The Second Day

Celebrating 50 years of photography

By Robert Clark

Photography by Robert Clark

Nature is full of surprises. I took this photo not in a swamp or floodplain forest but in my front yard. Birds of all types were not pleased with the owl’s presence, which led me to spot it in the tree.

Visiting a garden in Hendersonville, the fall colors of these Japanese maples struck my senses with their canopy of brilliant autumn foliage. I used the tree limbs as an element of contrast to give the photo context.
Visiting a garden in Hendersonville, the fall colors of these Japanese maples struck my senses with their canopy of brilliant autumn foliage. I used the tree limbs as an element of contrast to give the photo context.

On March 12, 1982, I drove from my Irmo apartment toward downtown Columbia on the first day working as a photographer for South Carolina Wildlife Department. Nearing downtown on I-126, I tapped my brakes to slow down for a fog bank forming over the Broad River Bridge. A thick fog covered just the bridge and nowhere else. I’d never seen a situation where fog covered an isolated area with such intensity. I didn’t know it at the time, but my life would be filled with many “never seen before” experiences in South Carolina.

I shook many hands on my first day at the department. I was overwhelmed by the number of people with whom I would be working. My previous job was as an assistant, working for a sole proprietor, professional photographer based in Charlotte. A friend told me I looked like a fish out of water. I tried to act confident when introduced to someone, but deep down inside, I was worried if I could do a decent job for my new employer. After lunch, I found out I would be traveling the next day to McClellanville, accompanying two historians working on a project at Hampton Plantation State Park. I was thrown into the fire early, I thought …

On that second day, riding in the back seat of a department vehicle, I was stunned at the beauty I saw during the three-hour trip. Live oaks, quaint churches, farm fields, and lush forests begged me to stop for photographs, but I didn’t want to hold up our travel party. Arriving at our destination, I was stunned by the beauty of live oaks, Spanish moss, marshlands, and Archibald Rutledge’s family home, centuries old. One of the live oaks in the front lawn of the home was named the Washington Oak, after George Washington, who visited the plantation after his presidency. The legend goes that Washington told the plantation staff never to cut the tree, and his wish still lives on. I spent the next several hours photographing sights this North Carolina kid had never seen before — vibrant green marshlands, live oaks draped with Spanish moss, ballroom floors of stunning heart pine, and descendants of the plantation staff from the 1700s. On that second day, I knew I would be up to the challenge of photographing South Carolina.

Photographing a centuries old tradition of a “campground revival,” I knew when I saw this gentleman I wanted to take his portrait. Mr. Bowman was the bugler of the campground and blew a 12 foot trumpet calling campers to attend religious services at the camp.
Photographing a centuries old tradition of a “campground revival,” I knew when I saw this gentleman I wanted to take his portrait. Mr. Bowman was the bugler of the campground and blew a 12 foot trumpet calling campers to attend religious services at the camp.
Dawn at Awendaw. Capturing the light, fog, and man’s efforts to make a living from nature all came together to make this one of the more important images of my career. I was stunned by the “honesty” of the image appearing in my camera viewfinder and still remember this special morning.
Dawn at Awendaw. Capturing the light, fog, and man’s efforts to make a living from nature all came together to make this one of the more important images of my career. I was stunned by the “honesty” of the image appearing in my camera viewfinder and still remember this special morning.
The Work Light. I first photographed these boats 30 minutes earlier and was mildly satisfied with the image. Returning before the last light faded, the boats were struck by a work light from a nearby marina dock. The light gave the boats additional dimension, and the warm colors “popped,” showing the boats against the cool blue environment.
The Work Light. I first photographed these boats 30 minutes earlier and was mildly satisfied with the image. Returning before the last light faded, the boats were struck by a work light from a nearby marina dock. The light gave the boats additional dimension, and the warm colors “popped,” showing the boats against the cool blue environment.

My story as a photographer started in 1974. I was a sophomore in college, and my parents urged me to take business courses. I didn’t enjoy the classes, but I bore through the schedule and assumed I would get a job after college doing some aspect of business or sales. As a 20-year-old, not having a conviction of what I wanted to become was wearing on me. During the fall semester, my brother came home, finished with his four-year stint in the Navy. While traveling the world, my brother bought cameras in Japan and brought home books on photography. One evening, I took a nature photography book to my room to look at the pictures. I always enjoyed being outdoors, so I found the book interesting.

I remember turning one page and seeing a photograph of Mt. McKinley, taken by revered photographer Ansel Adams. I stared at the photograph in the book and decided on that evening to become a photographer. I bought a great camera with a normal lens and walked the fields of my father’s farm photographing everything that caught my attention. I set up a darkroom in our family’s washroom to develop black and white film and prints. I still remember needing to set a schedule since my family also needed to do their laundry.

Before visiting Maine, I researched the locations of lobster buoy displays. These displays are unique to the region, and I stopped at numerous locations on my travels. Each buoy color combination is unique to a lobster boat, helping individual boats locate their traps. Outside Acadia National Park, a multitude of buoys cover the water’s surface, reminiscent of Christmas balls floating on the water.
Before visiting Maine, I researched the locations of lobster buoy displays. These displays are unique to the region, and I stopped at numerous locations on my travels. Each buoy color combination is unique to a lobster boat, helping individual boats locate their traps. Outside Acadia National Park, a multitude of buoys cover the water’s surface, reminiscent of Christmas balls floating on the water.

Today, I am fortunate to celebrate 50 years as a photographer. I’ve traveled to numerous states, photographed countless locations, and enjoyed a lifetime of incredible encounters. When asked what I love most about being a photographer, my answer is always the “experience” of seeing and learning about nature, people, and myself. Early in my career, I made a decision to always learn from my experiences, good or bad, and motivate myself to become the best photographer I could. What I did is nothing different from anyone else deciding what they want to become, learning from each interaction, evaluating and remembering the results, and looking ahead to the next challenge.

What’s ahead for me? I want to continue photography as long as I live. I love doing workshops and teaching photography to others. Photography has gone through many phases during my career — using film to record an image, film replaced by a digital sensor, digital camera sensors replaced by our phone camera, and the use of artificial intelligence to improve our photography. Each “phase” of photography grows exponentially, enabling us to be better photographers. Despite the massive changes, the basics remain relevant — learn the aspects of light and colors.

Browsing through a flower catalogue, I ordered hundreds of calla lily bulbs with the intent of photographing the flowers. By early summer, the bulbs produced the unique blooms and color combinations for which calla lilies are known. I spent countless hours photographing the lilies in the bonus room of my home.
Browsing through a flower catalogue, I ordered hundreds of calla lily bulbs with the intent of photographing the flowers. By early summer, the bulbs produced the unique blooms and color combinations for which calla lilies are known. I spent countless hours photographing the lilies in the bonus room of my home.
While I was at a Lowcountry park, a rain shower developed over a field where children were playing. My camera would not focus on anything but the raindrops. It turned out to help the image, as the body language of the child enjoying the rain tells all.
While I was at a Lowcountry park, a rain shower developed over a field where children were playing. My camera would not focus on anything but the raindrops. It turned out to help the image, as the body language of the child enjoying the rain tells all.

Light has numerous characteristics of intensity and mood. Our Earth’s atmosphere does more to change our sun’s light than any other element. Study what light is at sunrise, early morning, high noon, late afternoon, and sunset. Look at how the light changes your subject, and notice the impact of light on your subject. Look for the quality of light and not the quantity; you will notice the distinctions of light and how to use them to your advantage as a photographer. Study the colors of light during these times. You will start to notice the colors of light change as the sun travels thru the sky. I can tell you most photographers prefer the “golden hours” of sunrise and sunset. Go for dynamic light and color in your photos. Study beautiful photographs of other photographers. What makes their photographs unique and beautiful?

I passed by this grist mill in Greer many times, waiting until the fall colors painted the location around the mill. The soft light and brilliant colors gave the image a mood and impact I wanted to capture.
I passed by this grist mill in Greer many times, waiting until the fall colors painted the location around the mill. The soft light and brilliant colors gave the image a mood and impact I wanted to capture.

I am a native of North Carolina, and throughout my career, I have entertained the idea of doing a photography book on my home state once I’m finished with South Carolina. I doubt that book ever gets started … No matter where you live, photography takes you to places you dream about and provides you experiences physically and mentally to remember. Learn from each photograph you take. Enjoy the journey and remember to close the gate behind you.

At one time in my career, I wanted to be an architectural photographer. My experience in this field of photography taught me how to create dimension in my photos. There was barely enough light to focus on the foreground chairs in this image. The combination of dimension and colors helped make this image one of my favorites.
At one time in my career, I wanted to be an architectural photographer. My experience in this field of photography taught me how to create dimension in my photos. There was barely enough light to focus on the foreground chairs in this image. The combination of dimension and colors helped make this image one of my favorites.

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