Fort Defiance, NC

You know, "just up the mountain", towards Boone, off of 321, yeah, out there in the woods! I used to take my college camera club up there pretty regularly, you know, back in the day!

And yeah, one time, I met, and asked "this preacher" if I could "get a shot" of him after he got into character, and gave a little "sermon" to the other people out there that weekend.

I don't remember what it was called, or, you know, all the details, but yeah, I believe it was something they did up there once, or twice a year ... Or used to anyways, I haven't been up there in YEARS!

But yeah, back in the day, I took my college photography classes up there quite a few times over the years! It was ALWAYS a good day, but yeah, THIS day was, yeah, one of the best!

And yes, it was shot on slide film, so yeah, you'll just have to work with me here when I tell you it was, yeah, "a few years ago", and leave it at that! Like what? Say, 1999, yeah, that works! Or maybe 2003, something like that!

All I remember is that I "changed over" to digital in, or towards the end of 2005, so yeah, BEFORE that, how's that?

You know, in case you were wondering!

But yeah, there were a group of "reenactors", or whatever you call them, and spell it, there at the fort, and yes, sleeping in tents, and "role playing" for all the "visitors" that stopped by, you know, on a Saturday, I'm pretty sure (I'm good like that!), you know, considering I taught a Saturday class at the college back in the day!

Yeah.

Every other class, we were usually out and about, and going here and there ... You know, starting off with, yeah, the "LOCAL" places, and then, each year, it seemed like we went farther and farther out ... Until, yeah, we came up with that whole "OBX Week" thing during Spring Break, oh yeah, we used to GET OUT THERE as often as possible!

First it was just "out of the classroom", right there "on campus", then up into Hudson, and Lenoir, and then, yes! The Patterson School, which then led to good 'ol Fort Defiance, and beyond!

What was that one place? Oh, I'm thinking of "The Cup House", or whatever the name was, yeah, that was another "local" place of interest, oh, you know what I mean!

But yeah ... I digress!

That Preacher's Image ...

So, after his "sermon", yeah, I asked if I could get a shot of him ... And I remembered him "looking to the heavens", like this, while delivering his sermon ... So yeah, I just asked him to "look to the heavens" like he did earlier ... And yeah, he knew what I was looking for!

Perfect!

Yeah, it was a GREAT day, the "actors" were wonderful to work with, and helped my students "get right into it" and really WORK at capturing people "doing what they are doing", which yeah, is kind of a "BIG DILL" in photography!

But yeah, it helps to be right out there, where the "action is", with your students, and their subjects! And yes! It takes WORK to improve as a photographer!

I learned this while helping at all the different military Public Affairs Offices back in the day! Yeah, I would volunteer my services for anyone that would take me, and just GET OUT THERE and WORK, WORK, WORK at it, on all the different Army bases we lived before getting over to Germany!

And yes, I can't forget my "Mail-Order Photography Course" through the mail!

Oh yeah! You know, say it with me ...

THE NEW YORK INSTITUTE of PHOTOGRAPHY!

Yeah, really ... That "NEW YORK"!

You know, the "CITY", not the State!

Yes really, I signed up, and took a photography course, starting in Pensacola, Florida, then where? Like, Augusta, GA, oh, and then, Columbus, GA ... Yeah, then, I finished it up over in Germany, of all places! Yeah, really ... Like, a LONG time, or so it seems now!

Or, you know, the best I can remember of all those places, that is!

It's been awhile ...

But yeah, once I got to Germany, I hung out at the Arts and Crafts Center, until an opening in T.A.S.C. became available ... Ahh, that "ARMY SPEAK" for, get this ... TRAINING, AUDIOVISUAL SUPPORT, CENTER ... You know, where I took pictures of all the soldiers, E-6 and above, that were trying to get promoted! Yeah, that's Staff-Sergeant to Generals!

They all needed "official" Army PHOTOS for their records! Everyone of them! And yes! All over "NORTHERN GERMANY"!

Worked for me!

And yeah ... I got paid, and everything! And yes! In AMERICAN money!

Really.

That's where I became a photographer! Yeah, in fact, I turned THIRTY (30!) the day we landed in Germany! So yeah, this all happened in my early thirties! 1985-1988.

What a time! I loved it.

And there I was, YEARS later, teaching photography at CALDWELL COMMUNITY COLLEGE and TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, just up the street!

You know, oh! And get this ... On the weekend! Yeah, Saturday mornings, from 9am -2pm.

And then, later on, yeah, an evening class, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings ... At the same time, yeah, then we changed it up, and tried it on Monday, and Wednesday nights, but yeah, that messed up with my middle school TRACK meets, so yeah, we didn't do that anymore!

Then, they even asked me to start a program up at their Boone Campus ... Yeah, that was INSANE! But I tried ... And I did get it started up there, but yeah, it got to be a wee-bit too much!

And yeah, that was the year they"widen-up Route 321", you know, through the mountains between Lenoir and Boone! Oh yeah, getting out, and driving back home after class, you know, "the long way around" was ... Well yeah, like I said, I helped "get it started" ,then that was that! I was finished with that!

Hudson worked out better for me, you know, since I still live in, ahh, Hudson myself!

But it was ... Ahh, FUN! That one semester, that was for sure!

But yeah, where was I?

Oh yeah, THE PREACHER MAN!

Looking towards the HEAVENS!

I remember ...

And yes! That is the beauty of PHOTOGRAPHY!

The images!

And all those memories they seem to evoke in us ...

Perfect!

Enjoy yours.

I know I do.

See ya OUT THERE!

You never know ...