Author: danrouth

Greensboro, NC based commercial and editorial photographer.

Alvin’s Automotive

Portraits, Randolph County


(I am double posting today because I have to be on location shooting tomorrow.) Another local establishment I frequent is Alvin’s Automotive in Grays Chapel, south of Greensboro on Hwy 22. Master mechanic Alvin, who is my cousin’s husband, has somehow managed to keep my family’s and my neighbor’s cars and a lot of our farm equipment going for years. When he’s not fixing our stuff, he spends his time restoring classic cars and trucks and hauling fuel oil. He grows pretty good tomatoes too. In front of his shop is a store which acts a center for local news, politics and socializing.


Harry runs the front and keeps the locals under control.


Alvin always keeps a smile on his face … always.

(images copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Wright Brothers Redone

Airplane, History

(image copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

On December 17, 1903 the Wright Brothers made the first successful powered flight at Kitty Hawk on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We produced the image above at Jockey’s Ridge, a huge sand dune not far from the original flight site, for an outdoor apparel poster. We tried to produce it in the same vein as the famous photograph of that historic day. Like the Wright Brothers, we had our share of problems. After a couple of flights trying to fly into the wind the wrong way in order to get our angle, we crashed the hang glider and ended our day.

First Flight, December 17, 1903 (National Park Service Photograph)

Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States of America

History

(image copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Today in North Carolina it is snowing so I have decided to stay close to home and watch history happen. By the looks of the television news shows, Washington DC is inundated with people braving the cold to watch history first hand. I would love to be there, but I couldn’t make it work out so I will sit in front of the fire and watch everything on TV. Though I am excited by the new day in American politics, I feel sorry for President Obama. The hopes of a whole nation and much of the world will rest on his shoulders at 12 noon, and that is a mighty weight to bear. God bless America and God bless President Barack Obama.

Robin Hood’s Bay

Great Britain, Travel

(image copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

It’s supposed to be really cold here the next few days and with the sucking sound in the local economy, right now it’s pretty dreary, so today’s image is from my film archive of places where I’d really like to be. Robin Hood’s Bay is on the coast of Yorkshire, east of York and between Scarbourgh and Whitby. It is sort of a storybook fishing village not overrun by tourists and perches on bluffs that run down to the sea. It’s cool and damp because it’s on the North Sea, but cool and damp in Robin Hood’s Bay is different than frigid in Greensboro. Some fresh fish and chips and a pint of bitter and I’m good to go.

Old Mill of Guilford

Greensboro, Mill


I went out yesterday to the Old Mill of Guilford to stock up on grits and bran muffin mix. The mill is a local Greensboro landmark and is a fully operational, water-powered, 18th century grist mill founded on Beaver Creek in 1767 to grind grain for the early settlers of northern Guilford County. The mill continues to produce all-natural, stone-ground, whole grain flours and mixes. It’s an interesting place to visit and produces great stuff to eat. Annie Laura Perdue works the mill.

For info, go to: http://www.oldmillofguilford.com/

(images copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)