrived before the sun came up at the Lake Logan Episcopal Center in Western North Carolina to be cheered by family and friends. This event has grown substantially, particularly this year with the addition of the Lake Logan Half. In this event, contestants swim 1.2 miles (1.9m), bike 52 miles (90 km), run 13.1 miles (21.1 km). The event is owned and managed by Glory Hound Events with production and…

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August 7, 2014

Journal

No, I am not a winner … but you (an aspiring photographer) could be

I am not a winner, but an aspiring photographer who is trying to improve their game will be by spending time on this site. Lensculture and their judges, in announcing their winners - age 18 to 69 - explain in detail why they identified these photographer artists as "emerging talent"- what a bonus! Reviewing their comments and the portfolios and websites of theses photographers is like eating candy out of a barrel in a candy store -…

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August 4, 2014

Journal

Story Behind the Image: “Drive By Shooting”

Story behind the Image: Let me say that when this image was first published, one of my dear friends voluntarily suggested a caption that hit the mark and demonstrated his knowledge of how images like this might be produced. I was "okay" with it as I knew that my deceased parents would be, too. They knew Tim. When Mother was transported by Wells Funeral Home to be interred, they traveled down Interstate 26 from Waynesville to the Mt. Lebanon Cemetery…

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July 6, 2014