 Three Old Men and Their Cameras
Arts & Heritage Center, North Augusta, SC April 6–30 One of the things I’ve tried to do in this exhibit is not just photograph places, but moments—those brief instances where something shifts, and if you’re paying attention, you catch it. As “Mr. Landscape,” most of my work leans toward the quiet side of black & white, but every so often, a scene demands a different kind of attention. I’ll be sharing more from the show throughout the month. All works are available for purchase. IGNITION This is a moment you don’t ease into—you feel it. The sudden burst of flame cuts through the stillness, turning a controlled process into something that feels almost primal. There’s a tension between precision and power here—human hands guiding something that could easily take on a life of its own. The surrounding lines and structure frame the scene, but it’s the fire that commands everything. For an instant, it becomes the center of gravity, pulling the eye and the moment toward it. In black & white, the contrast intensifies that experience. The flame becomes pure light—uncontained, unsoftened—set against the darker tones that try to hold it in place. “Ignition” is about that split second where intention meets action… and everything changes.
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 Three Old Men and Their Cameras
Arts & Heritage Center, North Augusta, SC April 6–30 What I’ve come to appreciate through this body of work is how often the landscape mirrors something deeper. As “Mr. Landscape” in this exhibit, my focus remains in black & white—where texture, form, and contrast reveal stories that might otherwise go unnoticed. I’ll continue sharing images from the show throughout the month. All works are available for purchase. ROCK AND HARD PLACE This tree doesn’t just grow—it endures. Rooted in unforgiving ground, surrounded by stone, it has found a way to rise, twist, and hold its place. There’s a visible tension here, as if every inch of growth came with resistance. And yet, it stands—not perfect, not untouched, but resolute. The weathered grain of the wood tells its own story. Time, pressure, and persistence have shaped it into something stronger than its surroundings might have allowed. In black & white, that struggle becomes more pronounced. Without color to soften it, the contrast reveals every line, every scar, every decision to keep going. “Rock and Hard Place” is a reflection of resilience—not the kind that avoids hardship, but the kind that grows because of it.  Three Old Men and Their Cameras
Arts & Heritage Center, North Augusta, SC April 6–30 Part of the enjoyment of this exhibit has been seeing how three photographers can approach the world so differently. While the others explore their own styles, my contribution—earning me the nickname “Mr. Landscape”—focuses on black & white imagery, where mood and meaning are often found in what’s stripped away. I’ll be sharing a selection of these images throughout the month. All works are available for purchase. DETACHED This image speaks to a quiet separation—of place, of presence, of moment. There’s a sense that something once connected has shifted, leaving behind only fragments of what was. The scene feels familiar, yet just out of reach, as if viewed through memory rather than reality. Edges blur, forms drift, and what should feel grounded instead feels suspended. In black & white, that distance becomes more pronounced. Without the anchor of color, the eye searches for clarity but instead finds ambiguity—a space where interpretation replaces certainty. “Detached” is less about what is seen, and more about what is felt in its absence—a subtle reminder of how easily we can move through a moment without ever fully holding onto it.  "ANCHORED IN LIGHT"
In this image, I was drawn not to detail, but to absence. By intentionally overexposing the scene, the distractions of color and texture fall away, leaving only what endures—the quiet strength of form and the stillness of presence. The boats, reduced to silhouettes, feel less like working vessels and more like witnesses, anchored not just to the dock, but to time itself. There is a solitude here that isn’t lonely, but reflective. A pause between departures. A moment where motion gives way to memory. Black and white allows the light to speak louder than the subject. What remains is a balance between what is seen and what is suggested—a reminder that sometimes, clarity is found not in what we reveal, but in what we choose to leave behind. Three Old Men and Their Cameras Arts & Heritage Center, North Augusta, SC April 6–30 I’m honored to be exhibiting alongside two fellow photographers in this show, each of us bringing a different perspective behind the lens. I’ve been tagged as “Mr. Landscape” for the exhibit—and as you’ll see in the coming posts, my work leans fully into black & white, where light, contrast, and simplicity carry the story. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing images from the show—each one available for purchase. NORTH AUGUSTA ARTIST GUILD 2025 NAAG "FALL INTO ART" ANNUAL SHOW & SALE FROM NOV 10 - DEC 18TH 2025 @ ARTS & HERITAGE CENTER IN NORTH AUGUSTA, SC I’m honored to have three of my photographs included in this show, and the piece below received 1st Place in Photography. With this award — and after a long career of exhibiting and earning 96 ribbons along the way — I’ve decided to step back from most future exhibitions. I’ve been extremely blessed throughout this journey, and I feel it’s time to make room for the next generation of up-and-coming photographers.  🔥 Special September Art Sale – Arts & Heritage Center of North Augusta 🔥 I’ll be taking part in a special once-a-year inventory reduction show at the Arts & Heritage Center this September. Ten of my original pieces will be available at below-market prices — a rare chance to add my work to your collection at exceptional value. If you’ve ever considered owning one of my photographs, this is the month to do it. Stop by the Center in September, explore the show, and take home a piece of art before it’s gone.   This evocative image captures the haunting stillness of a once-bustling roadside motel—the “Crescent Motel,” now quietly decaying under the weight of time. The rusted, star-crowned sign leans defiantly in the tall grass, still reaching for attention beneath a sky thick with passing clouds. The vacant rooms in the background echo forgotten stories, silent now but not erased. Nature slowly reclaims the space, as vines climb and wildflowers bloom around what was once a symbol of refuge for travelers. A visual elegy to the fading American South, where the past still lingers in weathered steel and worn brick.
 This image, taken around 6 or 7 years ago, captures a serene and almost magical moment in time—a quiet grove of pecan trees bathing in golden light, their canopy casting dappled shadows over an old wooden cabin. It’s one of those scenes that you might miss if you simply drive by. But with a photographer’s eye, you see more than just trees and an old building—you see composition, color, emotion, and story.
Today, this very spot looks nothing like it once did. The cabin has collapsed, the grass and weeds have overtaken the landscape, and the once-stately pecan trees are now scarred with broken limbs. The beauty of that moment is gone—except in this photograph. That’s the power of photography. It preserves a place not just as it was, but as it felt. Moments like this remind us why it’s so important to take the shot when your gut tells you to. Photography isn’t just about documenting—it’s about elevating the everyday. And when people see this image hanging in a gallery and ask, “Where was this taken?”—and you answer, “Right here in your hometown”—they realize what they’ve been overlooking. That’s what photographers do: we help people see. --DS This image showcases a scenic mountain landscape with a mix of natural elements. The foreground is filled with lush green grass and various shrubs, while large rock formations, including a prominent angled slab of rock on the right, add dramatic texture to the scene. Dense evergreen trees, possibly firs or spruces, form a backdrop that stretches toward the horizon. The view opens up to a vast expanse of blue-hued mountains under a partly cloudy sky, suggesting a high elevation with cool, misty air. The lighting is soft, with sunlight diffused by the cloud cover, casting gentle shadows and enhancing the rich colors of the foliage and rocks. The overall scene evokes a sense of peace, solitude, and natural beauty — likely a location popular with hikers or nature photographers.  This image won a "Merritt Award" at the "Spring Fest" show at the Arts & Heritage Center in North Augusta last month. Something a little different for me.  I get this question a lot, just how big is that Angel Oak tree, well, this should help!  Which one appeals to you the most, Color or B&W ? A 18 x 24 framed matted print of this is now available at Aiken Center For the Arts, This is a little different take from my normal type of shooting, but it's good to step out once in a while. Title for this one is "AN ILLUSION OF REALITY " A percentage of the sale goes to the Aiken Center to help support them, their are a real treasure for Aiken.  #BODIELIGHTHOUSE,#BOOKCOVER,#IMPRESSIONSTIC, #ANILLUSIONOFREALITY#MINDSEYEPHOTOGRAPHY, #DSOWENS, #MINDSEYE,#FINEARTPHOTOGRAPHY, #BLACKANDWHITEPHOTOGRAPHY, #BOOKCOVER,#DSOWENSCOM,#HOTELART, #ARTDECO, #BNW, #FINEEYEPHOTOGRAPHY,#OUTBANKS,#EDISTO,#LANDSCAPES, #FORREST, #TREES, #PATHWAYS, #INTERIORDESIGN, #INTERIORDECO,#MINDSEYEPHOTOGRAPHY, #DSOWENS, #MINDSEYE,#FINEARTPHOTOGRAPHY, #BLACKANDWHITEPHOTOGRAPHY, #BOOKCOVER,#DSOWENSCOM,#HOTELART, #ARTDECO, #BNW, #FINEEYEPHOTOGRAPHY,#OUTBANKS,#EDISTO,#LANDSCAPES, #FORREST, #TREES, #PATHWAYS, #INTERIORDESIGN, #INTERIORDECO,
Found this flower blooming on the Edisto River at Aiken State Park, in May of this year, and thought how unusual it looked, something like a bottle brush, but different, so took some pics, and found out it's a "Itea virginica" commonly known as "Virginia Willow", or "Virginia Sweetspire". Photo # (state park-62)  #edistoriver,#aikenstatepark,#virginiawillow,#flowers, #blackandwhitephotography, #mindseyephotography,
IT'S MAYBE EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE IN MY HUMBLE OPINION (#LOTUS B&W 61) #FINEARTPHOTOGRAPHY,#MINDSEYEPHOTOGRAPHY,#BNW,#BLACKANDWHITEPHOTOGRAPHY,#DSOWENS, #LOTUSFLOWER,#INDIANLOTUS,#SACREDLOTUS,#NELUMBONUCIFERA,#FINEEYEPHOTOGRAPHY, #BNWFLOWERS  Well, the truck is no longer for sale, something about it wouldn't start I think, but, you're still in luck though, the print of the truck is for sale! Sorry, shameless promotion, maybe even bait & switch, guilty... but, man, wouldn't this look good hanging on the wall in a man cave, or even my son's bonus room ! (#RA-2261)  This is titled "PEPPER No.30" By Edward Weston, in 1930's, it's just an unusual shaped bell pepper, but he turned it into Modern Abstract Art, he worked for a week just shooting peppers. To quote Weston, he said , "It is classic, completely satisfying,-----a pepper-----but more than a pepper: abstract, in that it is completely outside subject matter. It has no psychological attributes , no human emotions are aroused: this new pepper takes one beyond the world we know in the conscious mind, this one take one into an inner reality----the absolute-----with clear understanding, a mystic revealment. This is the "significant presentation" that I mean, the presentation through one's intuitive self, SEEING "through one's eye, not with them"; the visionary. In my opinion this is what I feel is lacking in today's teaching of photography, it seems to be about teaching about the gear and the software, but not about the ability to see the images before you take it in one's mind, most of the great photographers understood this, Ansel Adams, would wait for hours for the shot that he had in his mind, before taking it. IT'S JUST A PEPPER ??  |
