Christopher Hall

We've Moved!!!

2009-09-12T13:06:00.010-04:00

Over the past month, I've been working on migrating the blog to my website. The goal was simple: same domain, easier administration and a clean, predictable look. I'm please with the results! The new blog nicely meshes with my website.

If you're trying to find the photography blog for Christopher Hall, then please visit me at my new location: http://www.hall-photography.com/blog.

Cheers,
Chris

We're Moving!

2009-09-09T07:07:00.000-04:00

Over the past year, I've enjoyed posting images created from my travels, both near and far. I've been working feverishly to relocate my blog to provide a sleeker, more professional look and make administration simpler. Keep your eyes peeled for the new location, we're moving soon!

Shoot for the Moon!

2009-08-21T17:36:00.004-04:00

I currently have two prints framed and matted for sale at our friends at the New Moon Cafe. Here's a map. The prints are two of my favorites at $85.00 a piece.

This Old Boat

2009-08-16T21:05:00.005-04:00

It had been sometime since I've had the traditional week at the beach vacation. A few weeks ago found me on Hilton Head Island enjoying the surf, sand and sun and exploring where I could. For as long as I can remember, I've always loved the water and just as much, I feel a great draw to old boats. The morning after a great dinner at The Boathouse, I headed back down to shoot some early morning pictures of the docked boats. One in particular caught my eye and as I was going through images for my weekly post, I decided to put some photoshop filters to work on this boat--the Game Cock.

Graniteville--The Final shots

2009-08-03T09:41:00.014-04:00

It was an early Saturday morning about 7 o'clock when I pulled up on the final day of shooting. As I was grabbing my gear to walk through the area, a car pulled up behind me. A guy with a female passenger--both too well-dressed for this time of day--started throwing out a series of questions. I fielded some questions and threw out a couple of my own. He was the person responsible for the protection of the facilities. He seemed defensive when I mentioned that our area is going to change and I wanted to capture our history before it was too late. "Oh it is, is it?" He went his way and I mine. After another swig of coffee, I marched along the sidewalk wondering what I'd capture today.

Graniteville

2009-08-03T09:37:00.004-04:00

Warrenville

2009-08-03T09:33:00.006-04:00

I started shooting the Graniteville/Warrenville series about the end of March. On Saturday or Sunday mornings, I'd get up before the sun grab coffee and camera, then hit the road. As I had finished for the day in Graniteville, I was heading back and stopped to catch a shot of the train tressel with the building in the background. I composed the shot and just as I was getting ready to bang the shutter, out come a pack of cyclists! And unexpected surprise and added a fun element to the day!

Graniteville

2009-08-03T09:30:00.005-04:00

Graniteville

2009-08-03T09:27:00.005-04:00

Midland Valley: The Pictures

2009-07-23T07:42:00.008-04:00

Midland Valley: The Pictures

2009-07-19T21:37:00.012-04:00

Midland Valley: The Pictures

2009-07-19T21:37:00.011-04:00

Midland Valley: The Pictures

2009-07-19T21:36:00.005-04:00

Midland Valley: The Pictures

2009-07-19T21:24:00.011-04:00

A Look at Midland Valley

2009-07-19T21:20:00.005-04:00

I was sitting in my office several months ago, when a friend said I should shoot pictures of Graniteville. I liked the idea. Graniteville and the other towns that make up Midland Valley remind me of my roots in Detroit. Blue collar town, working class values. I'm proud of my roots. Unfortunately, Graniteville like my hometown is declining. I see pictures of Detroit, once a proud and thriving city and what I see is the decay. That doesn't mean neither city doesn't have it's bright spots, just that times are tough and jobs have been lost. I drive through the valley and see a lot of vacant buildings and with vacancy comes the decay. There's nobody there to pickup trash, trim hedges, replace broken windows and other such things. I'm dedicating the next several posts to our neighbors in Midland Valley.

Western North Carolina Waterfalls

2009-07-09T19:38:00.023-04:00

For the last several years, Ryan, Dee's son, has gone off to camp for a few weeks. And I'll have to say, I'm incredibly jealous. This year at camp, he'll spend the first week backpacking and the second week canoeing. I really hate it for him! The camp is located in Western North Carolina, just a little shy of Pisgah National Forest (my favorite of all places) near Flat Rock, NC. After an incredible Independence Day celebration out on Lake Murray, we got up the next day to usher Ryan off. When we got to the camp, Ryan and I hung out a bit and he showed me one of the trails nearby, while Dee handled the paperwork. Afterwards, we said our goodbyes and headed out. We were free for the rest of the day and the day following! We grabbed a bite to eat, browsed around Flat Rock then headed off to Dupont State Forest. If you have heard of Dupont before, it could be that the majority of the movie "Last of the Mohicans" was filmed there. Lacing up our boots, Dee and I headed for Triple Falls and they were absolutely spectacular! The falls cascade down for 125 feet and are one of several falls located on the Little River. I was swept away by the beauty of the area and layed there as the sound of the rushing water swept away all of the worries of modern life. We were on the top of the falls and after a little deliberation, we decided that if the youngsters (and some older ones too) could navigate over slippery rocks, we could too, so we headed down. Ledge after ledge, we slowly made our way down the falls, turning to gawk at the majesty of each of the falls. In the end, we saw some kayakers spilling over a small ledge as they made their way down stream. It was a great way to end the hike!

South Carolina's Riverfront

2009-06-29T22:02:00.022-04:00

It was a Thursday evening a couple of weeks ago and I had stopped by my sister's house for dinner. I was born in Detroit, but had spent a lot of my growing up years in North Augusta. It's nice to cruise around the places I used to hang out. One place that is certainly not reminiscent of the 'good old days' is the riverfront along the Savannah River. Excuse me, I mean South Carolina's Riverfront. That's what marketing people call it. The development around the river has really changed the look of North Augusta. They've had the Greenway for a number of years, which is a nice paved walkway that spans several miles and connects different parts of the city. But on that Thursday evening after a pretty strong storm and gone through the area, I decided to spin around town before heading back to Aiken. I had seen the new City Hall, a multi-story modern building that looks so different from the North Augusta I grew up in, but I didn't know of the development behind it close to the river. As I pulled up behind the new City Hall, I saw a a rainbow. While the clouds were pitch black and there was a little sunlight breaking through, I could see the rainbow steaming down over Augusta. I pulled over and pulled out my camera, which is usually by my side. I clicked off a few shots and kept driving behind the new building to discover a road that lead to a little park. The park was connected to the greenway. I parked the Jeep and jumped out. "A new place to explore!" There was a trail that went past a little pond and through a wooded area to another pond. There were ducks and a small covered picknic area and as I left, I saw a deer running through the woods. "I'll have to come back here with Dee", I thought as I drove away.

Friday Freebie

2009-06-26T08:06:00.007-04:00

Ah, I love when Friday rolls along, especially when I don't have to rush out of the house early. As I was lying in bed this morning waiting for the coffeemaker to do it's thing, I got to thinking about my next blog post. I have some great photos lined up for my weekly post, but I wanted to share a recent find. I was planning on printing some of my photographs to mat, frame and sell after I finished building my website (which is almost there) and remembered a suggestion from a friend-- mpix.com. Late last week, I selected a couple of photos to print, went to mpix and placed my order. I found the website easy to interact with, as I created my account and uploaded the images. A large variety of sizes were available, along with editing tools and adding borders. I submitted my order and waited. Well, the photos arrived yesterday and they look incredible! The colors were vibrant and the detail was, well, detailed! As much as I enjoy displaying my images on my blog, nothing quite compares to a finished print that's well done! Do you have some photos from that special trip or occassion? Go to mpix.com and bring that moment to life!

Stay tuned for more weekly tips!

Sailing on Lake Murray

2009-06-17T06:22:00.026-04:00

Dee's birthday was on a Saturday a couple of weeks ago and she wanted to take a sunset sail on Lake Murray. All week long, it was either raining with thunderstorms or threatening and Saturday's forecast wasn't looking very good, but we made the arrangements and hoped for the best. Paula Adams, our captain's wife, assured us if that if the weather didn't cooperate, she would call us and make arrangements for another time. Saturday arrived and as we pulled up to Lanier Sailing Academy, the clouds seemed to break up a bit. Dee and I piled on a nice 22 footer along with Brian Adams, our captain. The weather turned out to be perfect! Living in the 'Sunny South', I've come to expect hot and humid as the main course of the day and night, but we were pleasantly surprised with a nice cool breeze. As we made our way across the lake and the sun steamed towards the horizon, we encountered other boaters along the way and managed to learn a bit about how to sail. Brian was a gracious captain, telling us stories and giving us pointers along the way. The time came to turn around and as we slowly made our way back, the sun all but slipped away, leaving us with a full moon to guide us back. I mean really, can you ask for a more romantic night?

Five months and going strong

2009-06-10T15:47:00.020-04:00

In January, I decided to commit to building this photography blog. I had no idea where it would take me and only a few thoughts on what I would like to see. There were weeks that I didn't have a lot of time to go out and shoot new photos and thankfully, I had a storehouse of images taken over the past couple of years that I could reach into.

Next week will be five months of consistently posting new images for people to enjoy. As I look into the coming months, I'm excited about what new changes I have in store for you!

Do you tweet?

I think technology changes by the second. More and more, the internet offers us new ways to learn, enjoy our hobbies and reach out to others. Earlier this year, I signed up for a twitter account. Twitter is free and if blogging is about sharing thoughts with others, then twitter is sharing them on speed! I have started posting some photos on there yesterday and will post an image or two daily, so if you're interested, check them out at my blog or here. Come follow me....

Why Facebook

Facebook is another social medium I'm trying to take advantage of. Why? Facebook is about building relationships and business is all about relationships. Keep an eye on your inbox and I'll keep you posted as I build my Facebook business page.

Sold!

With all the different options for hanging a hat in the websphere, one might forget about the 'old-fashioned' way: a website. I finished a design earlier this year and am in the process of working out the technical bugs. The website will also include a way to offer prints for sale, both matted & framed and unframed.

Here's to you!

I hope you've enjoyed my photos as much as I have enjoyed making them! While most of you are getting updated through my weekly newsletter, don't forget to stop by the blog at http://hall-photography.blogspot.com. If you enjoy the photos, don't forget to leave a comment and pass this site on to your friends!

Hiking in Pisgah National Forest

2009-05-31T17:33:00.021-04:00

It was late by the time I pulled into the Big East Fork parking lot. I had been there before, but time does a number on memory and I had forgotten how far the trailhead was from the intersection in town. I pulled in and got my gear together, then with my new headlamp started to make my way down the trail. I was able to find a nice spot about 40-50 yards down the trail and by midnight, my dog Buck and I were sacked out in the tent. I awoke in the early morning and was grateful I had brought a fleece. With the elevation change in the mountains, it had gotten quite cool over night. For just a couple of days in the mountains, I had a pretty good sized load and was glad I wasn't climbing all over timbukto with my pack. I spent the next day hiking alongside Shining Creek, stopping here and there to splash a little in the water or to make photos. As the daylight started to fade away, I made my way back to camp for a nice hot meal. It had been a beautiful day and I was grateful to visit Pisgah once again. I made my way to bed at nightfall and in the morning, quickly packed up to make my customary stop at Looking Glass falls. I always feel a sense of peace when I visit Pisgah and always look forward to the next trip.

Flower Garden

2009-05-31T17:32:00.013-04:00

One of the things I love about this time of year is to watch the flowers grow. Each morning for the past several weeks, I would get up early and even before I get that first cup of coffee, I would peer out in my backyard to see if the flowers in my garden had started blooming yet. Eyes barely open, looking bleary-eyed without my glasses, I would see no signs of color, then shuffle away grumbling and start the coffee maker. Then my Daylilies would start to swell up with a bloom, each day the bud getting larger and larger. I waited for it to pop open until that magical day came. Pop! A burst of color! And each day after, more and more would burst open. What a miracle!

My flower garden is pretty simple. I have some Daylilies, Gladiolas, and Four O'clocks. I also have a few weeds. It's inevitable. I also have some ardent gardeners as friends whose gardens I also enjoy (thanks for the some of these flowers, Wes). And each day, I get to watch it unfold.

A Stormy Night in Vaucluse

2009-05-24T15:28:00.010-04:00

I like a good storm and as I looked out the window, I could see the clouds darken as the night approached. I had been meaning to head out to Vaucluse to shoot pictures and last night was
a perfect time to do so. I grabbed my camera bag, Buck the Wonder dog and jumped in my Jeep. I wondered whether I would make it there before the bottom fell out. It had started to
rain as I headed to my shoot and when I got there, the dark manacing clouds were right behind me. I parked in an empty parking lot and quickly followed the train tracks to where I would shoot from. Across the street, was a family sitting out on there front porch. It reminded me of the importance of simple pleasures. I smiled as I continued down the tracks. There is a beautiful pond there and as I setup my camera, the wind picked up and the rain slowly started to drizzle. I could see it coming across the pond, as I focused on the dam across the pond. I snapped several shots, turned around, refocused and shot some more. I grabbed my stuff and headed back to the Jeep as the drizzle continued. I could have stayed out all night! It was a beautiful evening, with a nice breeze and low humidity. As I got ready to head out, I stopped to shoot a couple of the buildings. An old Post Office, that is still in operation, and a couple other buildings. Vaucluse is in the area known as Midland Valley and like other areas, it's changing. I'm glad I captured this place, this moment in time before it was too late.

Changing Seasons

2009-05-17T18:00:00.006-04:00

I finished cutting the grass this afternoon and sat in my backyard drenched with sweat. I thought about the fact that it's the middle of May and we've already reached numerous days in the 90s. "Summer is closing in," I thought, as I slugged down another glass of water. It felt good to feel the breeze blow across my skin, as I sat there looking over my work. When I came inside and started looking through photos for my weekly post, I came across this picture that I had taken earlier in the year. It was a good reminder that all seasons come and go.

Grace Avenue Morning

2009-05-10T19:50:00.008-04:00

A couple of weeks ago when the morning temperatures were still in the 50s, I set out early to get some shooting in before work. Aiken is known for it's thriving horse community and I wanted to search around to show off Aiken's best. On my way to work each morning, I drive past Ford Conger field, which is the site of Aiken's steeplechase. During the spring, it's beautiful as the temperature changes and the fog floats above the ground. You can see the morning mist and the horses in their stalls waiting to get out. On the particular morning that I was shooting, I didn't see a whole lot of activity in the stalls across from Ford Conger field, so I jumped in my Jeep and started driving. I went down Grace Avenue and there it was--the sun slowly rising, casting an orangish haze over the field. I got out and leveled my camera as the horses and riders made their way to the training track. "So that's how they get out there!", I thought as the shutter clicked one by one.

Aiken Training Track

2009-05-02T13:03:00.003-04:00

Aiken, SC--Early morning at the track.

Broad River

2009-04-24T21:01:00.001-04:00

Great Egret

Broad River

2009-04-24T20:59:00.002-04:00

Great Blue Heron

Broad River

2009-04-24T20:58:00.002-04:00

Great Blue Heron

Herons on the Broad River

2009-04-24T20:42:00.007-04:00

Columbia, SC -- There's nothing I love better than to be on the water. And if I can't be on the water, South Carolina offers plenty of opportunities to be around it. In Columbia, the Broad river merges with the Saluda to form the Congaree river. On a recent Saturday afternoon, I found myself gravitating to the Broad river and the abundant wildlife there. The next several posts will show off the Blue Herons on the Broad river and a lone Great Egret.

Morning Light Series

2009-04-19T09:30:00.003-04:00

Aiken, SC -- I woke early this past Friday morning. It must've been one of those moments of Providence, as earlier in the week I had thought about getting an early start to my Friday to shoot some early morning pictures. I grabbed my coffee and camera and headed to Hopeland Gardens. The next several posts are a series of photos from that shoot.

Morning Light Series

2009-04-19T09:28:00.003-04:00

Hopeland Gardens

Morning Light Series

2009-04-19T09:25:00.001-04:00

Hopeland Gardens

Morning Light Series

2009-04-19T08:57:00.011-04:00

Hopeland Gardens

Impressions

2009-04-03T21:46:00.009-04:00

Columbia, SC -- This past weekend, my girlfriend Dee and I went to the Turner to Cezanne exhibition at the Columbia Museum of Art. I might add that we're celebrating nine months of bliss this weekend! I had always like the Impressionist period of art and Monet was a particular favorite. With digital tools like photoshop, I have a way to create my own impressionist 'paintings'. All original photos are from right here in the beautiful state of South Carolina. Enjoy!

Horse Country!

2009-03-31T20:56:00.005-04:00

Aiken, SC -- I've been in Aiken for almost ten years now and have seen more horses in these past ten years, then the prior thirty-five together. The pictures that accompany this post are from one of the many horse events that makes Aiken, well, horse country!

Spring is in the air!

2009-03-22T12:47:00.005-04:00

Magnolia Gardens -- Located in historic Charleston, SC, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens was founded by the Drayton family back in 1676. The gardens are the oldest public gardens in America and is located on the beautiful Ashley River.For more information, visit their website.

Return to Alaska

2009-03-13T22:40:00.010-04:00

Alaska -- As the plane banked into a turn, I could see the snow covered mountains--the Chugach mountains, standing guard over Anchorage, Alaska. The plane glided towards the ground and moments later, as the rubber hit the runway, the journey began. In the course of two weeks, I would travel as far north as the Wonder Lake Campground in Denali ("the great one") National Park and as far south as Seward. It was a long two weeks in some regards. Just driving out to Wonder Lake from the park entrance was a twelve hour journey, which the sights I had seen made it worth the whole trip. Everything else was icing on the cake at that point. Below are some of the sights I have seen.

The Grand Strand

2009-02-27T18:08:00.014-05:00

Myrtle Beach, SC - I was at Myrtle Beach this past weekend and even with some windy and cool weather, I was able to get outside for a bit and shoot some pictures. I was never a fan of Myrtle, but discovered something new while I was there: Huntington Beach State Park. The weather had warmed to the low 60s and I headed out. And though I didn't have a lot of free time, it was enough to store away this natural beauty outside of the congested beach area for future visits. Home of the Atalaya Arts and Crafts festival , the park boasts a wide variety of bird life, ample roads to stretch your legs out on your bike and at least during the off season, a very quiet beach.

A Pitch for Pittsburgh

2009-02-15T17:59:00.008-05:00

Pittsburgh, PA -- I went to Pittsburgh last July, met some friends there and had a blast! It never occurred to me as a destination point, but I would definitely go back! Living in a smaller town, it was cool to see the specialty shops in the downtown area--cheeses, chocolatier, coffee and the list goes on. I stayed right down by the waterfront at the Hilton and friends of mine were quite a few blocks away. I walked the streets at all times of night and never felt in danger, which I thought was amazing for such a big city. And clean? It seems that in recent years, the city has gone under quite a transformation. And did you know Pittsburgh ranks second in the world in the number of bridges? Only Paris has more. As great a time as it was, it wouldn't have been complete if I didn't get on the water. Walking over one of the many bridges, I stopped at Kayak Pittsburgh and rented a boat and pushed out on the Allegheny. After heading down to where it merges with the Monogahela to form the Ohio river, I went down a little further, then paddled up the Monogahela. After a couple of hours, I felt the ease that always comes back into my soul. Ahhhhhhh!!!

The Winter Colony

2009-02-13T16:41:00.005-05:00

Aiken, SC -- Aiken, SC is really a charming town. Incorporated in 1835, Aiken has been known as the Winter Colony, due to the community of northerners that have called Aiken home during the cold months. Whether strolling downtown, admiring the flowers of Hopeland Gardens or a horse ride through Hitchcock Woods, Aiken has plenty to offer.

Thanksgiving in Aiken

2009-02-12T22:32:00.007-05:00

The Fountain on Laurens Street, November 27, 2008.

Dreher Island State Park, SC

2009-02-02T14:13:00.017-05:00

Lake Murray, SC -- At 50,000 acres, Lake Murray has about 500 miles of shoreline. The lake is fed by the Saluda river, which starts in the upstate of South Carolina. By 1930, the dam was completed, making it the engineering feat of it's time! Lake Murray provides hydroelectric power and a variety of recreational opportunities to the local region.

"Oh black water, keep on rolling.."

2009-01-28T22:13:00.013-05:00

Edisto River -- The longest free flowing blackwater river in North America, the Edisto River is a beautiful break from the hot summer days of the South. Set just off of I-95 in Colleton County, South Carolina, the Edisto River Canoe & Kayak Trail Commission (ERCK) hosts it's operations with the aim at teaching others to navigate water ways with skill and safety. The ERCKers manage to have a lot of fun too. For more information, check out their website. They are based out of Colleton State Park.

Alaska

2009-01-25T21:53:00.010-05:00

Whittier, Alaska -- Portage Glacier is located near Whittier, Alaska. I got to this site almost completely out of breath at the end of a hike that went straight up! I liked the different elements this scene had to offer--the cool look of the ice, the sharp edges of the mountains, and the stillness of the water along the green foliage.

Boston

2009-01-24T14:12:00.009-05:00

Boston, MA -- In the dark of night, Paul Revere galloped through Boston to Lexington. Lanterns were to be hung in the Old North Church, "one if by land, two if by sea", signaling the movements of the British.

Zakim Bridge -- The Zakim Bunker Hill bridge carries eight lanes of traffic over the Charles River in Boston, Ma. Part of the "Big Dig", the bridge was completed in 2003.

Old Sheldon Church ruins

2009-01-19T11:09:00.009-05:00

Beaufort, SC -- Located on the way to Beaufort, the church was originally funded and constructed in the 1740s-50s. The church was set on fire by the British during the Revolutionary War. It was later rebuilt in 1826, only to be destroyed yet again, during Sherman's march to the sea.

Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area

2008-09-14T12:28:00.009-04:00

Caesar's Head State Park (South Carolina)-- During a hike in the upstate, I spent the night at a nice little campsite by this stream located below Raven Cliff falls. Ahhhhhhhhhh!