Neel505 - Photos

My Photographs and Their Stories

"There are no rules for good photographs; there are just good photographs." ~ Ansel Adams

A Hybrid Photo Hobbyist

I'm a decent photographer, but mostly, I'm just lucky. I use the term "hybrid photo hobbyist" because I work in digital and film and to separate myself from the myriad of people with cell phones who call themselves photographers. I've never made any money with my photos, nor do I care to.

I've been serious about photography since 1985, when I was in Turkey, supervising three army photographers. I have always been a strong believer in knowing the jobs of all the soldiers in my care, so I made them teach me. They helped me pick out my first SLR, a Canon AE-1 Program, two lenses, and a flash. They walked me around the city, teaching me to use it and teaching me to develop and print in the NATO darkroom.

They were my finest mentors and toughest critics. They taught me in black and white, and you'll see that I still prefer it to color. I once had my own darkroom but sold all my kit when digital came along. Now I can do the same thing that once took hours in the lab in minutes on my computer. When I shoot film, I send it off to a commercial lab, scan the negatives, and adjust with Photoshop Elements. I rarely print these days.

I'm a purist, believing that too many adjustments and manipulations to an image make it graphic art, not photography. I like my color images natural and my monochrome images cold and contrasty.

Below are a few favorite photos from over the years, taken when the stars were aligned, which I believe are what Ansel called "good photographs."

Bay Week

My granddaughters played together on the shore at Cape Charles. Our second night, the whole family watched the sunset on a less crowded beach, south of the harbor.

Sunset? The girls could have cared less; there were sandcastles to build.

I call it "bay week" because beach weeks need waves, ocean waves, sea waves, or gulf waves.

I did, however, enjoy our vacation.

Pixel 9 Pro photo, no flash.

Monday, 27 July 2026

Hollymead Lake Trail, June 2026

Landscapes

I've been making a lot of landscape photos lately. My new camera and 16-50mm lens are great for that. The beautiful garden of Charlottesville is inspiring.

The summer sky was doing its part this day.

Nikon Z fc, 16mm, !SO400, 1/1000. f/3.5, RAW, adjusted with PS Elements

Hollymead, Charlottesville, 2024

Kady

Kady is the boss. I met her at church, and she quickly became the most important thing in my life. She controls my little existence and supports me in everything I have ever done.

If I'm a good man, it is because of her.

She's highly intelligent and amazing at everything she does—a wonderful wife and mom, a great cook, and a fantastic interior decorator. Everyone who knows her adores her.

Also, she is the REAL photographer in the family. Her stuff is amazing. She supports my photo gear habit, hoping, I think, to make me a better photographer.

I'm the luckiest guy on this planet.

Alsancak, Izmir, 1986

An American Girl in Izmir

Kady visited me twice during my first tour of Turkey. The first was with the kids for the summer. The second time, she came alone to spend New Year's with me and to attend the Command Holiday Party.

I photographed her with my new camera.

This is, by far, the best portrait I have ever taken.

I took it with a Canon AE-1 Program, Kodak Plus-X Pan 125, at 100mm, developed the roll with Kodak Microdol-X, and printed this negative on Kodak satin paper.

That's right—old school film and darkroom work!

This version, though, is a scan of the negative, not the print.

"You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved." ~ Ansel Adams

This is one of my all-time favorite photos of The Girl, taken on a cold December day, in front of the Turkish-American Association in Izmir. All of the American facilities, the army detachment, the base exchange, and the commissary were a block away. Though we lived eight blocks away from here, on 1408 Sokak, we walked everywhere we went. I was on "holiday break," so we had plenty of time together.

Canon AE-1 Program, FD 35-70mm

I think it was taken in Kodachrome, but I'm not sure. It was long ago.

I took this photo during that same visit, with her wearing the little dress that she was wearing when I met her at the Istanbul airport.

I tried a soft-focus technique I had read about, shooting through nylons. Though I like the feel of this photo, I now wish I had shot it normally.

2-505 Dining Out

VMI Mid-inter Formal

Always the Belle of the Ball

The Old Oominion Cotillion

Spotting Eagles, Kansas, 2021

Silverwood, Lexington, December 2003

Sil

It is known—Have a look at the mom before you marry the girl.

I met my future mother-in-law, Sylvia, when we formed the cult in 1974. She and my future father-in-law, Bill, were members of an older Thieme Taper's group, who joined the young twenty-somethings sitting under pastor-teacher Ron Adema.

We called her "Ranger Lady" at the time for her support of all the military guys from the church and for her love of wearing a Ranger sweatshirt, gifted by one of those men.

Sil (my spelling) became one of my biggest supporters as I enlisted in the army, during my first four years, and during my divorce when I moved back to Birmingham. We became good friends, and she was my strongest spiritual mentor. This was long before I met her daughter.

Oh. You're Sylvia's daughter? Sold!

I made this in Lexington just before Christmas in 2003, when she was sixty-nine. As you can see, she was an amazingly beautiful woman. Pancreatic cancer took her life thirteen years later.

Sil loved sitting for my camera and editing my webpage.

North Beach, 2025

Tybee Morning

When my family converged on Tybee Island for SGM's birthday, I was still recovering from open-heart surgery, into my third chemo infusion, and preparing myself as best I could for a second surgery to remove my upper left lung. To make matters worse, I had recently dropped a jack on my left foot.

I hurt all over, and I was tired.

Normally I love the beach, but all I did for four days was suffer.

On the last morning, I hobbled out to the car and drove to North Beach for sunrise, thinking it might be one of my last.

As I turned to head back to the car, this view caught my eye, and at that moment, I was a photographer again. I was whole.

Nikon D850, 35mm, f/8, 1/40, 400 ISO,

Crystal City, 2024

LR

This is my firstborn, by Becki. She has returned to my life through her efforts and those of my other two children. I'm so grateful.

I love how she has taken on the roles of big sister, godmother, auntie, and friend in our family.

She brought with her a great man and two more marvelous grandchildren.

I need more time with them.

Ruins

Not far from us stands the old Barbour house, designed by Thomas Jefferson for his friend Governor James Barbour. It was built from 1814 to 1822 and burned in 1884.

I take all my visitors there to walk the gardens, among the 200-year-old boxwoods.

It's a beautiful place.

Ah, but there are beautiful ruins all over Virginia..

Highway 60, April 2023

The Old Store

On Highway 60, between Amhurst and Buena Vista, you pass through the little hamlet of Forks of Buffalo. The barn there is a beauty, but the old storefront across the street is more interesting to me. I think it is because I have watched it age since 1997. The store recently collapsed, but the front edifice remained, last I saw.

Maryland, 2023

Jay

I'm amazed at how few photos I have of my son as an adult; I took hundreds of photos of Jay as a child. I need to fix this problem. This one is from my granddaughter's birthday party a few years ago.

An Iraq veteran, he returned home, educated himself with the GI Bill, and earned his MS in information technology.

He is the best man I know.

I dig the hat and his Carnegie Mellon bow tie.

Hollymead Town Center, 2024

KS

My daughter-in-law was my daughter's college best friend and part of the family long before my son showed interest.

A smart, college-trained interior and exterior designer, she works for a local contractor. She's also an amazing artist.

She is proof that angels live among us, entering Jay's life at the perfect time. She saved him.

I took this on one of our morning coffee dates, finally capturing how I see her.

Churchville, 2003

Forest Lakes, 2019

Ryan's Wedding, 2019

Savannah Facade

I love Savannah; It is a photographer's paradise.

I took this for a Charlottesville photographer's group photo contest. The theme was "Filthy Facades."

I didn't win, which was ok with me, because there were other amazing photos submitted. The winning photo, however, was of a blue bench covered in potted flowers. The "judge" said she liked the pretty colors.

So much for themed photos. That was my last day in the group and my final photo competition.

Somerchase, 2017

CE

My daughter is, and always has been, a classic beauty; she looks like her mom. Sadly, she never lets me take her photo.

I don't get it. Each time she allows me, the photos turn out great.

She's an Afghanistan veteran, still in the Army, and recently promoted to lieutenant colonel. She's a paratrooper and wears the AA patch on her left shoulder.

I think this is my most recent shot of her. Maybe one day . . .

Winston-Salem, 2005

True Art

I took this shot of CE in Winston-Salem, at the Reynold's House, back in 2005. My brother, Jim, was showing his art at The Reynolda House Museum of American Art.

She and I attended.

I think I came home with only four photos of Jim's sculptures; I spent the day photographing my baby girl, a more beautiful work of art.

"The smile of a daughter is the secret purpose of every father." ~ Unattributed

Kansas, 2020

AJ

Finally, a good man comes along. I couldn't have picked a finer husband for my daughter. Though a "damnyankee," I liked him from the first.

He is the perfectly calm opposite of my fireball daughter. They are a great team, and he treats her like the princess royal she was raised to be.

Cooper liked him instantly. Nuff said.

Wilmington

In town for a VMI funeral, I met up with Ken and Alice, who took me down to the Cape Fear River for dinner at Elijah's Oyster and Fish Camp. I had the best crab cakes I've ever tasted.

After, we walked along the River Walk and then drove to Wrightsville Beach so I could put my toes in the sand.

Wilmington is an amazing place that I need to revisit.

I'm thinking, houseboat!

Churchville, 2023

Jk

My grandson is one of the most photographed young men in America. We all took thousands of pictures of him when he was little. The Cadets and the VMI's public affairs office joined in. He's smart, articulate, and quick-witted, with a tendency for good-natured, Neel sarcasm.

Ignore his intelligence at your own risk.

It's hard to believe that he just graduated from high school.

I'm excited to see what his next big step will be.

Holly Mead Lake, 2024, Senior Portrait

Churchville, 2023

ST

I'm just getting to know this young lady. She seems a little apprehensive about who I am, with a pinch of disapproval.

I expected that.

She's an amazing student and lacrosse player, already being looked at by colleges. I hope to support that and become her friend. She has enough grandparents.

She's beautiful and smart like her mom.

Somerchase Park, 2023

ES

I spend a lot of time with my granddaughter. She's super intelligent, has a near-photographic memory, and is into science like I am.

I enjoy taking photographs of her, and she enjoys posing. She knows what she wants and must approve every shot.

Churchville, 2024

SGM

This baby and I were great collaborators. She was ready anytime Granddaddy wanted to take photos, as long as she got to review each shot and then push all the buttons on the camera.

When she had had enough of my camera and me, she gave me an emphatic "All done!" This also means, "Let me have a go with that camera."

At 5, she's not that into it.

Asheville, 2026

CfN

I met up with my friend CfN in Asheville for lunch. It had been years since I had last seen her, and yep, she is still gorgeous. I took a few shots that day, and I liked them all, and she uses one for her social media profile.

I've been taking photos of her since 2009, and each session has produced some amazing portraits. Her gray-green eyes are incredible, though I have never captured them. I shall keep trying.

I met her through the VMI hockey team, and she became a part of my son's group of friends. Later, she worked at the VMI counseling office. She was the only one there who I trusted; she "got" VMI.

She is one of my favorite people ever, and, when the Lost Boys graduated, she became the fourth, watching the last season with me.

Lexington, 2009

Charleston, 2011

Churchville, 2024

Scout the Dog

Somewhere in all this fur is my new bud, my daughter's Bernadoodle, Scout.

He's a treasure—trained, happy, and well-behaved. OK, he does like getting in the trash and has a stubborn streak a mile long, but he's a good boy.

I didn't think I could love another dog after Cooper, but this guy won me over.

When I'm in NOVA, he's my dog.

Ruby

THe newest member of the family is growing rapidly.

Luckett's Store

One man's junk is another man's photo subject. My wife and daughter love to scour Luckett's Store for fun things. I search for working period cameras, though I haven't found one worth buying . . . yet. I set my camera to black & white when I'm there or shoot in Ilford film, like these two shots.

The Girls of Summer

Sevda, Divas Ajans, 2001

The Boss

During my third tour with NATO in Izmir, I met and photographed some of the sweetest and prettiest young women that I have ever met.

Sevda owned Divas Ajans, a modeling agency. I met her while two officers and I were playing pitch out on the First Kordon.

She put me and my camera to work photographing her models and events and helping her build her website. There were times she'd call while I was at work needing my help. I'd sneak out and grab my camera.

It was a tough job.

I'd love to go back and photograph her again, but that would be difficult—she's moved from Izmir and married with teen children. It's hard to believe that she is in her 50s and older than I was when we met.

We're still in touch on Instagram.

I took this, and those below, when I was transitioning from film to digital, so it was taken with a first-generation Sony digital camera at 1.8 MP.

Berna, Alsancak, 2001

The Friend

Berna was Sevda's best friend and office manager. Since her chosen second language was French, communicating with her was difficult, but we made do using hand signals, my 5th grade French, and SEvda's excellent translations.

I still owe her a tour of the churches in Izmir, reason enough to return.

She married a rich businessman and has a little boy

Handan, Carnivale Club, 2001

The Singer

While walking in Pasaport, some friends and I met the singer Handan at the Carnivale Club. She was amazing, and though I couldn't understand much of what she sang, I loved her music.

I would go back often, taking friends along or alone just to hear that voice. I always brought her flowers from the çiçekçi outside the door. That's a very Turkish thing to do.

She began greeting me as I came in the door and dedicating songs to me.

She's very popular in Turkey these days.

I'm still a fan.

Listen

G'ser, Sardunya, 2001

The Teacher

While drinking beer with two of the officers in a little Alsancak club, I met this young math teacher. She adopted me as a cultural orphan and included me in friend and family activities.

She would usually call at the end of the day, telling me she had found the best bar, show, music, or food. I always went along.

I lost contact with her after I returned to the States, though I think I have found her on Instagram.

Burçin, Matisse, 2001

The Waitress

Directly across the street from my apartment was a little coffee shop,. The place was beautiful and frequented by attractive people, and I planned to give it a try. The pretty waitress working there gave me pause. Every time I returned home, she watched everything I did with what I took to be a disapproving look.

After a few days of this, I walked over and sat down at a sidewalk table, determined to show her that I was a nice guy and that we weren't all ugly Americans.

She walked over with the first smile on her face and said, "I have been wondering why you never came over for the best coffee in the city."

Matisse would become my favorite cafe—for the great coffee . . . and Burçin's smile.

Ancient Asia Minor

Ephesus is an amazing place—an entire city in marble, visited by tons of tourists but with plenty of areas where you can walk the ancient streets alone.

It is a great place for photographers.

Turkiye, 1985

Ephesus

This shot is from my first solo trip out of the city, in Kodachrome 64.

Day 1: Walk the site.

Day 2: Study the history.

Day 3: Photograph the site.

This became my process. Now, I'd shoot every day; digital is cheap.

Lexington, 2018

The Institute

I worked at Virginia Military Institute for seventeen years, retiring on 1 February 2018. Over the years, I have taken thousands of photos, most of which I have deleted.

I stayed too long, becoming a tired old man there.

This is the last photo on the roll, taken on my final day at VMI, with a Mamiya RZ-67.

It was a great camera, but I sold it, doubling what I paid for it.

The Ghosts of VMI, 2010

Alexandria, 2026

Alexandria Waterfront - a Lesson in Opportunity

Good photographs can come from the worst and most ridiculous of circumstances.

Imagine waiting in the cold, on Christmas Eve, for over an hour for some skinny guy in a Santa costume to waterski on the Potomac. Underwhelming? Yes. Waste of time? No.

I made this photo that day and had loads of fun family time.

SS

The day after Christmas, 2017, I took a few shots of SS to test my new 50mm lens. I was happy that he agreed. The man has such an interesting face.

I took it in available light, which worked nicely. I should have shot from a little farther back. The tree lights are a little distracting, though I like them.

Kady met him on the Internet way back in 1999 or 2000. He has become a member of the family. We enjoy time on his farm in Tennessee.

Rogersville, 2026

Blueberry Hill

I took this while wandering around the fields around Blueberry Hill Farm in Tennessee. The cows were very interested in who I was and what I was doing. I had to keep a close watch on the little bulls.

I shot it in color, but it looked better in B&W. To me, most things do.

Reviving a Farm, 2018

Professor and artist, this was my hero growing up, though he plays golf and cheers for the other team.

Man, I need to take photos of him and his family. That's always been hard and is harder now that he has moved to Arkansas

I never thought either of us would leave Alabama.

I like this photo for its illustration of my brother the teacher. As he was setting up the show, this young woman, staff as I remember, asked him a question about his art. She was fascinated by every word he said.

I'm so glad he's safely out of Birmingham.

Balls Bluff, 2025

Battlefields

I've been a Civil War buff since I was a youngster. In the army, I studied the battles and began walking battlefields, learning the lessons and applying them to my profession.

Nowadays, I spend my time sitting and listening.

Battlefield photos begin to look the same—it is the stories of great valor that set them apart.

“In great deeds, something abides. On great fields, something stays. Forms change and pass; bodies disappear; but spirits linger, to consecrate ground for the vision-place of souls. And reverent men and women from afar, and generations that know us not and that we know not of, heart-drawn to see where and by whom great things were suffered and done for them, shall come to this deathless field, to ponder and dream; and lo! the shadow of a mighty presence shall wrap them in its bosom, and the power of the vision pass into their souls." ~ Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Antietam, 2022

Churchville, 2023

HJ

My niece and nephew are such an amazing team that I can't write about one without mentioning the other. They have built a great life out in Arizona, in a beautiful home, constantly full of children and grandchildren.

HJ is a professional family and addiction therapist and serves as the family fitness guru. I have never asked her about anything physiology-related that she didn't know about. I could listen to her all day.

Churchville, 2023

BH

This guy is an ex-Army Special Forces NCO. He works as a drilling engineer. He is also an amazing cook and a born comedian.

These are two of the finest people I know, always willing to help someone in need. I enjoy visiting.

Saguaro National Park

I have spent plenty of time in the desert—82nd Exercises, JTF-6, NTC, and USASMA. There's something mystical about it.

At first glance, it looks dead and forbidding, but with the slightest moisture and a few days of warm weather, it turns green, sprouts grass, and the plants begin to bud.

I like the desert in short spurts, but I have to return to trees and water, and that means the East.

Fort Stockton, 2018

Birmingham, about 1996

TS

While our niece lived with her grandparents, I asked her to sit for me. What photographer wouldn't? The Alabama sun coming in the window was harsh. I underexposed and was unable to make a decent print in my darkroom. I gave up and filed the negatives.

Technology improved.

I scanned the old negatives individually and worked on them in Photoshop.

Finally. Amazing! Never give up on a photograph.

Arizona, 2018

Antelope Canyon

Our Native American guide pointed out shapes and forms at Antelope Canyon. I saw Light and Changes.

I bracketed, adjusting my settings until I found the best one for each location.

The wind, rain, and floods constantly change the canyon. Where I stood, my camera angle and settings, and the time of day determined what I recorded.

Realizing that each shot was unique made the place even more spectacular.

November, 2018

The Colorado National Monument in B&W

Once we passed El Blisso in the fall of 2018, we began seeing the red rock formations of the southwest. Of course I was all about taking photos of them. When I'd see one I really liked, I'd tell the front-seat people, Kady and SS, to stop so I could hop out for my shot.

I quickly tired of that. After a while, I became quite bored with the color red but kept shooting.

I reached way back in my files for these shots, all digital and shot in color. I opened them in RAW with PS Elements, switched to monochrome, and adjusted from there.

Like most things, red rock formations look better to me in black and white.

C'ville

Charlottesville is my new home of choice. We're here to be near my son and his family and only two hours away from my daughter's. I've grown to love it. It's a picturesque little city with a small-town feel. It's beautifully situated in the Virginia Piedmont, close to the Blue Ridge, far enough from Richmond's problems, only two hours from DC, and a short drive from the coast.

I once heard that there are more restaurants per capita here than anywhere else in the United States. I believe it. I've been here since 2018 and have barely scratched the surface. Since it is a college town, we have world-class health care. Though C'ville has its problems, the good stuff easily outweighs them.

Forrest Lakes Trail

The Quiet Places

Charlottesville is a garden. Positioned in the foothills of the Blue Ridge, the whole town is a green space.

I spend beautiful days visiting the serene places, my favorite spots to relax. Envy Me.

Ivy Creek Natural Area

Forest Lakes, 2026

Another Spring

A warm Sunday walk down to Watercrest Lake.

I'm BACK!

Before the nonsense, my walks went for miles, passing all five of the lakes in our neighborhood.

It ain't called Forest Lakes for nothing.

This is a walking community.

Forest Lakes, 2024

Bee

I've taken photos of this youngster since she was a teen. It's easy to see why she was my favorite of all my kids' high school friends.

She has always been a beautiful, fun tornado!

She married my son and gave me my grandson, JK. Even though the marriage didn't work, she will always be one of my children and a member of my family.

Bee recently remarried and moved out West. I'll miss her.

Silverwood, 2003

Parade, 2005

Alexandria in Autumn

Walking the streets of Alexandria has been good for me. It's a clean, safe, and friendly place, and everyone has a dog—the perfect place for a man's daughter. I walk for miles every time I visit, usually with my buddy, Scout the Dog.

I love how almost every house decorates for each season or holiday.

House Mountain Overlook, 2015

Bess

A friend once said, "I think you have a photo of your car taken from every possible angle." True! I loved this car.

Every day that I walked out of the front door, I was struck by the beauty of my 2005 Mustang. Ford built it right, and Roush made it even better-looking.

Painted in Mineral Gray, she looked blue in the morning, silver at midday, and brown in the evening.

Each year, on 23 May, the day I call her birthday, I would drive her to a favorite spot for photos. Here she is at Ten, up on the Blue Ridge Parkway, still looking like a new car.

When I sold her, I lost one of my favorite models. I'm stupid. Never Sell Your Mustang!

Bess

Virginia Military Institute, 2006

The Car That Saved American Muscle, 2005

Bess with Bee, Day One, May 2005, Logan Martin

Key West, 2018

Light Houses

Who doesn't love a good lighthouse? I'm an East Coast boy hunting for them all.

So far, these two bracket my hunting ground. The light at Key West is the most southern, and Havre de Grace is my Yankee light.

Havre de Grace, 2014

Bodie Island

Hattarus

Ocracoke Island

Currituck

Church Crookhem, 1989

SA

There are few people I love as much as this lady; I consider her one of my closest friends and absolutely believe she has the nicest legs and cutest feet on this planet.

She sat for me when she visited us in Church Crookham, England, in 1988 or '89. I shot three rolls of Tri-X and ruined them by turning on the wrong tap and rinsing in hot water. I was able to salvage a few photos.

We email back and forth almost daily. Kady and I are blessed to know her.

Unless I take her photo again, she gets to be in her thirties forever. Not fair.

Harper's Ferry Rails

I'm a Southern Railway kid. My dad was their supervisor of communications, so I was around trains a lot when I was growing up.

Every boxcar, caboose, and section of track I run across becomes a photo.

One of my favorite childhood memories is listening to the whistle and the rumble of the trains rolling through Geiger, Alabama, at night. Nothing relaxes me like the sound of a train whistle in the distance.

There's a sleep sound for that.

JB

The Colonel was the VMI Band Director when I was there. He recently retired.

We share a love for battlefields, traveling as far north as Gettysburg and as far west as Shiloh.

He reads descriptions of the battles in an amazing Shelby Foote voice. Not too bad for a Yankee from Philly.

He stays in touch.

Bugs

Kady and I went on a butterfly walk at the Piedmont Botanical Garden; it was a good day. Our Certified Naturalist (that's a thing) was knowledgeable and fun. I took my first decent butterfly photo.

Since then, I've given insects a lot more of my attention.

I shoot them live because I'm a big ole softie, refusing to kill little critters for a damn photograph. I tried a kill jar with the grasshopper but couldn't do it.

I bought myself a set of extension rings for macro photography but haven't figured it out yet.

Arbor Lake, July 2026, Nikon Z fc, 50mm, ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/1000, RAW

The Wood, August 2026 Nikon Z fc, 50mm, f/9, 1/60, 400 ISO

Cape Charles, July 2026, Nikon Z fc, 40mm f/2, 1/4000, 100 ISO.

KF

As the father to a VMI grad and naval aviator, I met this great man when he visited VMI.

For a long while, he recruited for a scholarship for North Carolina kids. Almost every one of these young people became a leader in the Corps.

I gave him access to the barracks by escorting him anywhere he wanted to go, anytime he wanted.

We stay in touch.

The Old Truck

I ran across this old workhorse while walking on a new neighborhood path. I didn't have my real camera. The path and the truck were close enough to return that afternoon. I visited it often before the landowners closed the path. Now, developers are building a bunch of housing in the area, so my old truck's days are probably numbered.

Always carry a camera; you never know what photo-worthy something you'll stumble upon.

Fredericksburg, 2024

Mitch

By far, the finest soldier with whom I ever served. He was the best shot, navigator, scout, and leader and the second-best jumpmaster. He's a combat vet of Grenada, Panama, and Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

In this photo, he's acting like he knows what he's doing. Like me, he doesn't know shit about artillery, except how to call rounds in on target.

He and I are back in touch after far too long, and it is like we've never been separated. The phone calls are hilarious.

He and I met back in 1976 and became close friends when I moved to the Scouts. I've been his boss, he's been mine, and then we were scout section leaders together. doing lots of crazy shit.

I owe him.

SSf

This photo wasn't meant to look heroic; it simply couldn't help it.

This guy is, by far, the most highly trained and tested warrior I know. He's done it all. An Air Force combat rescue officer, he was once my cadet RSM and became the C1C at VMI.

I could tell you a lot more, but that shit's classified.

I took this shot in front of my quarters on the 4th of July. Of course.

Mushrooms

I love photographing mushrooms. Once I decided they were good photo subjects, I saw them everywhere. I can't walk past one without taking its photograph.

I've given up trying to identify them; that's too hard and dangerous. The word "poisonous" appears too often. So, what you have here are some that look like a turkey's tail (yes, I know), a red one, an orangey one, a pink one, and a yellow one.

I go out hunting morels every spring but have had zero luck.

Hemlock Varnish Shelf, Nikon Zfc, ISO-100, f6.3, 1/30, 30mm, June 2026

Birds

I'm a legacy birdwatcher; my mom gave her sons a love for nature. I still carry the bird book she gave me and binoculars everywhere, and while I had a proper wildlife lens, I photographed them.

I'll spend hours by the feeder, hoping to catch one in my viewfinder, but I need to be more patient when out in the woods.

I called this little finch with thistle feed in a dedicated feeder. He showed up about three days later.

I stalked this bluebird and his mate, who set up housekeeping under my son's mailbox. I parked on the same side of the street, put my car between me and the mailbox, and used my long lens.

Corolla, 2024

Egrets

It was a good plan, but the weather turned stormy and cold. Visiting the Outer Banks in March is a crapshoot.

I went looking for wild horses, walking miles of beaches to the north, and didn't see a single one. I refused to ride in the back od some bubba's jeep into the housing areas. That's very unpopular with the locals.

When the sky cleared and warmed a bit, Kady and I walked the Currituck Banks Maritime Forest Trail. Kady walked out ahead as I scanned the forest with my binos.

When I caught up to her, she was photographing a pair of egrets on the inlet off of Racoon Bay. I joined in, using my 500mm zoom.

This almost made up for the lack of horses. I will have to go back in summer and rent a 4x4.

Lynchburg, 2014

Ryan

A former VMI cadet, she and I became friends during the deaths of her grandfather and one of her brother rats. Then, as always, life, time, and distance intervened. That's normal, I think.

Our unlikely friendship has produced quite a few of my favourite photos. This wasn't difficult; she is such a pretty young lady.

My camera loves her.

This Dress Needs Photos

I got a text with a photo from Ryan saying just that—this dress needs photos. I'm not stupid; I left work, grabbed my camera, and met her at a local park.

We spent the entire afternoon taking photos, one of the best days of photography I have ever had.

When I published these, a buddy left a one-word comment: "Wow!" I'm certain he was talking about my photography skills.

McKethan, 2014

Chalottesville, 2018

Contrived Beauty

When I told Kady how I planned to take this photo, she told me it would look "contrived."

Ryan didn't mind. I bought her a coffee, gave her my copy of her favorite book, settled her in a chair out on the mall, and then got out of the way.

What I captured that day was a scene you often see out there on the Mall, only with a more beautiful girl.

I love it.

One of her friends described it as very Breakfast at Tiffany's. I'll take that.

" . . . beauty and femininity are ageless and can't be contrived . . ." ~ Marilyn Monroe

Manhattan, Kansas, 2021

Consider These

After surgery on my left rotator cuff, I was in Manhattan, Kansas, for my granddaughter's birthday. This was during the COVID thing.

To get out of the house and retain my sanity, I spent time in the prairie, looking for small flowers and plants to photograph. The beauty of the little things below our feet amazes me.

"Observe the lilies of the field, how they grow: they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these." ~ attributed to Iesous, NASV

Peoria, Arizona, 2024

BRS

This guy and I have a long history together. Though we went to rival high schools, we sang together in the 66th Street Baptist traveling youth choir, and ran into each other again when Machaira Church (The Cult) formed.

He and his wife, Deb (Millie), helped me through my divorce and introduced me to Kady. I owe them both so much.

When Millie died, he moved to Arizona to be close to his kids and grandkids. I saw him there during our last trip, when I took this photo. The boy does not age.

I wish I had taken photos of Millie. She was a beautiful person, loved by all.

C'ville, 2019

Southern Monuments

Southerners are the only people in this nation who are not allowed their history.

The only Southern monument left in Charlottesville is in the UVA Cemetery. Its days are probably numbered. Hell, they even removed the Lewis, Clark, and Sacagawea monument. I spent the better part of a day photographing all of the monuments in the city before they were removed. I love this town, but it is home to some of the biggest bozos in the solar system.

Photograph your history before the vandals come for it.

""The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history." ~ George Orwell

This Moses Ezekiel sculpture, depicting General "Stonewall" Jackson at Chancellorsville, once stood at the front of the VMI Barracks. In the emotional, knee-jerk responses after the death of George Floyd, all references to Jackson were removed from VMI, and this beautiful statue was moved to the New Market battlefield, relegated to guarding the public toilets.

Once a proud Southern military college that stood for right in the face of the ever-changing tide of public opinion, VMI buckled under the pressure from a weak and liberal governor.

VMI was not heard from this day, and nothing has ever disappointed me more.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C-2023 A3), October 2024

Celestial Stuff

Astronomy became my hobby through my father; he gave his boys the universe.

I'm working on my astrophotography, but it's not there yet. I've been lucky a few times.

Somerchase, 2026

Yet Gentle Will the Griffin Be
by
Vachel Lindsay

my favorite childhood poem

The moon? It's just a griffin's egg,
Hatching tomorrow night.
And how the little boys will watch
With shouting and delight
To see him break the shell and stretch
And creep across the sky.
The boys will laugh. The little girls,
I fear may hide and cry.
Yet gentle will the griffin be,
Most decorous and fat,
And walk up to the Milky Way
And lap it like a cat.

Luna on a warm February night

Nikon D850, 500mm, 100 ISO, f5.6, 1/320, RAW

Daylight Moon, Arizona, 2024

Weatwater Stars, Utah, 2018

Neowise, Manhatten, KS, 2020

C-2023 A3, Airport View, Charlottesville, 2024

Collierstown, 2013

Nohe

This shot of Bolivian import and former cadet, Nohelia, is a happy accident. We drove out on the Rockbridge County backroads to take photos of her with her Jeep. Most turned out OK, but I liked none of them.

As we headed back to post, I put my camera up on the dash and aimed the best I could. Tada!

I probably couldn't reproduce this, but I surely would like to try.

Orchard Breeze, New Market, 2012

Off Highway 60, near Covington, 2017

Humpback Covered Bridge

I love me some bridges. I'll stop in the middle of the damn road for a good bridge photo.

If you're on I-64 West, this beautiful bridge is located just before the West Virginia-Virginia border, right off of the interstate. It's well worth the stop.

Take a picnic lunch and a friend.

Missouri River, Levenworth, 2019

Waterloo, 2016

2003

Chessie Trail Bridge

The old railroad bridge on the Chessie Trail, which runs from Lexington to Buena Vista, was washed out in the floods from Hurricane Isabel in September 2003. I took this in December.

Photography is history.

Sister-in-law, Sheri, 2001

Yankee Horse Ridge, about 2015

Zarah

This young lady was my daughter's college roommate and a frequent visitor in our house at VMI.

I took my first photo of her when she was 18. This was taken during spring exams while she worked at VMI. We snuck out of the office and drove up to the Blue Ridge Parkway for photos.

She was by far the easiest person I have ever photographed. All I had to do was push the shutter release as she moved effortlessly from pose to pose, pausing for me to hit the shutter. It was unlike any shoot I have ever done.

Two weeks later, her little sister came to town.

Envy the photographer.

Foca, Turkey, 2001

Boats

Now that I have more time, I wish I still had my boat, but anything floating on the water is OK with me.

I love being on the water. My early days were spent on Lake Logan-Martin, skiing, bass fishing, or just relaxing.

I never set my Google Maps to "Avoid Ferries." I love them. When I go to Virginia Beach, I always go through Jamestown and take the ferry to Scotland. I'll drive all the way to Hatteras to take the ferry to Ocracoke.

I'm a fan of sailboats. I learned to sail in the Mediterranean while "training" in Cyprus with 1 Para.

Turkey, 1985

Erin

For the rock-bottom price of "pose-with-my-car," I took this young Mary Baldwin College woman's graduation photos. She was happy with them, though I never found out if she used them.

It doesn't matter; I like them.

She's married to a great VMI man and naval aviator.

Grassy Key, 2018

Sunrises and Sunsets

Sunrises and sunsets are probably reasons photography was invented—each one different, changing by the second, never to return.

"It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream." – Bernard Williams

Brother Rat and Dogs

Erica came to see me a couple of years after graduation to take the photos we had talked about for so long. She brought her dogs.

Yay!

While she wrangled the animals, I tried my best to get in some decent shots. I got a few, but the day convinced me that I didn't like working with animals, especially while trying to take a portrait.

This was my favorite of the day.

I'd sure like another chance . . . without the dogs. Erica is an incredible beauty and one of my faves from the class of 2004.

Coral Honeysuckle, 2026

Backup

I checked my camera before going to Ivy Creek for a walk, and the battery was almost empty.

"That's ok," I told myself. "I have a Pixel 9 Pro."

Shooting at 50 MP with the wide lens, I got in close to this pretty thing and snapped.

Nice!

It'll never replace my Nikon, but it's a great backup when I'm forgetful.

Blue Ridge, 2012

PBG

I've taken this young woman's photos since she was fifteen—proms, dances, homecomings, and such. During her high school days, she was always at our house on Main Street and the prettiest of my daughter's friends.

Her ice-blue eyes were beautiful.

I took this when she was about 28. It's one of the few photos of her that I still have, and that's a shame.

Her life has been tough. She should write a book.

Utah, 2018

Wasatch National Forest

To celebrate my 2018 retirement, we took a trip out West. It is beautiful out there, but after a while, all you want to see is some damn trees! Enough with the red rock formations already!

East of Park City, Utah, we drove through Wasatch National Park. It was cold, but we kept driving up to find snow and trees. It gave me a chance to channel my inner Ansel Adams. I shot these in color and photoshopped them into black and white.

That's allowed in 505 Photography.

The little Aspens of Wasatch gave me a chance to channel my inner Ansel. Now I see why photographers love them.

That Tree

Trees

The day I arrived in Charlottesville, I noticed this tree on the side of Highway 29. I became obsessed with taking its photograph.

I'm not sure how old it is, but surely it has been watching drivers race up and down 29, hurrying wherever they are going, and mostly going too fast, for over a hundred years. It will probably be standing when my grandchildren's grandchildren are driving.

If it could, I believe this tree would tell us all to slow down and enjoy the short time we have on earth.

38.121137, -78.448301

Aspens

The White Oak, Albemarle County Airport, is 450-500 years old.

Emmanuel Episcopal Church's 400-year-old White Oak

Old Warrior

Autumn Light

Lexington, 2010

The Dancer

For over ten years, this girl was my favorite photo subject. We made hundreds of beautiful photographs together—I was her photographer, and she was my muse.

She is certainly my most photographed subject.

Life happened, and she moved away, married an abusive guy, wisely divorced his ass, got out of the Marines, took a thankless government job, and stopped carring about herself.

She was simply not the same happy young woman any more. and I blame him.

In an archiving mistake and a computer crash, I lost most of her photos, though I found these in an old webpage photo file. They are a good representation of the body of work.

Though this person is gone, probably forever, the photos remain.

VMI, 2009

Lexington, 2012

Blueridge, 2010

Fredricksburg, 2013

Antietam, 2011

Staunton, 2017

Somerset, 2019, my last good photo of her.

Those We've Lost

When the family gets together, I always bring my camera. Yeah, it ruffles feathers, but it is important to document my people. You should too. These folks have moved on in the universe, still loved but never to be seen again. What if I had buckled to them?

Lil' Em - Dad

Syl - Mother-in-law

Cookie - Lil' Brother

Wild Bill - Father-in-law

Cooper - Best Boy & Singer of Songs

Nita - Mom

Sheri, Sister-in-law

Brasso - Tug-o'-war Opponent, Nug

Shoutouts

Dad with his Olympus 35-S Rangefinder (Mom's photo using her Kodak Brownie) about 1961. They gave me my first camera, a Kodak 126. Dad was a fine photographer, usually shooting color transparencies to project them on his screen. Those were good times.

His first lesson was "Son, film is expensive." I was costing him a small fortune in film and developing by photographing nonsense. It was a good lesson for me back then, but now I shoot lots of everything.

Thanks, Mom and Dad!

"Promise me something, Katie: you'll take a lot of pictures and only regret the ones that you didn't take." ~ Jo, Safe Haven, 2013

Joe Wiles, Gil Moreau, Jim Llewellyn, and Bob Doucette

Thanks to these lads, Air Force public affairs NCO Joe and Army photographers Gill, Jim, and Bob.

Bob helped me pick out my first SLR, a Canon AE-1 Program, a flash, and a couple of lenses. Jim helped me find a good camera bag. Gill gave me expired film and taught me how to develop it, make prints, and operate the NATO darkroom. They walked me around Izmir, teaching me to use the camera and giving me a ton of advice. Joe sat for my first portrait and revied a lot of my photos, giving sound advice on content, prospective, and cropping.

"Color takes care of you; you have to work really hard to get a good black and white photograph." ~ Gil Moreau

Photographing Women

If I take good photos of women, it is because of what this lady taught me. When I met Sevda, one of my officers told her I was a "professional photographer." I countered, saying that I was not, but I was a good one. She immediately challenged this, telling me to take her photo.

I used my little Sony S-50 and loaded my photos of her and Berna onto my desktop to review. She was pleased and asked if I would like to work for her modeling agency, offering to pay me for photo work. Because of the army's rules about moonlighting, I declined but offered to work for her pro bono.

My first task was to take photos of her models for her customer book, a tough job. When my photos came back, they were good, but she was unimpressed. "You don't know how to photograph women."

She proceeded to teach me using herself as the subject, covering posture, poise, poses, camera angles, and perspective.

This photo from Urgent Fury in Grenada hangs in the 82nd Airborne Division Museum. I took it in December 1983, using a Kodak 110 Star camera that my brother Jim, the artist and art professor, sent in the mail.

Thanks, Jimmy! You've always been my hero.

After this trip, I bought a Canon AF35-M, which I carried in my ruck everywhere I went. The extra weight was worth it.

Turkey Photos

"What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that's gone forever, impossible to reproduce." ~ Karl Lagerfeld

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