Rick Hawkins Photography

House of Horror on Minerva

<>><><><.,<>><>><><><,..<>>><><><><><><.,><><><><.,><><><><<>><.,><><><><><><><><><>><.>< For several years the Davis family has been doing up there house for Halloween. They live right around the corner from me. I saw them getting ready for the big night. I decided to pop by on my bike to check it out. The front porch was converted into a walk through haunted house. All the bases were covered. They had great creepy sounds, black lighting and a few well placed surprises. They were sensitive to the age of the tricker treater which I thought was very nice. They put much love and work into this family project. ><><<>.<>,.,><><>.>.,.,>,.<><><.<.<><<><><,><>><><,><,.<<><>><><<>>>><><><><><><>
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Click on photos to enlarge!!! <><<>><><><><><><><.,><><><>,><><><<><><><><.,><><><><><,.<>><><><>,.,><><><><<><<>><><
<>><><><.,><<><><>,><><><<><><><><<>.,><<>><><>,><><><><><><><><.,.<><><><><><.,.,><>< Great work folks...I'll be visiting next year! House of Horror>>>1306 Minerva

dispatches from the road...Hales Bar Dam 1

<>><<>><><><>><><><><><<>><>><><<><><>><><<>><><><.,><><><><><><><><><>><<>><<>><>< I headed out for my fall break photo trek. I drove around South Pittsburgh. I met a man who told me to take hi-way 156. It was closed off and I got lost in a detour. I had no destination so I rolled with it. This happenstance led me here. I ended up spending the night shooting nocturnes and then waking up to a very neat photo opportunity. <>><<><><>><><><><><<><><<>>,><><>.<<>><.,><>>><<>><<>,.>><><><><><><><><><<>><>><>
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<>><<>><><><><<><><<><><><><<><>><><><><><><><<>><><<><><><><<><>><><<><<><><<><><<><>><., What's left the of the old Hales Bar Dam is in Guild on the Tennessee River. They are good folks down there. They rented me a floating room after closing time. This gave me a lot of quality time with the camera. <<>><< click on the last image to see some neat starry action.

dispatches from the road...Hales Bar Dam 2

<><><><><><><<>><<>><><><><>..,><><><><>><><><><><><<>.,><><<><>>>>>><><>< This structure was built around 1905. The bottom level of the "house" is submerged in the Tennessee River. The actual Dam was destroyed by TVA years ago. This shot shows an exposed area of the lower level. There were fish schooling inside the building. This thing has become part of the environment it was built to contain. <><><<<><><>>><><><><><><><><><><<>><><><<>><><><><<><><><><>><>><><>><><
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<><>><><><><<>><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>><><><>>><><><<><> more in the dispatches from the road folder

dispatches from the road...Hales Bar Dam 3

><><<><><><<><>><><><><><<><><>>.,><><><.<><>><><><><.,><><><><><><.,><><><><>><<><>< The interior scenes in this building truly amaze me. The way the light plays off the walls. Every turn I made another landscape appeared. Each one different and dramatic as the next. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><<><><>><><><><<><<
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<>><<><<>><><><<><<>><><<>><><<>>><><><><<><<><>><><<><>><><><><<><><><><><<>><><>< Google Hales Bar Dam for lots of interesting history.

Blue Moves

<><><><>><><><><<><><><<<><<><><><><><>>><><><>><><>><><><><><><><><><><<><><<><<>> I was around when the Blue Moves Modern Dance Company began 20 or so years ago. We all were in our early twenties and expressing ourselves through art and performance. We never quit what we were doing. Recently I went up to Nashville to photograph their performance at the Mercy Lounge. They still put on a great show. I look forward to working with them again. <><><<>><><<><><><><><><><><><><<><<><><<><<>><><><>><>.<><,<><><.<><>><><><<><
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Local musician and wild man Craig Murphy was the MC for the event. This is a photo of him reflected in the emergency door window. A train was going by.

ficus

<>><<>><><><><<><><><<<<><><<><><><><><><>><><>><><><><><<><><><><><><><><> My banjo leaf ficus shed some leaves. I stuck one on the light board.

dispatches from the road...Monterey Tn.

><><<>><<>>><<<>>><><><>>><><<>><><><><><><<><><><>><><><><<><><><><<><><><>>< Driving back from camp last month I spotted this concrete statue place. I stopped for a quick look see. I shot a bunch of pictures and it reminded me of shooting when I first began pursuing photography. Go to any intro class on photography and you'll see these kind of shots. Students invariably will go to the graveyard or similar spot and photograph statues. You can instantly get that gothic tone and its easy to get strange pictures. When you're new at it this is an easy way to get photos that are interesting. I realized that day that I was leaning on an old and reliable crutch. But I continued anyway. I did however handicap myself by not looking through the view finder. I just held the camera away from my body and shot. An old familiar crutch is often a fun one to hobble around on. <>><<><><><><><><<>><<><>><<>><><><>><>><><<><><><><><><>><><><>><><><><<><>><> ><><>><><<><><><<><><<><><><><><><><<.,><<><><><><<><>><><<><><><.,><><><>><>< more in the dispatches folder

dispatches from the road....Milledgeville , Ga.

<><>><><><><<><><><><<>><><><><><<<><>><><><>><><><><><<>><<><><><><><><><><><>< I was supposed to join Bill Lewis in a sailboat race while in Milledgeville. Even though I was just going to go along to document I got caught up in the idea. But, alas it was not meant to be. Bill injured his knee the night before the race. So I tried documenting from the yacht club dock. As the boats came back in the sky was doing some very dramatic things! This has been a good summer for cloud shots for me but this evening yielded some otherworldly colors and formations. More clouds in the dispatches folder! Hello to captain Ken! Click on picture for more detail! <><<>>><<><<>>>><><<><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><<<.,><<><><>><><><><<><<>> <><><><><><<>><<>><><><><><><><>><><><><><><><><><<<>><><><><><><<><><><<><><><><>

dispatches from the road....Milledgeville , Ga.

><><>><><><<>><><><<><>><<><><><><<><><<>><<<><><><><><><><<><<<><><<><><><<>< On the way back from Fla. Erin I stopped in Milledgeville to hang out at the Lewis boy's lake retreat. I took a "walk about" one day to gather images. One day maybe I'll attempt to take a walk without a camera. <>>><><>><>><<><><><>>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><<<><><<>><><<><>><><<><>> <><><><><<>><><><><><<><<>><><<><><><><><><><><><<><><<<<><>><<<><><>><<><>><><

dispatches from the road....forgotten coast 4

<><><><><><><><><<><><<><><><><><<><>><<><><><><><><><<><><<<>><><><><><><><><><< Here are a couple of more shots from the Florida trip. These are experimental in nature. This first image is the moon rising over the back of the bay. I tried several long exposures of the moon in focus and then tried one out of focus. I like the effect. I generally don't do a whole lot to my images. Photoshop is used for clean up and the tweaking of levels but otherwise I try to get interesting effects at the moment the shot is taken. The following picture was taken around the same time. The tripod was moved to the end of the bay walk. My son's friend William walks towards the camera. He's wearing a headlamp. More photos in the dispatches from the road folder. ><<<><<><<><><><><<<><><<<><><<><><<<><<>><><<<><><<><><><<<<<>><>><><><><<><>><><< <><<>><><<<>><><><<<><<>><><<>><><><<>><><<><><<>><><><><<><><><<><<>><<><<<>><<>

dispatches from the road....forgotten coast 3

<>><<><<><><<><><><<><><<<>><><<><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><.,><><>< I really like the cloud formations you get over the ocean. When the barometric pressure changes and you can feel the weather changing quickly it seems to excite the nervous system. The clouds that precede the front line are dramatic. ><><><><><<><><>>><><<>><><><><><>><>><><><><>><>><><><><><><><><><><><>><><>> <><><><><><><><><>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>>><<>><><><><><><<><><><<><>> ><<>><><><><><><>><><><>><<>><><><<><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>>>

dispatches from the road....forgotten coast 2

><><>>><<<>><><><><><><><><<>>><>><<><><<<>><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>< Heres a couple of more from Appalachicola. I like visiting the boats down at the docks. I really like the old ones that have seen service and the salt of the sea. Salt does interesting things to metal and wood. The colors seem more vibrant as the boat parts slowly dissolve. When I was finished roaming the town and was looking over what I had taken I was surprised to find not a single picture of an entire fishing boat. Apparently I was more interested in the individual pieces. <><><<>><><><><><<><><<><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><<>><><><<><><><><><<> ><><<>><><>>><<><><><><<><><<><><><><><><><><><<><><>>>><><><><><><><<><><<><><>><

dispatches from the road....forgotten coast 1

<>><<><><><><><<<>><<><><<><>><><<>><><><<><><>><><><><<><<<><><<><><><<<><>>< They call the Appalachicola to St. Joes area in Florida the forgotten coast. Don't tell the real estate agents! The area is pretty wild in the nature sense. But a series of constructions built on bad loans threatened the "forgotten" scene. Maybe it works out for the old Florida charm. It does give me a smile to see the million dollar condo in the gated community up for sale...price slashed. God save Florida from the gated community! This building is in Appalachicola. Old and salt weathered it attracted my attention. In the photo below you will see the ceiling above the doors. There someone has mounted a manual film camera. I contemplated the motive and scenarios that might have occurred there and prompted this action. Then I noticed the light was on. <><>>><><<>>><>><>><>><<><>><<><<><><><><<><><<><><><><<><><><><<><><><><><<>><> ><><<><><<>><<><<><><><><><><<><><><.,><><<><><><><><><><><<>><><><><><>><><><><><

nocturne 4

<><<><>><><><<><><><><>><><><<><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><< More nocturnes! I like building themes. These are some night shots from another farm. Well...almost night. It was about 8:40 p.m. The cusp! I positioned the camera on the camera bag and used the timer. Same goes for photo number 2. The yellow streaks are fireflies. I like the painterly quality. Photo number 3 is hand held and the camera was very gently shaken...with intent. ><><>><><><>><><><>><>><>><><><>><><><><><><><><>>>><>><><><<><><><><><><><><<> <>><><<>><><><><><<><><>><<>><><<><><<>>><><><><><><><><><<>><><><><<><><<><><>< ><<><><><><><<<><><<>><><.,.<><<<><><><>><<><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><<>< click on photograph to enlarge and see more in the dispatches from the road folder.

nocturne 3

<><><<>><<.,<><><>,.,>><><><<<<><><><>><<><><<>><><><<><>><><<>><.<><<><>><><>< Nocturne is a word of Latin origins. It is defined as meaning "of the night". Awhile back someone loaned me a book of paintings by a painter with the last name of Whistler. All the paintings were of night time subject matter. I got into his work and it furthered my interest in night time long exposure photography. Interesting things happen when you leave the shutter open and let all the light soak in through time. These shots have not been altered much at all from the original exposure. They were taken way after nightfall. The odd coloration is due to ambient city light in the background mixing with a security light that was directly behind me. Both photos were 15 to 20 second exposures. I like the surreal quality. <><>>,<<<<><><<<><>><<><><><><><><<><,><><><.><><><><.,><><><<><><><><><>><>< <><<><><,,><<><<>><.<<><><><<><><<>><<><><><><><<.,><><><>><.,<>><><><<><><><

more for the silo series

<><.,><><><><>><<><<<><<><><><><<>>>>><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><<<><><><<<<<>< My explorations of the countryside this spring and summer have unexpectedly led me into four abandoned silos. Thus a series has evolved. My latest silo was introduced when my friend Dustin took me to his Grandmas farm. When we told her of our plan she said," I've been trying to get the tree out of it for years". Tree?! And I thought the look of these silos was limited to sky. It makes for a very surreal photograph. <><>><<><>><><>><><>><<>>><>,><><<>>><><<><><><><<><>><><><><><><><><><<><<><><<> <><<<><><><><><<><><><><>.,><>><><<><><><><<><><<><><><><><>><><><><><><><><><<<> More silo photos and such things that are found while cruising back roads can be found in the dispatches from the road folder.

abstract on the river

<<><<<<<<><><><><<>><><>><><><><<><><><<<><><><<><><><><><<><><><><><><><>< Being a public educator I am off for the summer. This enables me for a few months to be another person. I work on photography, music and I spend alot of time outdoors. I spend many hours in or around Stones River. I love the outdoors but I'm not much on nature photography. I attempt it as can be seen in my natural world folder but I don't think I'm really that good at that particular form. I do carry my camera and often try. This shot was done doing the shaking the camera technique. <><><<><><<<><<><<>>><><<><>><<><><><><<><<.,><<<<><><><><>><<.<><><><><><><

rain at the crawfish boil

I carry my camera most places I go. By habit my camera is with me at most every social event I attend. My camera is more than just a tool for enterprise and material gain. It's a great adventure to go into a random setting and interact with the situation. My busy saturday ended with the Kates' annual crawfish boil. I've gone to this party for seven years. Every year it seems rain threatens. This year it did more than play around. The adults huddled around under tents eating one of the grand delecacies of the south. The forced closeness of all the folks added to the party. As the rain picked up the kids attending went buck wild! ><><<>><<<><><>><><<><><><><><><><><><><>>>>>><><><><><<><><><>><< <><><<><>><><><><><><><><><>><><><><<><><<><>><><><><<><><>><><<>< <><>><>>><><>><><><><<><><<><>>><><><>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><< ><>><><><><<><><<>><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><<><><<><>< ><><><><>>><<><><><><><><<>>><><><><><<>><><><><><>><>><><><<>><><<<< <<><<<<><><>><><>><><<><><><><><>><>><><><><><><><><>><>><><><><<><>< <><><<<>><<>><><><<><><<><><><>><><><><>>><><>>>><><<><><<>><><><><><> ><<<<><<>><<,<><><><<<>,>><><><><><><><><><>><><>><<><>><><<<<<><> ><<<<<>>,.<>><>><><>>,.><><><>>>><...,.,><><><>><><><><>><><><><>,.<><><><

my neighbor's rose

><><<><><<>>>>>><><><><><>><><><><><><><<.<><<><><><>><>>< My neighbor Pat is very nice. This is her rose. Hi Pat! >>>>><<<><.<><><>>>>><.><><>><><><>..<>><><>><>..><>><><>>

river at dusk

><><<><><<<<<><><><<><><><<<><><><><><><><><><>><><><><><<><>><><><><>><>< This is a shot I took at dusk on the Stones River. I have spent countless hours prowling this river. The river always has a calming effect. Whether I'm fishing, wading or simply watching waterbugs skitter about. I always leave better than I came. ><>><<><><>><><><><<><<><><><><>><>><