Your Bio

I joined this Website not only because I am passionate about photography, but because I can study the photos that this community posts. I can learn from hobbyists as well as the professionals what elements make a great versus "snapshot" picture, and improve my own work by experimenting with the angles, viewpoints, camera settings, and techniques that you have used.

After thirty years of working in training, organization/management development, and human resources, I am now semi-retired and teaching a couple of college courses to keep my mind challenged. (My early career was in academics until I grew tired of genteel poverty.)

I look forward to getting to know some of you and appreciating your work (and fun). My locale is Charlotte, NC.

If you want to post your photos on Smugmug, I can save you $5 on a smugmug subscription. It's simple: enter my email address ( gcoon@carolina.rr.com ) or this personal coupon ( AcOKxTPIcn2Sk ) in the 'Referred by' field on the signup form (Important: Don't enter any other information, such as my name. Just my email address or coupon).

Galleries

Litchfield Beach 2009 : July 4th at the beach

Litchfield Beach 2009

July 4th at the beach

Updated: Aug 17, 2009 8:19am PST

Linville Falls, North Carolina : Linville Falls is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are in the western part of the state. The falls are particularly beautiful in October as the leaves begin getting some color. These pictures were taken in the fall and summer.

Linville Falls, North Carolina

Linville Falls is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are in the wester ...

Updated: Jul 22, 2009 9:05am PST

Skyline Drive, VA, cycle trip : Motorcycle Trip through VA. I put almost 1100 miles on my bike while visiting my nephew in Alexandria, VA, and then heading west to ride the 105-mile, scenic Skyline Drive, which is very much like the Blue Ridge Parkway. He on his Harley-Davidson 2008 Soft Tail Deluxe and I on my Kawasaki 900 Vulcan LT continued to Charlottesville, VA, and a tour of Monticello. Then we split ways, he going back to his job as a cop in Washington, DC, and I heading down I-81 to Mount Airy. We had a great time chasing the "twisties" and realizing why the Shenandoah Valley is considered one of the most beautiful places in the world. Take a look for yourself.

Skyline Drive, VA, cycle trip

Motorcycle Trip through VA. I put almost 1100 miles on my bike while v ...

Updated: Jul 21, 2009 4:35pm PST

B&S-My Visit-6-20-09 : Brian & Shari & Morgan at their home in Alexandria, VA. I rode my cycle there to meet with Brian for our trip to Skyline Drive (VA).

B&S-My Visit-6-20-09

Brian & Shari & Morgan at their home in Alexandria, VA. I rode my cycl ...

Updated: Jul 17, 2009 6:31pm PST

B&S-My Visit-6-20-09 :

B&S-My Visit-6-20-09

Updated: Jul 17, 2009 6:25pm PST

Mount Airy, NC : Mount Airy, NC, was the location for the Andy Griffith Show--called Mayberry. Unless you are dying to have a souvenir, there is not much else to see. The town is an attractive tourist location close to the Blue Ridge Mountains, and as such reflects the friendliness and small-town ambience that makes the place personable and quaint. If you are not a fan of Andy, Barney, Floyd, Goober, et. al., you probably will remove Mount Airy from your list of places you just gotta' see.

Mount Airy, NC

Mount Airy, NC, was the location for the Andy Griffith Show--called Ma ...

Updated: Jul 17, 2009 1:38pm PST

Middleton Place Plantation (Charleston, SC) : Henry Middleton, President of the First Continental Congress, began the 60-acre landscaped garden in 1741. It was both an intellectual and emotional focus for successive generations of Middletons. Until 1865, the garden was nurtured and embellished by Henry's son, Arthur Middleton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence; Arthur Middleton's son, Henry Middleton, who was Governor of South Carolina and U.S. Minister to Russia; and Governor Henry Middleton's son, Williams Middleton, who signed the Ordinance of Secession. Despite long absences prompted by education abroad, military service, and public and diplomatic careers, Middleton family members have always returned to this Ashley River plantation. The tour of the property is excellent. Our docent was knowledgeable, friendly, and accommodating. The property consists of spacious gardens, what's left of the mansion, slave quarters, ponds, rice ponds, farm animals, and several artisans dressed in period pieces who also demonstrate skills which were required for survival out in the country in the 1700s. More information may be found by visiting this link: http://www.middletonplace.org/default.asp?catID=4541

Middleton Place Plantation (Charleston, SC)

Henry Middleton, President of the First Continental Congress, began th ...

Updated: Nov 22, 2008 12:43pm PST

Charleston, SC : Charleston has inimitable Southern charm, hospitality, and beauty. The cuisine is world famous, the people are gracious, and the deep history of the place permeates the fabric of its society. Not all glistening steel and glass, nor faded paint and musty artifacts, but vibrant with one leg in the future and one in the past, creating a comfortable balance for resident and tourist alike. If you want to see the past and present side by side, I recommend the excellent book by W. Chris Phelps, "Charleston: Then and Now." The photographs and descriptions are captivating. We also visited Charlotte's Raptor Center, which rescues raptors that have been injured. Those capable of being rehabilitated are released in the wild; those whose injuries prevent full functioning are kept and cared for at the Center for the rest of their lives. If you are in Charlotte, plan on visiting the Center. The docents use various raptors for informational group presentations, and the tour trail takes you by the numerous raptor enclosures.

Charleston, SC

Charleston has inimitable Southern charm, hospitality, and beauty. The ...

Updated: Nov 22, 2008 12:11pm PST

Flowers : Variety of flora, primarily in NC.

Flowers

Variety of flora, primarily in NC.

Updated: Nov 11, 2007 6:30pm PST

Miscellaneous : General category pictures.

Miscellaneous

General category pictures.

Updated: Nov 11, 2007 6:26pm PST

Birds : Various species that we have come across at home (Charlotte) or on our travels.

Birds

Various species that we have come across at home (Charlotte) or on our ...

Updated: Nov 11, 2007 6:08pm PST

Denali National Park and Preserve : We spent an entire day in Denali. Our shuttle bus left at 6:30 AM, and we were in the park for about 8 hours. Drivers are knowledgeable and stop whenever anyone sees wildlife. The busses, however, are cramped and like school busses. I was two inches shorter at the end of the day.

Denali National Park and Preserve

We spent an entire day in Denali. Our shuttle bus left at 6:30 AM, and ...

Updated: Jul 27, 2007 11:32am PST

Ketchikan, Misty Fiords, Inland Passage : Leaving Glacier Bay, we sailed all night and next morning arrived in Ketchikan, Alaska, a bustling and attractive city on Revillagigedo Island. Access to Ketchikan is via boat or plane (roads are few in Alaska, period). As with most of the places on our tour, shops and hawkers for the various sightseeing excursions abound as soon as your foot hits their domain. The float-plane trip to Misty Fiords National Monument (not spelled as "fjords") was one of the spectacular highlights of our 14-day tour, and because we had five in our group, we got a discounted price from the regular $249/person from Southeast Airways. We flew in one of the bush pilots' treasures: a deHavilland DHC-2 Beaver. The flight was smooth, partially sunny (uncommon in the Ketchikan area), and a photographer's dream.

Ketchikan, Misty Fiords, Inland Passage

Leaving Glacier Bay, we sailed all night and next morning arrived in K ...

Updated: Jul 24, 2007 3:14pm PST

Anchorage to Denali : Travel with us on the McKinley Explorer through the Alaska Mountains to Denali National Park and Preserve.

Anchorage to Denali

Travel with us on the McKinley Explorer through the Alaska Mountains t ...

Updated: Jul 20, 2007 3:10pm PST

Glacier Bay & Inside Passage : The marine wilderness of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve includes tidewater glaciers, snow-capped mountain ranges, ocean coastlines, deep fjords, and freshwater rivers and lakes. This diverse land and seascape hosts a mosaic of plant communities and a variety of marine and terrestrial wildlife. We saw many "calvings" (when parts of the glacier break from it and crash into the sea) but few orcas. We left Skagway about 7:30 PM, with a temperature in the mid-70s, and arrived in Glacier Bay the next morning, with temps in the 40s and overcast skies--cold, damp, and jacket weather.

Glacier Bay & Inside Passage

The marine wilderness of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve includ ...

Updated: Jul 20, 2007 9:31am PST

Skagway & Ship : Once in Skagway, most of us took excursion trips. Ours was a catamaran, bus, hike, and canoe trip to the Davidson Glacier, within a forty-five or so minute trip from Skagway. This excursion was overpriced for the value; knock off $100 per person and it would be worth the money.

Skagway & Ship

Once in Skagway, most of us took excursion trips. Ours was a catamaran ...

Updated: Jul 17, 2007 6:32am PST

Whitehorse to Skagway : These pictures include the trip to Carcross via bus, then on to Fraser, BC, to board the narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Railroad train, which took us over White Pass and down into Skagway.

Whitehorse to Skagway

These pictures include the trip to Carcross via bus, then on to Fraser ...

Updated: Jul 09, 2007 8:56pm PST

06-07-07 Dawson City to Whitehorse, YT : This 523-mile leg of the tour traveled the Klondike Highway--picturesque and many rest stops at vistas and historic sites. The road was built in segments, and when finally completed, opened up mail, communication, and passenger routes from Whitehorse to the gold-mining camp at Dawson City.

06-07-07 Dawson City to Whitehorse, YT

This 523-mile leg of the tour traveled the Klondike Highway--picturesq ...

Updated: Jun 27, 2007 3:13pm PST

06-5&6-07 Tok to Dawson City : Our first stop was Chicken, AK (townspeople wanted to call it "Ptarmigan," but they could not spell it; hence, they selected "Chicken"). Gold was discovered here in 1886. Then on to Eagle, Alaska's first city, where we had a tour and then boarded the catamaran Yukon Queen II for the trip up the Yukon River to Dawson City--102 miles, filled with exciting sights. Dawson City, in the Yukon Territory, is the most famous "gold rush city," thanks to novelist Jack London and poet Robert Service. Quite rustic.

06-5&6-07 Tok to Dawson City

Our first stop was Chicken, AK (townspeople wanted to call it "Ptarmig ...

Updated: Jun 26, 2007 9:57am PST

Fairbanks to Tok : After spending the night in Fairbanks, we left for Tok. Gold Dredge #8 was our first stop, which included panning for gold and lunch. Then on to the Alyeska Pipeline stop. Both places, of course, had gift shops--the locals know how to remove the gold from your pockets well.

Fairbanks to Tok

After spending the night in Fairbanks, we left for Tok. Gold Dredge #8 ...

Updated: Jun 24, 2007 2:48pm PST

Brian's Graduation--D.C. Police Dept. Academy : After about eight months in training at the Metropolitan Washington Police Academy, Brian graduated on October 6, 2006. These pictures include Doris and me (Brian's aunt and uncle), Bob and Linda Simontacchi (Shari's parents), Sharon Brown (Brian's stepmother), and Shari (Brian's wife). He is now a sworn officer and was assigned to a pretty rough part of D.C.

Brian's Graduation--D.C. Police Dept. Academy

After about eight months in training at the Metropolitan Washington Po ...

Updated: Jun 23, 2007 8:17pm PST

2006 Queen's Cup Steeplechase (Mineral Springs, NC) : Held annually, this event benefits the Nature Conservancy. Here you will see some fine horses.

2006 Queen's Cup Steeplechase (Mineral Springs, NC)

Held annually, this event benefits the Nature Conservancy. Here you wi ...

Updated: Jun 23, 2007 8:14pm PST

2007 Queen's Cup Steeplechase : Horses, horses, and good friends.

2007 Queen's Cup Steeplechase

Horses, horses, and good friends.

Updated: Jun 23, 2007 8:10pm PST

Denali National Park to Fairbanks via Alaska Rail : We boarded the train in Denali and spent the next 4 or so hours headed to Fairbanks. Gradually, the mountains subsided and the terrain became more open and flat. Still spectacular scenery.

Denali National Park to Fairbanks via Alaska Rail

Christmas 2006 : Home for the holidays in Charlotte, NC

Christmas 2006

Home for the holidays in Charlotte, NC

Updated: Jan 20, 2007 8:54pm PST

Landscapes : Just what the title says.

Landscapes

Just what the title says.

Updated: Feb 10, 2006 7:14pm PST

South Mountain State Park, NC : South Mountain is not on the well-traveled road; hence, visitation is light. Well maintained and a hidden gem for hiking and spectacular vistas.

South Mountain State Park, NC

South Mountain is not on the well-traveled road; hence, visitation is ...

Updated: Jan 21, 2006 1:51pm PST

17-Mile Drive, Carmel, CA (Dec. 06) : We traveled to Carmel and were lucky to see 10-15 foot waves, thanks to an off-shore storm system. Spectacular views that I attempted to capture with my EOS-350D.

17-Mile Drive, Carmel, CA (Dec. 06)

We traveled to Carmel and were lucky to see 10-15 foot waves, thanks t ...

Updated: Jan 21, 2006 12:52pm PST

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