Compton Gardens – Bentonville, AR

10/21/2011

10/21/2011

10/21/2011

10/21-2011

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Thanksgiving Day Drive

One never knows when a good picture will present itself. I try to keep a camera within grasp pretty much all the time. I did a bit of traveling, which presented a great time to get out and explore the beauty of NW Arkansas.

11/24/2011
I headed to Harrison to see the family on Thanksgiving morning. It was extremely foggy the whole way through Eureka Springs. Being this is the heart of the Ozark mountains, one had to take e the roads very carefully. I came around a corner and the road and fog provided me with this great shot. I love the leaves on the ground, but bare trees. Also how the road just disappears into the fog.

11/24/2011
Coming home after eating way too much and visiting with friends, I captured this photo. I was setting at a stop light in Green Forrest Arkansas. This is a pretty small community, so the lights and decor are nothing extravagant. Reminded of the small town Christmas’s I grew up with.  The contrast between slight color and black/white really set this apart for me. I love how the old courthouse looks with the simple colors.

11/27/2011
As with any city that has been around a number of years, there are some forgotten areas. There is a beautiful creek that flows through the middle of Bella Vista, Arkansas. The rumor is that years ago, there was an RV park situated in this creek. It has since been abandoned and grown over, but certain elements still remain. This park bench shows how mother nature can slowly take over, and break down what we have built.

11/27/2011
No amazing back story here. Just a simple shot of the gorgeous creek. There is something very soothing about moving water. Also its unique how no matter how unique the creek is……it could be any of a hundred from ones memories.

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Cigars from Across the Ocean

Collecting and smoking cigars has been a hobby of mine for some time. The art produced around the growing, production, and smoking of this tobacco is very interesting. Here are a few shots I took of a few different vitola.

7/2/2011

7/2/2011

6/24/2011

6/24/2011

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Around Rogers: Ark & Mo Railroad

There is something almost haunting about the old train tracks that run through downtown Rogers. Years ago the Frisco line brought about the beginnings of what we know as Rogers, Ar. They are still used today by a few of the industries in town as well as the occasional consumer ride down to Van Buren. It is a unique look at how the world used to travel in a simple day.

4/17/2011

Lat:  36°20’18.89″N

Long:  94° 6’53.98″W

4/17/2011

Lat:  36°20’18.89″N

Long:  94° 6’53.98″W

4/17/2011

Lat:  36°19’46.11″N

Long:  94° 6’59.00″W

4/17/2011

Lat:  36°19’46.11″N

Long:  94° 6’59.00″W

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In the Shop: Romeo’s Uptown Pipes and Cigars

Snapped these at my good friend, Frank Romeo’s tobacco shop. I enjoy a good pipe or cigar, and love some of the art and pictures that capture this hobby. Lots of history in these hand made wonders. Thanks to Frank for letting me mess around in his shop and humidor.

9/30/2011

The cigar box is almost as well known as the cigars themselves. Down through the years there has been many different types. Art deco, normal dress, high end burl and spanish cedar, and the plain old wood. The texture of the wood and being able to catch the two nails adds a little uniqueness to this image. The recognizable, but unfocused warranty seal.

9/30/2011

What is a good ole tobacco shop without the briar pipe? Scenes of these wooden wonders bring many people back to memories of their fathers or grandfathers smoking a cherry smelling tobacco.

9/30/2011

There is not much better to pair with a good cigar than a small glass of your spirit of choice. In this case the cigar boxes in the foreground are giving way to one of my drinks of choice, the Glenfiddich. There is not much that cannot be fixed or problem solved over a good cigar and some scotch.

9/30/2011

Unless you have lived under a rock all your life, the corn cob pipe should bring back memories of life on the farm or childhood cartoons. Used because they were easy and cheap to make, these were and still are used by many pipe connoisseurs. While maybe not as elegant as it briar brother, the cob holds a place in every smokers collection.

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On the Water: Beaver Tailwaters 2

Here are some more shots from different times on the beautiful Beaver Tailwaters. A few of these were shot during the winter. Its amazing how even with the absence of colorful trees, the water is still awe inspiring.

12/18/2010

Lat:  36°25’19.83″N

Long:  93°50’33.59″W

This morning was very chilly. Through the fog you can see the frost on the tree tops. It is amazing how still life can be right before the sun breaks over the horizon. This is a pristine time to reflect. The sun has yet to wake the animals and burn off the moisture hanging in the air.

12/18/2010

Lat:  36°25’19.83″N

Long:  93°50’33.59″W

12/18/2010

Lat:  36°25’19.83″N

Long:  93°50’33.59″W

There is truly something unique about the look and feel of a wooden boat. So simple, yet the grains say so much. The water in the background look like an oil painting next to the hard definitions of the gunnel of the boat.

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On the Water: Beaver Tailwaters with Guide Kevin Calhoun

The Beaver Tailwaters is my home water here in NW Arkansas. It is a great place to chase rainbow and brown trout year round with my favorite hobby…..the fly rod. The weather this morning was slightly cold and very foggy. “Soupy” some of my friends would call it. This is exactly the kind of weather we like. Fishing slowed a bit and I was able to snap some great pictures while Kevin kept searching for the picky trout. Kevin is one of the guys I blame for my fly fishing hobby. He was the first to take my “trash” rod and have me cast a true work of art. Kevin guide with my other good friend Ken Richards at Just Fishin’ Guides.

9-12-2010

Lat  36°25’51.03″N

Long  93°49’10.89″W

It is easy to feel the stillness of the air and the slight breeze of the fog moving through. Fall is just starting so there is a slight crispness to the air. Leaves are also just beginning to change. The water, as always, is very cold. A shiver is not unheard of by any means. A good cup of coffee in between fishing stints makes the day go by much more smooth.

9/12/2010

Lat  36°25’51.03″N

Long  93°49’10.89″W

The Parker Bottoms area is at a large bend in the White River below the Beaver Dam. The great part about the Ozarks is the wonderful bluff lines we get on every river that carves its ways through the land. The fog was rolling through that morning and it would go from this clear to not able to see the person downstream of you.  The white on the water is from a group of geese that had taken off up stream. Their sounding off added a great effect to the foggy morning.

9/12/2010

Lat  36°25’51.03″N

Long  93°49’10.89″W

The fog moved out and the sun came through. This got the fish ready to move. Kevin hooked into a nice rainbow when I snapped this picture. Nothing as enjoyable as a bent rod.

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Winter Wonderland 2010

Last year brought NW Arkansas a good bit of snow over the winter. I took full advantage of getting out and capturing some of the beauty. I didn’t have to go far to find some gorgeous scenery. There is not much that compares to a snowfall around the farm.

2/2/2011

Lat   36°27’18.29″N

Long   94° 3’36.92″W

2/4/2011

Lat  36°26’58.43″N

Long  94° 8’2.45″W

2/4/2011

Lat  36°26’58.43″N

Long  94° 8’2.45″W

2/4/2011

Lat  36°26’58.43″N

Long  94° 8’2.45″W

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The Barn

I recently went up to visit my grand parents a few weeks ago. I had been meaning to stop and photograph their old barn, but never seemed to make time. The sun was giving some trouble with bad angles and lots of shadows, but when something begs to be photographed like this…..well it just comes together. I am planning on heading back out there with some better lighting and really explore all the character the old barn has to offer.

There is something truly unique about how a wood barn ages. Once smooth and colorful wood is eaten and faded away by the passage of time. The rust on the hardwear speaks to the changing of the seasons year after year. Memories of the bales of hay brought in and handed out during the winter. The shade that was provided during the brutal mid-summer days and the ability of the dirt floor to cool the surrounding air.

I am not usually a fan of overly contrasted photos, but I had to play a bit different with this one. The sunlight was very bright and tended to bleach out the coloring of the wood and surrounding plants. I took it to black and white and played a bit with some more settings. I like how this accentuated the lines the wood and also really makes the shadows pop.

The best thing about old wooden barns, is the propensity for there to be wooden fences surrounding it. There is nothing more unique than weathered wooden fence posts and the rusty old barbwire that stays attached. I was really intrigued by the mix of lines and uneven ends on the top of this post. The smallest bit of lichen makes for a neat addition as well. Of course the memory holding barn in the background finishes out the picture.

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On the Water: Feeder Creek, Elk River Missouri

My true passion resides on the water. As far back as I can remember, many great memories were made on canoe trips, fishing trips, or camping trips. The Elk River has a bad name in this area as a party river, and this is not unfounded. Spring and summer time on the river can be quite a show…..lots of people coming out of the woodwork. In the off season, this river can be very enjoyable. Great scenery, off the beaten path, and some amazing smallie fishing. This is the first body of water I remember as a child. Float trips with my grandparents who live in the area during the summer were common. I now live in close proximity to the river and frequent it when I need a quick fly fishing  fix.

4/8/2011

Lat  36°37’17.66″N     Long  94°10’48.30″W

This was shot on a small feeder creek around Powell, Mo. I had to do a little sweet talking to a local land owner to be able to cross his property and access the creek. Rains earlier in the spring has brought alot of debris into the water, so there were plenty of log jams and sediment buildup. This log was sitting at a unique angle to the shore and afforded me a chance to get this shot. weather was extremely sunny, so the picture is slightly bright.

4/8/2011

Lat  36°37’17.66″N     Long  94°10’48.30″W

This is the same feeder creek as the above picture. I like the ability of water to create so many different patterns.  A lot of water shots are done so that the feeling of movement is kept. In this instance I prefer the instant capture of the water. It brings out all the unique intricacies of the hydrodynamics water has. It also catches the slight definition of how water wears away whatever it touches. Little by little this limestone out cropping will be worn down or covered up.

4/8/2011

Lat  36°37’17.66″N     Long  94°10’48.30″W

This creek was lined with these wonderful Dogwood trees. It was fairly early spring, so the blooms were just getting large. When the wind picked up you could almost imagine it was snowing with all the blooms flying around. If you looked closely the insects would show themselves. Lots of bees helping to pollinate and produce next seasons blooms. The small creek chubs would attempt to eat the blooms when they finally made it too the water and meandered down stream.

4/8/2011

Lat  36°37’17.66″N     Long  94°10’48.30″W

The two above pictures would explain the true reason I was on the creek. I had been following this creek for a while and was looking for some deeper water to fish. Fly fishing on remote streams is my favorite pass time. I enjoy looking over the topographical maps, searching for unexplored water. This is what led to me approaching the landowner and asking permission to access his water. There were not a ton of fish caught on this trip, but plenty of gorgeous views and pristine waters.

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