Shootin’ with The Earl of Salisbury
Blue is a very appropriate color! (click for location)
Well, I begged and pleaded with my friend Earl to take me to the swimmin’ hole. We tried last week, but no dice. It rained and it rained and it rained. This weekend the forecast was for clear and cold.
That’s exactly what we got. It was clear, not a cloud in the sky. It was cold, cold, cold, about 29 degrees, to be exact. Add to that there was a nice, moist breeze coming over top of the dam, making it ‘damn’ cold!
Naturally, since Earl was kind enough to get up at 6:00 AM and take me over there, I didn’t want to bail after 15 minutes, whining about how cold it was, so I stuck it out. After about 20 minutes or so, the sun peeked up above the horizon, but as we were down in a small valley, the sun took its time getting up to where it would warm us.
About 40 minutes after sunrise, Earl came over to me and asked if I needed more time. I gratefully told him NO! I couldn’t feel my feet nor my hands. Pushing the shutter button might as well have been accomplished by using a stick, for all of the feeling that I had left in my hands.
First shot to last, we spent 1 hour 12 minutes there. It was short, but sweet and I sincerely appreciate Earl’s hospitality. After our shoot, we headed for breakfast. We stopped at a local place in Salisbury, NC called The Farmhouse. We had a nice breakfast, talked a bit, then headed back for his house where I got to meet his lovely and very hospitable wife.
The three of us sat on the couch and talked for a couple of hours. I didn’t realize how fast the time had flown until I got a call from my son, Tony, asking what time I was going to be home. I knew that it was late then because he doesn’t get out of the bed before noon on the weekends unless he has a basketball game!
This blogging thing keeps paying dividends. I get to meet cool people, go shooting with them, hang out in their homes, and pet their dogs!
This first trip was a fact-finding mission. A first look. I plan to return a few times. As it was very early when I got there and dark on the way, I had no clue how we got there; however, while we were there, I asked Earl if I could borrow his camera GPS do-hickey and he let me. I took a couple of pictures with the GPS attached and now I can plug it into my GPS and be on my merry way! 
It’s no longer a secret Earl!
This blogging thing keeps paying dividends!
Great story, thanks for sharing it. Earl and his wife sound like good people. Poor Earl. He must have been hoping that you would cry “Uncle” first. The photo does an excellent job of capturing the scene you describe. I love the blue tones.
I’m thinking that 29 degrees may be a bit below my limit. We haven’t had really bitter weather yet, but it’s around the corner. Soon, I will find out what I can withstand. I have ordered some glove liners to see if that will help keep my hands semi-warm after I remove the heavy duty gloves.
That is quite a photo! It was difficult to stop looking at it.
I know the feeling of not feeling your hands, but what would you not do for the art, or at least for the fun of photography?
You can get mittens that the top half unfolds and has semi exposed fingers. I was at Gander Mountain yesterday and they had some, and I’ve seen them in the past at the local Menards for roofers. They are cheaper then mittens labeled for photography and they work quite well in the cold and snow.
The other alternative is hand and foot warmers. I always have a couple in my camera bag this time of year.
The blue cast you caught in the waterfalls is beautiful…and I certainly agree that blue was a very appropriate color!!!
This shot was certainly worth a few cold fingers! It sounds like you had a great time.
I’d say that shot definitely warrants cold fingers
Lovely and delicate, it has an ethereal air to it. Gorgeous.