Rick Hawkins Photography

Christmas Cookies

><><>><>><<>><><><>><><><<>><><><<>><><>><><><>><><><<>><.,.,><><><<>><><><><> I had a great time at the annual cookie decorating party held by pottery boy Sean and his sweet lady friend Janice. Amazing food and an amazing amount of sugar goodies were had. ><>>><><><><<>><>><><><><><><<>><><<>><><><>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>><>
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The Christmas baby

<>><><><><<.><><<>><><><><><><<>>><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><.,.,><><>< The Sheltons found out little Liam was was coming to town last Christmas. I felt honored to do his first Christmas pictures. It's difficult photographing little ones. This being the case you still want to get something poignant yet representational of time in life. They are small for such a brief time.

Austin and the perfect spiral

<>><<><><><<>><><><>><>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>< This site functions as a record of my continuing pursuit of photography and all that I do with it. The continued pursuit of an interesting image is not unlike the practice and perfecting of throwing a tight spiral. You just keep doing it and hope it makes its way into muscle memory. This is my nephew Austin. We enjoy throwing the football around. It's taken him awhile but he has the spiral down. Neither throwing the ball around and doing photography are always about the big game. It's about the process of doing and the enjoyment of that one fleeting moment of perfection.

where the wild things are

<>><>><<><>><<><><<><><><><><<><<><><><><><><<><><<>><><><><<<>><><><><<><>< These photos are of young Jax Roddy. He was present at Eli's photo shoot. I shot several pictures of him running through the trees. It reminded me of Where the Wild Things Are. I saw the movie recently and loved it. I found the movie poetic and thought these photos contained a little bit of that kind of magic. <<>>><<><>><><><><><><<>><><<><<><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

Eli

><><<><<><>><><<>><><><>><><><<>><><><><<><>><<>><<><>><><<><><><>><<><>><>< I met Eli for a photo shoot this past weekend. He's a handsome fella that warmed quickly to the camera. In fact it was quite easy shooting him. He had several interesting expressions and wasn't afraid to show them. <><>><><><><<>><<><><><><><><>><><><><><><><><><<><><><><<><>><><<><><><><>

Zoe

><<>><>><<,>><>>>><<><>><><><.,><<><><<>><.,><><><><><><><><><<>><<>><><><><<><> Zoe Mccadams is a new friend. She plays bass and drums. She does well in school and helps mom with the house. She has a band called the skittle skulls. They don't have any songs yet but have a firm grasp on grassroots propaganda. Keep your ears open for the skittle skulls. <<><<>><<><><><><><><><><><><<>><><><<<>><><.,><><><><><><>,><><><><><><><><><
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sputnik

<><><<><><><<>.<><<><<>><><.,><<><><><><><>><><.,><><><><><><><><><><><><<>><><><><><> Sputnik is Amanda and Zoe Mccadam's cat. Sputnik is pretty and photogenic. She is named for a Russian satellite. They have an interesting household going on. <>><<><><>,.>><><><<.><><><><><<><><><><><>><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><.,><><><<
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halloweens past

<><><>>.><.,><><><>><>,.<><<>>><<>.,><><><<><.,><<>><><><.,><><><><>,><<>><><><<<> This is my son Erin and lifetime friend Addison Baker. They must be about 5 or 6. I remember taking them door to door. I remember Addie's bride of frankenstein and Erin's grandmother made white power ranger. They have known each other since birth and both currently attend U.T. Knoxville. Time flies as any parent while surely note. What seems like yesterday is now way down the road as the picture below will illustrate. ><<><><<>>><<>>,><<>><><><><.<>><><><<.<><><><><>,,><<><><><><><,>><><><><><><><><<

portrait of a photographer

<>><<><><><<<><<>><<>><><<>><><><><<>><<>><><><><><><<>><><><><><><><><><><><<<<> I don't often get the call to take pictures of adults. I have to take them where I find them. This is my friend Amanda Mccadams. She is a photography instructor in Nashville. She enjoys shooting lava flows, museums and crazy dioramas. Her photographs are very intriguing. Maybe I can learn something.

Elyas turns 1

<>><><<>><><><><><><><<><><><<>><><><><><<>><><><><><><><><><><><><><<>><.,.>< Elyas turned 1. There was a ceremony. There was a song written for him and performed by all. Dad took the middle section solo like a champ. Elyas was all into it, bouncing up and down in that seat! What a rocker! And then.....he burned his little finger on the one little candle. I wanted to point out the symbolism to him, but perhaps he is not quite ready for all that. ><<<>><><><><><><><><><><><><<><><><><><<><<><<>><><<>><><><>><><><<><>><><< <>><><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><

Makayla at 5

<><><><<>><><><><<<>><><><><<>><<><<><><><><><><<><><<<>><><><<><><><><><>>><> Oh to be 5! To put on your little mermaid swimsuit and run buck wild with your little friends. To scream at a very high decibel. Makayla's birthday party was filled with such things and lots of physical activity. I'm always amazed at the amount of energy expended by the 5 to 10 year old set. This party took place at a martial arts center with a padded floor. Little girls were flying all over the place.

Gnee

><><><><><><<><><<><><<><><>><<><><><<><><<><><><>><><><><<><>><><><><><><><><> I thought my neighborhood cat was a he that lived next door. I called him Nero due to his regal way of handling himself and his utter detachment towards affection and even food. I found out that he was a she. And I found out she lives in an abandoned truck in the neighborhood. Suddenly her visits took on a more mysterious nature. She would appear at the strangest times asking to be let in. Sometimes she ate and sometimes she would just hang around and look pretty. This started three years ago. She still comes and goes. I'm amazed at her ability to look and act like a normal pet when in fact she's not. I call her Gnee. She likes salmon skin straight off the grill.

boys of the summer>>>3

<>><<><>><><>><><><><><><><>><<><<><<><><>><<>><<><><><<>><<><><><>><><><>< This is my third post on Camp Country Lad. I could write several more. Camp is a rich subject for me as a photographer. But it's more than the photography that inspires me. I could go on and on about all the positive effects it had on me as a boy and I could write about the interactions between campers and staff that I found revelatory in this modern world. But, I'm not that eloquent and its easier for me to try and illustrate through photography, yet it is still impossible. This is a shot from the Friday night campfire. Mr. Malcolm, the camp director asked me to say a few words about what camp has meant to me. This was a daunting task! I speak in front of young people for a living and never have I been so nervous. This is because Mr. Malcolm and Mrs. Patsy have in over 48 years created something so special that it almost seems to have a life of its own. The adventure, the beauty and the codes lived by campers there every year is a miracle in this busy, media bombarded world. I'm not sure what I said that night. I was told I did alright. All I remember is pausing frequently to look in the fire. It's there I found the words. <>>><>><<<><>><<>>><><><><>><><><><><><><><><><>><><><><><><><>>< More photos can be found in the Camp Country Lad folder!

boys of the summer>>>2

><><><<><<><><><<<>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><>> Camp birthday is a day where the camp is divided up into teams for epic confrontations. The teams get a name, some paint and gear up for a full day of activities. It's fun...I know I was one of these kids 30 years ago. ><><><><><>><<><><>><<>><><><<><><>><><<><<><><><><><><><<><><><><>><<><> ><<><<><><><<>><><><><><><><><<><<>><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><<><<>< ><><><><<><>><><><><<><><><><><><<>><><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><<>><><>><<> This a shot of the opening bell. <><>><<><><<>><><><><><><>><><><><><><><><<><>><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> <><><><<><><><><><<>><>><><><><><><><<><<><><><><><<><><<><><><><><><><><><><< <>><><><><><><><><<>><<<><><><><><><<><><><><><><><<<>><><<>><><><<><><><>><>><> <>><<><>><<<><>><<><>><<>><><<><><><<><<>><><><><>><<><><><><><><<>><><><><<>>< <>><<>><><><><><><><><<>><<>><><><><><><><><><><><<<><<<><<>><><><>><><><>><><>< ><><><<<>><<><><>><><><<><><><<><><<><><>><><><><<><><><><<><><><><>><<<>><>< At the end of the day and after the birthday banquet the cake is cut. Camp is 4 years older than me. I hope I age as gracefully.

boys of the summer>>>1

This is my third summer visiting and photographing Camp Country Lad in Tn. I attended this camp as a boy between the years of '77 and '83. Camp has a very special place in my heart and photographing there is very rewarding. I love doing portrait work but I wouldn't call it personal. Most of my "personal" work involves photographing things. Camp affords me many chances to do that while also allowing me to pursue and try to document the goings on of the campers. As I photograph the camp, which hasn't changed one bit since I was a kid, I can't help but see myself at 11 years old. This makes it personal and a unique experience for me. <><>><><<><><>>><<><><><<><>><><><><<><><><><<><><><><<><><><<<<><><><><<>><<> Campers are always moving! There is alot going on and it's going on with out the intrusions of a modern technological society. The absence of phones, laptops and television has an amazing effect on those attending there. There is no other preoccupation other than being a camper. Camp is a priceless educational experience in being a boy! More camp photos in CCL folder......

monkey number 1

<><><><><<><<><><>><<><>><><>>><><><><><<><><><><<><<>><><><><><<>><><><><><><<><> I attended Jackson's birthday. Year number one is in the bag. Jackson can have his cake and eat it too! He can roll in it for that matter. Jackson had a big time and the collection of kids made for interesting photo chances. I'm curious to how much all these kids will change in one year. I hope we do it again next year. Maybe we can go ten years! That would be a neat photo essay! >><<><><><><><<>><<><>><><><<>><><><><><><<><><<<<><<><<><><<>>><><><><<><><<><< <><<><<>><><<><><><><><><<><>><><><><><><><><><><><<><><.<>><><><><><><><><><

June

<>><<>><>><><><<>><<><><><><><><><><<><><><<><><<>><><><<>><><><<>><<><<>><<>>< I met June at a wedding party. We talked about doing some pictures. She said she needed some to send to her mom in Japan. I don't often get to photograph adults in portrait sessions so I jumped at the chance. June is is into music and is a musician as well. I treated the shoot like an album art shoot. That's the real sky! Thanks to the McFarlins again for letting me use the farm! <><><><><>><<><>><<>><<><<><>><><><><><<<><<<><><><><><><<<><<<><>><<<<><>><<> <><<><><><>><><><><><><><<>><<><><><><><><><><><><><<>><><><><><><><>><><><<<><<>

Who is this guy and why is he taking my picture?

<><<>><><><><><><><><<>><.,><<>><<>><><><><><><><<>><><><><><><>><>><><>>< I met these siblings in a chance encounter through a mutual friend. I'm currently spending all my available moments working on this craft. A simple social interaction can be an opportunity to gather and work on images. I went out to visit Debra at the stables where she works with horses. There I met the grandchildren of the stable owner. I think the kids said they were from Eureka, California. We journeyed over to another stable and the kids played around with a very gentle and sweet horse. These are some very cool kids. They were game for adventure and quite funny. <><><<><>><>><><><<>><><><<>><><<><><><><<<>><<><><<>><><><<><><<>><<><><> ><><><><><>><><><><<><><<><>>><><><><><><><><<><><><><><><><><><><<>><<>><<> <>><><><><>><><<><>><><><<><><<><><><><><<><<>><><><<<><><><<<>><><><><><><><

scallops and a lesson learned

<<><><><><><><>><><><><<>><><<>><><>><><<><><><<<><<>><<><><<><><><<><<>>>><>>< It was scallop season when we hit the bay. So I pushed the teenagers to find me some while snorkeling. They complained a bit about having to do a job while enjoying their adventure. I turned on the stern and probably a tad bit sarcastic parental voice. "Ok..While your snorkeling along if you happen to see a scallop... ....PICK IT UP"! Well two hours later they return in the kayaks with about 25 pounds of these things! They dropped them and headed to the cabin. I think I heard one of them say...HAVE FUN! as they walked away. What you see in the white plastic container is easily 50 or 60 cleaned scallops. As you can see in the cooler I wasn't even halfway done at the point that the picture was taken. Cleaning scallops isn't the easiest job! Note to parents: Be careful what you ask for!

addendum to July 4th

<><>><><<>><<>>><<><><<><><><><><<<<>><><><><<><<><>><><><><><><><><><><><><><<> I love rock and roll. I've studied it and photographed it. I left this picture out of the previous post because at that moment I was playing it safe for my "business". After introspection I felt it was a glaring mistake. Was I saying to myself...that ones too rock and roll? Silly me.