Tuesday Portrait

(Photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Portrait photograph of a young man, Justin, who works at a local oil company in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Natural Patterns

Patterns abound in nature as seen in a couple of still life photographs. Above, the wind creates waves in the sand on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, while below, bacteria produces river-like patterns in a pool near a geyser in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

(Photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Black & White Portrait of an Old Friend

(Photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

We have been out most of the week shooting photographs of outdoor apparel and workwear for a catalog. An old friend of mine, Terry Sheppard, was kind enough to let us shoot at his shop in Randolph County. Terry runs Piedmont Generator where he services and sells residential and commercial electrical generators. He also repairs and rebuilds all kinds of heavy equipment. If it's mechanical, he can fix it, and if it can't be fixed, he'll redesign and rebuild it. His is an extraordinary talent.

Chevy Impala

(Photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

1960 Chevrolet Impala.

Mason Jar

(Photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

An old mason jar sits as a still-life in an out-building on our farm, forgotten by the years.

Canoeing

We're off today for a few days of location catalog photography shooting outdoor apparel. I'm thankful for having the work. Shown are a couple of image shots from a previous effort. Just hope the weather holds.

(Photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Summer Butterfly

(Photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

A Tiger Swallowtail feeds on thistle in our pasture on our farm in Randolph County earlier this summer.

Friday Fashion

(Photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Men's casual fashion photograph of a male model from an outdoor apparel catalog shoot. It was a fall image from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia,

Mountain Ridges

The weather in Greensboro today pretty well stinks. It's cold and windy and rainy. Basically, it's the kind of day that makes me want to be somewhere else working. Today's images are from a time when clients actually used to pay me to travel to shoot and represent views of the kinds of spots I love to work, mountains and the western part of the US. All are ridges, but each has it's own personality.



(Photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Tearing Down Engines

I find that a lot of my assignments involve photographing people working. A couple of weeks ago I shot a group of guys tearing apart diesel engines at a local dealership here in Greensboro. The engines were part of a long term study on oil additives and the technicians were measuring and inspecting every part for evidence of wear. Fascinating to watch these guys go through an engine literally in minutes.




(Photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Tractor Shed

(Photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

An old Farmall tractor sits in a tractor shed on our farm in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Greensboro Architecture. Blandwood.

Blandwood, the home of former North Carolina Governor John Motley Morehead is located a couple of blocks from downtown Greensboro. It's an interesting mesh of architectural styles. The back of the house is the original 1795 farmhouse, while the front is an impressive Italianate style villa.

(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Portrait of a Young Woman

(Photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Portrait photography of a young Greensboro woman.

Doorknobs and Broomsticks

I live in a hundred year old farmhouse and a lot of the hardware is also that age. The other day I needed a glass doorknob to replace a broken one, so I headed across the street from my photography studio in Greensboro to Mary's Antiques. Mary's is an institution in the antique district in Old Greensboro and I have known her for years. We have bought pieces for our home and rented props for photo shoots. She carries a wonderful variety of fine antique furniture and an eclectic collection of collectibles. You never know what she might have in stock. She is also known for having perhaps the best selection of architectural antiques in the area, so if you need a door, or a knob or a hinge, her shop is the place to go. Mary's is located at 607 South Elm Street, and can be reached at 336-378-8877 or at Marys_Antiques@ATT.net. If you are in downtown Greensboro, stop by her shop and browse. It's worth the trip.




(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways, Especially With Cats

Last week our 16 year old cat Boots laid down on his favorite bench and went to sleep. My wife found him the next morning; he never woke up. We were devastated although thankful that he went that peacefully. Then the very next day, what appears on our back porch, but a little female kitten, full of energy and wanting to be rubbed and loved. She was obviously dumped by someone. We live out in a very rural area of Randolph County, North Carolina and we aren't near enough to anywhere from which she could have wandered. And, she was probably raised around someone who petted her, she is entirely tame, very much so. A terrible thing for someone to do and usually tragic for the animal, because most dumped pets end up starving or hit by vehicles. This time, I guess the little girl is lucky. My wife calls her Precious.

(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Sweet Gum Tree

Farther down in our pasture on our farm in Randolph County is a large sweet gum tree. It's a spot I find myself returning to from time to time and year to year to make photographs. Not as colorful as maples in the fall, I somehow find the gum tree more interesting; the shape of a leaf on a lichen covered rock, and of course those prickly gum balls that are still green this time of year. Glad they're in the pasture and not in my yard.

(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Mushrooms in the Pasture

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

A walk in the pasture at our farm in Grays Chapel, North Carolina turned up these tiny mushrooms popping up through the grass. And yes, that is what it looks like in the bottom left of the image. Watch your step!

Old Barn in Black and White

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

An old barn sits full of hay near Mt. Shepherd in western Randolph County, North Carolina.

Clyde McManus

This weekend I found my neighbor Clyde McManus working on a fence with his son and grandson at their farm and game reserve on Old Liberty Road in Randolph County. Clyde is a retired ATF agent or "revenoor" and worked the western part of North Carolina during the heyday of moonshining.

(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Feeding the Chickens

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

A bird's eye view at feeding time in our barnyard in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

It Ain't Vermont, But It Sure Is Pretty

Vermont and the Blue Ridge Parkway are both famous for their Fall colors, and they are truly so, but I venture to say that the color around Greensboro and the rest of the Piedmont of North Carolina this year is just as spectacular.

(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

The Moon and Venus

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

A few weeks ago we had one of those surreal night skies you sometimes see in the fall. The Moon was full with Venus nearby. A layer of broken clouds streamed by giving an almost pseudo daylight effect.

John Foy Piano Restoration

The area of downtown Greensboro, North Carolina south of the railroad tracks is known locally as Old Greensboro. A center for antique shops, it is also a thriving hub of artists and artisans. Across the alley from my studio is John Foy Piano Restoration. Run by John Foy, they specialize in maintaining, repairing and rebuilding grand pianos, primarily those made by Steinway and Sons. John has been doing this for about 27 years. He was trained as a classical pianist but began tuning and maintaining instruments. Soon, the need for repairing pianos arose and since he was familiar with woodworking from his father, he trained at North Bennet Street School in Boston, MA in piano repair and rebuilding. He and his staff now perform complete piano restoration in their Elm Street shop. For info, go to his website at http://www.johnfoypiano.com.



Below, John P. Johanson, a member of John's staff, works on rebuilding a Steinway piano. While the technology in these instruments is old, the craftsmanship needed to work on these beautiful pianos is truly an art.





(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Sunflower Blooms

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

A cluster of sunflowers bloom in my neighbor's garden in Randolph County, North Carolina earlier this summer.

Orchestra Images, the Rehearsal

I enjoy shooting people in the act of doing what they really do. This includes musicians. While I shoot public performances, these photos are from an orchestra rehearsal, a time where a lot of the real work in music is done. From my files on the Eastern Music Festival in Greensboro, North Carolina.



(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Apples

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Fresh picked apples wait for buyers at a roadside produce stand near Candor, North Carolina. Candor, in Montgomery County, about an hour south of Greensboro is a center for North Carolina fruit and vegetable production.

Weston's Feed and Seed

My son Tristan and I made a Saturday morning trip to a local landmark in Asheboro, North Carolina, Weston's Feed and Seed for a bee feeder and some winter rye seed. A third generation family business, Weston's has been in Asheboro for as long as I can remember. Just the place to go for plants, seed, fertilizer and other garden supplies as well as pet, livestock, chicken and beekeeping equipment and supplies. You can even buy dried beans and hard candy. The staff is helpful and always willing to discuss what your projects are, what you need and how to use it. Their website is http://www.westonsfeedandseed.com/.




(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Greensboro Headshot

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Recent portrait headshot of young Greensboro woman.

The Blue Door

(photograph copyright 2009)

A old doorway forms a still-life across the street from my photography studio on Elm Street in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina.

A Wild Horse Named Rienzi

My wife's wild horse Rienzi sprints from her corral to join the cows in the morning at our farm in Grays Chapel, North Carolina. Rienzi is a 28 year old wild Mustang mare my wife and I adopted from the BLM when she was a yearling. She came from near Lake Tahoe in California and is named for a famous horse ridden by Philip Sheridan during the Civil War (Sheridan had his Rienzi stuffed and placed on display at the Smithsonian Institute). Our Rienzi spends her days grazing with our cattle herd and her nights in her 100 year old stall originally built for mules (she comes in on her own every evening). She's in excellent shape and very docile. She was trained to ride, but we don't ride her anymore except for the occasional bareback jaunt by my son Devin. I think she really thinks she is a cow now; she is definitely a herd animal. Rienzi is lucky, but a lot of her cousins aren't. Right now there are thousands of Mustangs in BLM holding pens, removed from government land. Some will be adopted, but it seems that many are to be sold for meat. Most of this removal is unnecessary and pushed by big western cattle interests. Several groups are pushing the government to stop these removals. Information on supporting wild horses and their preservation is available at http://www.wildhorsepreservation.com/. Go there. Wild horses need your help.


(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)