Getting dirty!

Ever since we purchased a 2000 Nissan Frontier 4x4 and making some minor improvements, I have wanted to test it off road.   I finally had a free day and found a close location to test out the truck.  The guys at Outback ATV Park in Laurinburg recently opened a set of trails on 700 acres of land. Currently, most of the trails and obstacles are designed for dirt bikes and 4 wheelers.  Our truck was small enough to maneuver through the tight trails and we got stuck just once.  When we were finished riding the trails the truck didn't look the same. Three car washes later all of the mud was removed and she looked like new again.  I am ready for the next muddin' trip.

Click HERE to view the process from the first purchase of the vehicle to removing old bumper, valance, replacing tires, rims, painting trim and adding accessories.  I have more work to do and may lift the suspension just a bit more.

Thanksgiving break.

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year.  I usually get a nice break from work and there is food everywhere!  This year I decided to do some experimenting with the camera and play with a few subjects.

As I walked around outside with the camera, I decided to setup a tripod and shoot straight up to capture the various lines.  This image works great in black and white.

This image required some traveling in the area to find a decent leave.  most leaves had already fallen and been blown away.   I froze the leave in a baking dish to prepare for this shot.

I had a lot of fun with this shot because I knew that the faster that I finished, the faster I got to eat candy!   These M&M's are in a cup covered with a clear CD case cover dotted with drops of water. 

This photo wasn't planned liked the three above.  I had a couple of family photo sessions during break.  I dont stop work completely!! :)  The clouds were moving fast and the sun was also dropping out of sight. i barely got setup in time to catch the sun before it disappeared. 

We took a day trip to a place below Murrells Inlet S.C. called Atalaya castle.  Atalaya Castle, also known as Atalaya, was the winter home of industrialist and philanthropist Archer M. Huntington and his wife, the sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington, located near the Atlantic coast in Murrells Inlet, Georgetown County, South Carolina.

There were several other photo sessions taking place while we were roaming around the home. Since we were beside the beach we moved to the sand for a few additional shots. The weather was nice and warm for a November day and we captured some nice shots for the couple.

The mission for the day was to shoot engagement photos, grab some Krispy Kreme doughnuts and have a meal at Carrabbas.   Mission accomplished!

Copyright - Jimmy McDonald Photography

Ocean Isle Beach - Oysterfest Weekend

I am always happy to add beach weddings to my schedule.  I enjoy all outdoor weddings, but I am very fond of the beach locations.  When possible I take advantage of the opportunity to spend some time on the beach and enjoy a restaurant or two.


Sharkys is a must visit restaurant when I visit Ocean Isle.  I've been to Sharkys before or after every wedding that i have photographed at Ocean Isle.  In addition to Sharkys, I have another new favorite place just across the bridge called The Causeway Gourmet.   Following the wedding we arrive at The Causeway gourmet just before closing.   The staff was very accommodating and prepared some delicious sandwiches for us.  

This particular weekend was also the weekend of the NC Oyster Festival.  I was a bit concerned about making trip between several destinations during the day because of the expected crowd. I am happy to say the the traffic control was on top of things and the crowd never became an issue for us during the day.

We had a wonderful day of food and wedding photography and were happy to retire for a good nights sleep.  Beside discovering an new restaurant I was very pleased with the accommodations provided at the Winds Resort Beach club.  This will definitely be the place I crash after future wedding gigs at Ocean Isle Beach.

The following day was just as beautiful as the previous and we spent some time on the beach as well as visiting the festival grounds to see tons of crafts and sample some food. 

Copyright - Jimmy McDonald Photography

Ocean Isle Beach on Dwellable

iPhone 4 - a.k.a quick camera.

After along wait and nursing my iPhone 3s the new iPhone 4s has finally arrived.   One of the most anticipated options for me is the improved camera.  There have been times when I needed a basic photo for posting and didnt have one of my cameras with me.  I made posts from the old iPhone bu the quality wasn't very good even for facebook.  The new phone will be of much use for shooting some quick pics in the near future.

I love to be in my car and going places.  Going places means that the car is moving.  Sitting still surrounded by cars should take place in a parking lot, not on Interstate 485 south of Charlotte, N.C.  I have to ride this road a couple of times each month and try to avoid certain times.  Today I chose the wrong time.

Biltmore Estate

During our Summer trip to Asheville we had not planned to visit Biltmore Estate, but I wish that we did.   Since we didnt get to go in June, I decided that September would be a nice time of year to visit.  The temps should be cooler and maybe the crowds wold not be as large.  It was worth the wait.  We had a beautiful weekend to tour the house and surrounding area.

FACT:  Biltmore House is a Châteauesque-styled mansion in Asheville, North Carolina, built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895. It is the largest privately-owned home in the United States, at 135,000 square feet.

The large home and surrounding land is the vision of the bachelor, Vanderbilt.  This was by far an ultimate bachelor pad designed to host various parties and other events.  In addition to the house, there are stables, winery, lodging facilities and several areas for outdoor activities.

When I purchased admission tickets, I took advantage of additional offers for the winery and reservations at Biltmore Deerpark Restaurant.  When we arrived to pickup tickets, the lines were already very long.  It appeared that my attempt to miss large crowds didn't work and I was concerned about parking.  Visiting the home and gardens with enough time to make it back to the van and to deerpark in time for our reservations was going to be a challenge.  Fortunately, the CSR at the ticket counter offered valet parking.   I can happily say that this was the best $15 spent all day.   We parked in front of the house, took our time visiting an shooting pics (when allowed) and the van was returned to the home for us to arrive at Deerpark in time for our reservation.. 

  Copyright - Jimmy McDonald Photography

Colorful Asheville North Carolina

Our second trip to Asheville, N.C. this year was planned with extra time to enjoy downtown Asheville to witness the colorful cultural entertainment and enjoy some good food.

I enjoy walking around downtown Asheville to experience the artists and street musicians that line the streets.  There are many locations that we attempt to visit when in Asheville.  The Grove Arcade is a beautiful building built in 1929 as one of the first malls in the United States. Ownership of the building has changed a few times with the Federal Government several developers and currently the  Grove Arcade Public Market Foundation.  The building is currently home to many shops featuring local crafts, boutiques, fresh food and several restaurants.

Mast General Store is another highlight of our visit with over 500 old-fashioned candies available, we usually leave with a bag or two of goodies.   There are old fashioned toys, jams and jellies, real maple syrup, stone ground cornmeal, comfortable rocking chairs, hiking boots, clothing, and more. They stock a little bit of anything.

Pritchard Park is a great location downtown to rest in the shade and enjoy live music at the mini-amphitheater.  There also are several restaurants located in the area.

A couple of other Asheville areas that are worth visiting are the The North Carolina Arboretum
and the The Western North Carolina Farmers Market.

 

 Copyright - Jimmy McDonald Photography

NASCAR returns to Rockingham Speedway

9/7/2011- Gov. Bev Perdue of North Carolina made it official Wednesday afternoon: NASCAR is returning to Rockingham.

Perdue announced that the Camping World Truck Series will run at the historic Rockingham Speedway on April 15, 2012, crediting the dogged determination of track owner and former NASCAR driver Andy Hillenburg and the eventual support of local and state government officials with making it happen. Formerly known as North Carolina Speedway, the 1-mile track first opened in 1965 and hosted NASCAR-sanctioned events for 40 years before the last Cup race was held there on Feb. 22, 2004. - NASCAR.com

Upon arriving at the speedway there were many happy faces walking around waiting for the announcement that NASCAR was coming back to Rockingham. This is great news and I was glad to be invited to shoot photos of the announcement.

 

 
 

Copyright - Jimmy McDonald Photography

2011 Belk Bridal Show

I was glad to accept the invitation when I was called to be a vendor during the local Belk Bridal Show.  this provides an opportunity to show off recent work and meat new friends.  The evening was a success for me and I am happy to have added more dates to my work calendar.