Monty Chandler Photography

Photos of Charleston - Charms on the Bracelet

CMA Red Carpet photos.

CMA show photos..

September signals an annual change

2009-10-19T13:26:00.005-04:00

Photo: A violinist for Lost In The Trees performing at The Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte, NC Sept 4th 2009 - my favorite image for Sept.

September and October are probably my two favorite months of the year. Together they take us through an annual change which can be viewed as the end of the Spring birth or the beginning of the Spring renewal. Certainly beautiful from both perspectives.

This month reflected this change for me as it began with a dog days of summer visit to Charleston, SC and as I previewed in the review of the Sept calendar for the Evening Muse in Aug., the month was musically rewarding for the folks who love live music in Charlotte - included porterdavis, Evelynn Rose, and Girls Guns & Glory. The Tosco House Party was a quick warm-up for the spectacular Tosco Music Party. A litany of performances graced the stages of the Neighborhood Theatre this month including Lost In The Trees and Sea Of Cortez.

At the Blues Brews & BBQ festival in uptown Charlotte, the local Southern Rock group Preacher Stone provided some down home southern fried musical lunch viddles for the doctors, bankers, lawyers and such...

Looking forward to October and the diversity it brings to our lives.

Cheers,

Monty

Charleston, SC

2009-09-09T11:04:00.003-04:00

Charleston's quaint southern charm, rich history, elegant architecture and natural geography combine to lure the heart and soul.

It wasn't very long ago that the city center of Charleston was not a very desirable place to be and certainly wasn't a place you wanted to live or spend your vacation time. People went to the surrounding islands and visited the beaches which are readily accessible to the public.

However, over the past couple of years things have begun to change. The city recognized its potential and decided to do more than put a little lipstick on the pig. A cleanup commenced which preserved the history and charm of the architecture, tourism infrastructure was encouraged, individually owned restaurants and pubs were supported and law enforcement recovered the peace within the city. The table was set for tourism to flourish. A little marketing and more importantly word of mouth praise soon spread in the electronic age.

Today people flock from all over the country to visit Charleston and experience its charm. It has become a stop on the touring agenda for foreign visitors from all over Europe and Asia. This attention is well deserved as Charleston does in fact have the history, the beauty and the charm which should attract visitors.

Cheers,

Yellowstone National Park

Summer Photo Trip

2009-09-08T13:00:00.009-04:00

What I did on my summer vacation... This is what comes to mind with a broad smile as I reflect on the 7 week adventure of camping and photography which made up my "summer vacation" this year.

Miscellaneous stops along the way

There were many items of interest that I took a photo of which didn't warrant a gallary of its own but certainly deserved to be recorded. Albert The Bull was one of the first "Big Things" that we detoured to see on our trip. Of course a few images of the actual water falls from which Sioux Falls South Dakota derives its name are included. The Crazy Horse Memorial was a special place where we spent a few hours looking around and hearing the story of its creation. Images of the geography found along the Needles Highway in South Dakota are included as we found South Dakota to be a special place we had never been to, but was very different than we had imagined it would be. Mount Rushmore, while smaller than what we imagined, was truly an amazing place reflecting a beautiful artistic achievement. It was in South Dakota that we encountered our first buffalo. Little did we know that we would see thousands more on our journey. This gallery continues with a sampling of images throughout our trip.

Mustangs of South Dakota

As one of the things that I have heard about for years in the western part of the US involved the issue ranchers face with the wild Mustang herds and the efforts underway to manage these herds in a humane way, we decided to visit one of the places that has made a difference in the preservation of wild Mustangs and other horse breeds. The Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary is a working horse ranch with a few registered cattle as well. Of course their primary mission is to care for wild Mustangs. This tour and the resultant photos was a highlight of our trip.

As we crossed the mountain range from the northeast into the huge volcanic basin which is Yellowstone National Park the first of June we were caught in a snow-storm which caused some white out conditions as the winds blew. Average speed was less than 15 MPH as we wound our way around the mountain. Several hours later we had descended from the mountains and found ourselves on a muddy road leading into Yellowstone's NE entrance.

In addition to the naturally beautiful landscapes filled with mountains, fields, canyons, rivers and geysers, there is an abundance of wildlife in this natural setting. You quickly become certain you have left your land and entered their home. If you drive too quickly, you will miss an opportunity to witness natures miracles. I must say there were many people who should have stayed home as they sped along at 45 miles per hour not seeing anything unless it was big and standing next to the round. I wondered why they bothered to come to Yellowstone at all. A close encounter wit a Big Horn Ram was my highlight, but I saw everything from Bull Elk to a mother moose birthing a calf. Really could have spent an entire month here in Yellowstone and never had experienced a boring moment.

Arches National Park

Entering Moab from the north along the Colorado river you begin to get a sense of what you are in for. The last 15 miles of road presents many geographic formations which have been carved by the Colorado of many thousands of years - and are most spectacular!

Entering Arches you drive up a fairly steep and winding road. Unless you are camping up in Arches - with a reservation - leave your trailer behind. You don't want to pull it into Arches and nobody else wants you to either. Once topping the entrance climb a majestic view opens up to you that will have you mumbling under breath in amazement. The red rock formations, spires, and walls, etc that are found along the drive into Arches defies description. It is something that must be witnessed first hand or secondly viewed through quality images as the landscape is nothing short of artistic.

Canyonlands National Park and Canyon Rim Recreation Area

We entered the park from the east on hwy 211, entering the Needles District. We found that without an offroad vehicle (read 4-wheeler) you really can't explore the needles district. There is some limited camping in the park, but there's little if any privacy and little to do and explore even if you do camp there. So we took a minor detour and headed out on the BLM Lockhart Basin Trail. This is a 4-wheel drive high clearance vehicle unpaved road which was carved out of the desert with a grader, but I was able to pull my tear-drop trailer up steep terrain and through the canyons. We found an excellent campsite snuggled within a small canyon out of site from the road and made it base camp for a week of traveling around and shooting some beautiful red-rock formation.

Glen Canyon and Capital Reef National Park

On the road from Canyonlands National Park to Bryce Canyon we came upon White Canyon which ran along the road for miles and miles before hitting one of the most scenic areas we encountered on our journey. Glen Canyon is a drop dead gorgeous area. You must have a look at the images in this gallery to appreciate what we stumbled upon as we made the drive from one camping spot to another.

Bryce Canyon National Park

The entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park is well developed and is a great spot to re-energize if you've been camping and on the road for a month! Bryce boasts some of the most unique erosion formed spires and hoodoos you will ever see. Some of these hoodoos are 100 feet tall and make you wonder how they stand there instead of simply falling over. Mule and Whitetail Deer as well as pronghorns wander the canyon landscape as well.

Zion National Park

What a unique place. Just when you think you have figured out the canyon scenes and you fear they will begin to look alike, you take the drive into Zion National Park. The long and winding road into Zion is filled with beautiful vistas and formations. There are many pull-outs from which to admire the views. The primary canyon can only be visited by riding their bus as the canyon itself cannot handle the volume of cars that would otherwise need to traverse it.

Grand Canyon National Park

Certainly one of the great wonders of the world. After visiting the less developed North Rim for a day (there is a hotel) we headed through the desert to the South Rim where we would spend the next five days. The South Rim is a 50 mile long expanse along the Grand Canyon with the Colorado river visible at many junctions. It was very easy to sit on the edge of the canyon for hours just taking in the awesome views. Of course the setting sun was simply majestic as it lit up the red rocks of the canyon walls. No matter what you have seen in your lifetime, the Grand Canyon will impress you greatly.

Monument Valley

When our time at the Grand Canyon had come to an end we headed towards Colorado and purposefully went through Monument Valley. While the rock formations were lovely I was disappointed in the lack of control concerning where people put structures and the dilepated form these structures would take. The indigineous people did not display any pride in their land, their home and it appearance. I understand its Indian Land, but all along this area there were few structures that demonstrated any pride in ownership. Seemed every vehicle the family had ever owned remained parked on the land. This eye-sore was a negative distraction to the natural beauty of the land.

Colorado Rockies

Once out of the desert plains the Rockies began to dominate the landscape. Telluride was a beautiful little city nestled among some very tall mountain peaks with a grand waterfall at the head of the town. Taylor River in Almont, CO is one of the most pristine areas I have ever spent time in. The trout flyfishing was wonderful, the scenery spectacular, and the summer weather heavanly. Traveling over a couple of 14,000 foot mountain passes we headed over to Colorado Springs where we visited the 14,000 foot high Pikes Peak and the unique red rock formations within the Garden Of The Gods park. All up Colorado might be the most beautiful state in the union - next to Alaska.

St Louis Missouri

As a stop over place on our way back to the Carolinas we spent a little time on Lake Carlyle which is located in Illinois along the Missouri/Illinois border. The lake was gorgeous and very peaceful. We visited St. Louis and did some of the tourist things like go up in the Gateway Arch and tour the Budweiser brewery.

I hope you enjoyed viewing the photos from our summer journey. It was a most excellent summer camping trip for us!

Cheers,

Monty

Summer Photography Trip

2009-05-12T11:01:00.002-04:00

In planning this years photography trip, I really wanted to go back to last years destination - Alaska. But in planning the trip I realized that 8 weeks wasn't long enough for a road trip to Alaska. I don't want to fly somewhere and visit. I want to be able to take my time and really get to the heart of the country and take the uncommon photograph. So while last years theme was wildlife, this year I'll spend 7 weeks camping in my little teardrop trailer, doing a little fly-fishing, and shooting landscapes.

I've never been through the western Rocky Mountains. So this year will begin in South Dakota in the Mount Rushmore area. I plan to stay in the Yellowstone area for a few days, then a few days in the Grand Tetons before heading south to the various Canyon National Parks. Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, and Zion are all on the agenda. I'll be camping in each of these areas, trying to get off the beaten path, and catching the colors of sunrise & sunset on these vistas.

The southern flow of the trip will end at the Grand Canyon. After a week there I'll head northeast through Monument Valley and into Colorado and the high country where it will be a little cooler. Three day stays in three different parts of Colorado will allow for mountain landscapes as well as some lake fishing.

After this is all done and assuming I get the quality of photographs I want, my plan is to publish a book of the trip. More to come on that.

So, I'll be off the air for a couple of months starting Memorial Day.

Cheers,

Tosco Music Party - Jan 2009

2009-02-03T09:50:00.006-05:00

It's at times like this that I wish I had taken more writing courses in school - how to describe the aura of a musical presentation so diverse and rich? Fortunately a picture is worth a thousand words, and there are 160 photos at this link!

What started as a circle of friends jammin' in the living room has evolved over the past two decades into a musical production within an intimate 1,000 seat theater - but what has really changed is simply the size of the living room. John Tosco remains the host, the musicians remain the talented musician friends of the sort which have always been drawn to John's living room. The change is that these musicians now have a venue and audience that greatly improves their visibility and highlights their talents.

To give you a feel for the flow of a TMP show, here's the line-up for this nights event - eclectic and awesome!! (tip: a singalong involves all 1,000 people in "the living room" standing and singing a tune with the TMP singalong choir and band)

Singalong - "Mr. Sandman"

Derek Fulton - 14-year-old guitarist

Alan Black & Rachel Rudoi - Classical cellist and violinist

Jeanette Leardi - Ethnic vocalist

Ethan Uslan - Ragtime/Jazz pianist

Bill Averbach - New Orleans Jazz/blues trumpeter

Reinaldo Brahn - Brazilian guitarist-vocalist

Singalong - "L-O-V-E"

Desmond Myers - 16-year-old singer-songwriter

The Snyder Family Band - Bluegrass group

Vinx - Modern Jazz percussionist-vocalist

Patrick Landeza - Hawaiian slack-key guitarist-vocalist

Singalong - "Don't Bring Me Down"

Intermission

Singalong - "Right Back to Where We Started From"

The Polka Dots - Polka Band

Abigail Alvarez & Graciela Beltran - Mexican vocalists

Contagious Blues Band - Alternative blues-rock group

Abou Sylla - West African xylophonist

Tim Fast - Singer-songwriter

Singalong - "Paradise"

Soul Survivor - Soul/Funk/Rock band

RJ Adams - Singer-songwriter

The Darin & Brooke Aldridge Quintet - Bluegrass/Gospel group

The StereoFidelics - Jazz/Art-rock duo

Singalong - "The Times They Are A-Changin' "

End of the program....

Cheers,

The Sammies w/Hightide Blues

2009-01-26T09:44:00.003-05:00

Saturday night was rock'n roll night in Charlotte with an exceptional line-up at The Visulite Theatre. There was no "sitting through" an opener waiting for the headliner to start. In fact I enjoyed the Hightide Blues band tremendously! Their southern, bluesy rock, tugged at my soul-strings - American by birth, southern by the grace of god!

The raspy voice of Paul McDonald is a gift destined to tell stories of song. The "song" is provided by the very talented band members. Jonathan Pears multi-instrument talents include his Electric Guitar, Djembe, Lap Steel, and harmonica. Cragon Sims keeps time on the Bass. Scotty Rollins is one of the best drummers I have heard in a very long time. Have a listen for yourself at their MySpace page. I think you'll agree that they belong on your list!

Photo's of the hightide Blues show can be seen at this link.

Following Hightide Blues was headliner and local Charlotte band - The Sammies. The interesting thing about The Sammies for me was hearing three or four different genres of music in one band in one show. The band went from an indie sound, to classic rock, to a bluesy southern rock and ended with a punk rock sounding song! One thing is for sure, the band and the audience had a great time. The energy in the Visulite was invigorating and the band was charged!

The Sammies are:

FRANK BACKGAMMON – Vocals and guitar

BOBBY FREEDOM – Lead Guitar and vocals

CONRAD VACATION – bass guitar

DONNIE YALE – Drums and vocals

I'm guessing they use pseudonyms so we'll focus on who the band is and not who they are as individual musicians and as a result their names really aren't material. What is material is that their sound is alive, energetic, and garners broad support and appeal. Check 'em out - you'll love 'em.

Here's a link to photos from The Sammies show at The Visulite.

Cheers,

Chad Mackey Band

2009-01-18T18:25:00.002-05:00

Friday night the Chad Mackey Band rocked the Tremont Music Hall to a smaller audience than I was anticipating. Perhaps it was because it was biting cold outside - not normal for Charlotte - but those who were there were treated to classic Chad Mackey rock n' roll as well as his country tinged ballads.

While the Tremont has really crappy lighting for photography and actually seeing the artists perform, the sound system is fairly decent and was ample for Chad's style of Rock. I thought the band sounded really good, were crisp in their play and timing.

I look forward to seeing Chad next time in a venue conscience of its lighting.

Here's a link to a few photos from the show - best I could do given the darkness of the venue.

Cheers,

New coffee table photo book is ready

2008-12-18T00:31:00.002-05:00

One last update for 2008 before I head off to enjoy the holidays with my family. A project that I've been working on throughout 2008 has come to closure tonight. My new coffee table book covering the "Musicians of The Evening Muse" is complete.. This work contains 160 pages w/300+ photographs of performers during 57 shows at The Evening Muse in 2008.

Here's a link where you can preview the first several pages...

Musicians of T...

A 2008 Sampling

By Monty Chandler

Book Preview

Best wishes for a very happy Holiday season and a joyous New Year,

Monty

Nicole Atkins, w/Salt & Samovar

2008-11-10T07:29:00.005-05:00

As I pondered what to do this past Saturday night, I exchanged thoughts with my friend Mr. D. Koster. I had said I wanted to see David Mead play at The Evening Muse' early show, but wasn't sure what I was going to do after that. Mr. Koster's reply was to be sure to go across the street and see Nicole Atkins. Not only could she sing, but she was photogenic (shorthand for cute) as well.

Of course I looked Nicole up on the web and while listening to her sing a tune on her Myspace, I was struck by the comments that she had a female Roy Orbison sound to her. I'd agree with the comparison, to an extent, but there was a nagging little voice in the back of my head that told me there was a different sound emmenating from her - one that reminds me very much of Edith Piaf, a french singer from the 30's who was featured in the 2007 film, "La Vie en Rose". One thing for sure, this lady has a powerful, unique and beautiful voice. Accompanied by her band, "The Sea", Nicole performed a great set at The Neighborhood Theatre, followed by a two song encore that left us talking about this singer for the following hour. And she's a Jersey girl who went to school here at UNCC!

And yes, she's "photogenic" too. Here's a link to photos from the show.

Opening for Nicole was a band named Salt & Samovar. They are a very good rock band that were a great opener for Nicole. For those curious minds, a Samovar is a metal container used to boil water, commonly used in Russia for making tea. So the bands name is salt and a tea pot? I know, that's probably only interesting to me. You can check out a few photos of Salt & Samovars performance at this link.

Hope you enjoy the photo's.

Cheers,

Pat McGee Band

2008-10-12T18:38:00.004-04:00

Three of the Five members of the Pat McGee band rock'n rolled through the queen city friday night. The Visulite hosted Pat McGee, Brian Fechino & Chardy McEwan and in turn they provided the Charlotte crowd with a fantastic night of music and entertainment. Engaging the crowd as usual Pat joined in the festivities as at least one groom-to-be celebrated his bachelor party.

A few photos from the show can be seen at this link.

Cheers,

The Stellas

2008-10-05T11:41:00.005-04:00

I find that one of the challenges with living in a city that has such a wide and diverse musical scene is that it is difficult, if not impossible, to get out to see all of the talent that you want to catch up with.

I have been hearing about a Charlotte Rock-n-roll band named The Stellas for quite some time now but it seems that we have never been in the same place at the same time. Saturday night was another of those times. I was at The Evening Muse in the NoDa part of town and The Stellas were at the Tremont Musica Hall in downtown Charlotte. A couple of the ladies from Triple S Bookings were also at The Evening Muse and told me about the Stellas show. They made the case that it would not be difficult to bridge that gap.

So all of this is simply the backdrop as to how I finally made the physical connection with The Stellas. As an old guy, I have grown up with rock-n-roll and certainly was interested in filling the void between what I had heard about and what I had yet to see. The Stellas are a full on rock band, with a huge amount of energy. To be honest I felt like I was in a pub in London listening to the Euro sound of rock-n-roll. I'd encourage you to visit their Myspace page and have a listen to a few of their tunes.

To see photos from their show visit this link. Hope you enjoy.

Cheers,

Monty

Ken Peltier Band, w/Brook Faulk

2008-10-03T09:58:00.009-04:00

My previous comments about Melissa Mitchell not withstanding, by far the most enjoyable band I had the pleasure of seeing perform during my travels in Alaska was the Ken Peltier Band with featured guest singer Brook Faulk. This group has a great country sound with a very capable blues ability as well.

What struck me was the family feel this band has within itself and with the people who come to watch them perform. Intimate is a great word which describes the atmosphere they create and their audience relationship.

I saw this group perform at the Alaska State Fair in Palmer, AK as well as at Eddies Underground in Anchorage. Both venues were packed with fans of this band - and the dance floor was festive and hopping!

The musical ability of every member of the band is outstanding. The musical leader of the band is drummer Mike Lashbrook. Mike does an excellent job keeping time and rhythm, but also has an excellent voice and sings lead on a number of popular tunes. Bonnie Thayer plays Bass and provides back-up vocal support, but on occasion she takes the vocal lead. Doug McCullough plays a very smooth lead guitar and excels at everything from country twang to a driving blues lead that will melt your heart. Of course the founder of the band, acoustic guitar player and lead singer is none other than Ken Peltier. Ken is one of those singers that can emulate many great country singers sound as well as croon his own tunes to make a young womans heart flutter as well as fill the dance floor with two-steppers and line dancers.

On both occasions in which I had the opportunity to see the band perform I was blessed with an incredible addition by the name of Brook Faulk. Brook is a beautiful woman with a powerful, yet sultry, voice with the range to carry a blues song home and the touch of a country singer which will bring a tear to your eye. Brook has an stunning stage presence and a lovely voice capable of mind blowing musical diversity. Brook told me that she will be touring the lower 48 sometimes towards the end of this year, so keep an eye out for this budding star.

Another Alaskan icon is a singer/songwriter named Hobo Jim Varsos. Hobo Jim performs routinely with the Ken Peltier band at various shows around the state. Jim is a true Alaskan troubadour. A few photos from his set at Eddies Underground can be seen via this link.

Photos from both Ken Peltier Band shows I saw can be seen via this link.

Ken Peltier's Myspace link is here.

Brook Faulk's Myspace link is here.

Cheers,

Homegrown, Featuring Melissa Mitchell

2008-10-03T08:12:00.003-04:00

As I traveled around Alaska late summer I managed to see a few bands and photograph some shows. I am a huge fan of singer/songwriters who are creating unique music all their own. To this end I only purchased one CD and that was Melissa Mitchell's "Alma". Melissa has a beautifully powerful voice with unique lyrics that tell her story and will touch your soul.

I'd encourage you to look this band up on myspace to have a listen for yourself. I'm sure you will agree that this is a very talented lady whose music is a welcome addition to your collection.

Click here to view the photos from the Homegrown show featuring Melissa Mitchell.

Cheers,

Johnny Utah Band

2008-10-03T07:59:00.004-04:00

The Johnny Utah Band performed at the Alaska State Fair August 27th 2008. A band local to the Anchorage area, they performed rock cover music which was entertaining.

A local lead guitar player named Dan Lesperance really held the band together with his riveting abilities to make a guitar sing. Hopefully the young musicians in the Johnny Utah band will learn from Dans' tutoring and professional example and continue to chase the dream.

Click here to see the images from the performance of the Johnny Utah Band.

Cheers,

Monty

Alaska Photos

2008-09-30T08:41:00.005-04:00

Alaska! What a fantastic place! Relaxing back home in Charlotte and reviewing the photos I can't help but re-live the wonders of the beautiful scenic views, the heart-pounding excitement of photographing the wildlife, and the friends gained in meeting new people and visiting new places.

After taking over 2,500 photos I've managed to whittle that down to just under 60 images and have posted them to my website. As that implies, there are many more images but I tried to include images from just about everywhere I visited. Beginning in the summer and ending in the fall the seasons transition is evident in the images.

I sincerely hope you enjoy viewing the images as much as I enjoyed shooting them.

Cheers,

Alaska Update #2

2008-09-07T02:41:00.004-04:00

Over the last couple of weeks I've managed to visit a bit of Alaska. I went up to Denali and was fortunate enough to see and photograph a bull moose. Great photos of the moose as well as scenic photos of the park, including McKinley. After Denali I went up to Fairbanks and saw the Northern lights. I took a few photos, but since I did not have a tripod they didn't come out very well.

After I had the Bull Moose photo, next on the list was the Grizzly. For that I went down to the Kenai. The Russian River specifically. This would have been easy in June or July, but in September the bears aren't as visible. However, after a 7 hour wait in a prime fishing spot at the Russian River Falls, the famous Brown Bear arrived to catch his dinner. Trusting that the bear just wanted to catch a few salmon, I managed to get close to the action for some great shots of the bear catching and eating his salmon.

The last item on my photo list for this trip was the American Bald Eagle. I had heard that Homer, AK was a great place to get close to the Eagle. I know that the best time for photographing the bird is March/April - but I'm here in September.. I managed today to get a few shots of this magnificent bird. Not the action shots I hope to one day get, but a few closeups nonetheless.

Before leaving I'll have to get some shots of Wasilla - not that I had ever heard of Palin, but while I'm here I may as well take a few snaps of the town in its 15 minutes of fame.

Once I get back home I'll upload photos from this trip. Got some real sweet pictures to share..

Cheers,

Update from Alaska

2008-08-25T13:42:00.005-04:00

It's been a while since my last update and things have been busy. I photographed several great musicians in July and early August. Mid-August I flew up to Alaska in hopes of photographing some Moose, Bear, Eagles, beautiful mountain ranges and the fall foliage change. So far I have seen the moose and a black bear catching salmon. No grizzly bear yet, but I'm keeping my eye out. The weather has not been great (cloudy) so I haven't made my way up to Denali yet. I'm waiting for the weather to improve so my chances of actually getting a photo of the mountain improve.

Aside from the weather, the salmon fishing has been very good. The silver salmon (Coho) are running. These fish are a blast to catch! I'm using some ultra-light tackle which has magnified the thrill. I'll be bringing a cooler of salmon back with me when I do come home. The Alaska State Fair is underway in Palmer - I may make it over there for a day.

I won't be able to upoad the Alaska images to my website until I return home, but I am able to put some up on my MySpace page. Look under "pics" and then the Alaska album. Please leave comments! It's your chance to give some feedback while I'm still up here shooting.

Until next time.

Cheers,

Blue Ridge Mountains

2008-07-09T16:37:00.004-04:00

The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina are filled with beautiful sights from majestic mountain views, to waterfalls, streams, and a myriad of wildlife like bears, eagles and deer. There are numerous camping opportunities with hiking trails that allow one to see all of this up close.

As a resident of this area of the country I try to get up into the mountains several times a year to add photographs to this portfolio. On one of my last trips I was able to capture a cougar catching a rabbit. That was truly a unique experience for me. One that had my adrenalaine pumping to be sure.

As part of my USA Gallery, I'll add more images to the Blue Ridge Mountains Gallery as the summer/fall progresses, but in the meantime, please enjoy these images.

Cheers,

Charlotte Pop Festival

2008-07-06T15:09:00.003-04:00

I dropped by the Charlotte Pop Festival on Friday July 4th to listen to a bit of music. The format ensured a fast pace as each band performed for roughly 30 minutes with an MC doing a song with each transition. The bands I got a chance to see and take a few photos of were: The Sammies, Finnegan Bell, U-Phonik, The Young Sons, The Dukes of Stratford and Analog Daze.

The photos can be seen via this link. Hope you enjoy.

Cheers,

Bonaire

2008-07-02T20:37:00.003-04:00

Bonaire - a primary vacation destination for scuba divers. I'm no exception as I'd gone to Bonaire in June with the long anticipated expectation of getting some incredible underwater photographs. Short story - no underwater photographs....

On my first dive I discovered that my underwater housing for my Canon 20D had sprung a leak. Good thing I ALWAYS check my housing before I start heading down for my dive. For the very first time this routine check showed a little water in the housing. After getting out of the water rather quickly I discovered some very good news and some very bad news. Good news, no water had gotten to my camera or my lens. Bad news is that the housing had a major crack in it.

I tried to find another housing on the island - but to no avail. There is an Ikelite distributor on the island, but they did not have the 20D housing. I looked into renting a camera from the onsite photography shop, but all they had was point and shoot types. Not to be snooty or anything, but I don't need snapshops of underwater critters. They just didn't have the gear that I need to obtain the photographs I want. Guess I'll need to make another trip to Bonaire.

I did take a drive around with my topside camera and took a few shots of a lighthouse at the south end of the island, some people windsurfing, some historic slave huts, a coastline shot and a few shots of a salt mining operation with I thought was stunning. Those photos can be gotten to via my Caribbean link here. Click on Bonaire - June 2008.

Diving in Bonaire was fabulous - and about as easy as diving gets. Only thing easier would be a swimming pool. Crystal clear and very warm water, no current or surge, easy shore diving access and buoy markers to navigate entrance/exit points. The beauty of it is that the boats and the shore divers all go to exactly the same spots. Only thing is the shore diver gets to choose how many people are in the water with them at the same time!

Next trip I'll have some photos to share.

Cheers,

Absentstar - I Nine - Needtobreathe

2008-03-18T06:53:00.020-04:00

Musicians Gallery

The line-up of bands performing at Amos' Southend caught my attention, so for the first time in many years I ventured down to the club to photograph some of the hottest up and coming rock bands performing in America today. My research proved to be accurate as all three of these bands performed with smoothness and professionalism - with each of them being unique and somehow familiar. What's amazing is that these three bands are touring the East coast this month together. So everywhere they go, the crowd will be blessed with a wonderful show. Something which in my opinion, and experience, is not common.

Absentstar's history goes back to 1999, when Lead singer Derek Ingersoll, guitarist Andy Dixon and drummer Heath Hamilton relocated from Indiana to Chicago, where the three figured they stood a better chance of finding an audience for their music. In addition to an expanded audience in the big city of Chicago also hooked them up with guitarist-keyboardist Marshall Hanbury and bassist Noel Arnim, completing the band’s makeup in 2005. The band recently completed a wonderful new 12 song album titled Sea Trials. The guys have hit the road to share their music with the rest of America.

I Nine - As many of you know, one of my photographic passions is to capture little known, or "undiscovered" talent as they traverse their path to discover and impart their imprint on American music. This allows me to hear first hand the raw talent of these musicians before it is altered by the marketing machines, but primarily it allows a glimpse into the heart and soul of the extreme effort exerted by these young people as they work to make their mark in American music culture. A group of young talent whom I think may be the next musical name you will become familiar with is I Nine. These young people hail from the southern town of Orangeburg, South Carolina, not far from us here in Charlotte.

As with many bands there's a long and winding road that has led to their current state - which by the way includes a debut album titled, Heavy Weighs The King. The members of I Nine have been playing together for about three years, though as lead singer Carmen Keigans says, they also grew up together and have known each other since they were kids. The band comprises, in addition to Carmen; Bryan Gibson (lead guitar, cello); Matt Heath (bass); Brian Whitman (guitar). Hopefully you will get a chance to see these guys play at a venue near you soon. If not, watch for their performance on CBS' The Early Show on April 26th.

The headliner for the nights show was a group called Needtobreathe. When the lead singer of Absentstar asked the audience who they were all there to see, it was with one voice that they yelled "Needtobreathe"! It wasn't long before I understood why. Having signed with Atlantic records and cutting their debut album Daylight in 2006, this band was known to most of the people in the audience. They have just released their second album, The Heat, and are back on the road playing for audiences across the country. The band has a real southern sound flair with the expected melodies imbedded within. This makes their music easy to listen to and captivating at the same time.

As I said at the outset of this page, its not often you'll get to see a trio of bands in one billing that performs at the caliber these three do. If you like rock music you'll love the night you spend with these three.

Cheers,

Myrtle Beach, SC

2008-03-12T10:36:00.003-04:00

Myrtle Beach is a golfers paradise and in March there are folks from all over the country who come in to escape the snow covered courses of their home to play on the lush fairways Myrtle has to offer. That's what brought me to South Carolina on this winter weekend so I took a little time get some shots of the beach front as well as the lowland marshes that are common in the Myrtle Beach area.

It's not often that I get photos of a sunrise but I sacraficed some sleep to get some beautiful shots of the sunrise over this lovely beach front.

Enjoy & Cheers,

Utah - Winter Wonders

2008-03-12T10:20:00.004-04:00

Utah Photos - I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of days in Utah at the end of February and had decent enough weather to travel around Salt Lake City a little and get a few scenic photos of the mountains along with a couple of tourist spots in the city. It's no wonder people come from all over to ski in this area of the country. It is truly beautiful and they certainly have a lot of snow! I tried a few things at sunset from some distances to capture the majesty of the snow covered mountains as well as Great Salt Lake.

I traveled up Big Cottonwood Canyon as well as Little Cottonwood Canyon for a few of the images. Several of the shots were taken from Antelope Island State Park - a gorgeous place providing vista of the mountain range as well as Salt Lake City nestled at the foot of the mountains.

I hope you enjoy this component of the portfolio - I froze my tail off getting some of these images. :-)

Cheers,

Here's a link to the few photo's I did take..

Blues On First

2008-03-04T12:51:00.004-05:00

While in Salt Lake City this past weekend I went to a club called Zanzibar to see a blues band named "Blues On First". The band is a group of talented musicians led by a fantastic guitarist named Paul Blandford. Paul plays a mean blues guitar which will have you sitting on the edge of your seat trying to see his fingers fly. Nick Greco is the lead singer who also plays a sultry blues harp. Nick makes the harp sing the blue as well.

The band was fantastic as were the people I met there. Thanks go out to Jason for allowing me to join his family at their table. Always great to see a mom and her sons out having a good time! Ya'll kick ass!

As for Zanzibar, the staff were great, but this is not really a musical venue. They have an adequate stage with poor stage lighting and no sound system at all. I would love to see Blues On First at a place like The Double Door Inn here in Charlotte. Perhaps some day?

It was a great show by a very good blues band though..

Cheers,

http://www.montychandler.com/

Recent Activity

2008-02-03T10:57:00.000-05:00

Image Gallery

January closed with a number of photographic opportunities and a bit of free time to make a few changes to the website. Anthony Gomes, Chris Duarte, and The Full Grown Band were the months closing performances here in Charlotte. February has kicked off in style as Malcolm Holcombe performed at The Evening Muse on Saturday the 2nd.

While waiting for my next dive trip in April, there are several events occuring here in Charlotte which I hope to photograph, including Chinese New Year celebrations, Richard Bruckner on the 13th at The Evening Muse and Delta Moon at The Double Door on the 16th.

We'll see what else presents itself as the month progresses.

Cheers,

Monty

January 2008 Updates

2008-01-06T16:34:00.000-05:00

Two updated pages have been added to the image gallery recently. First are underwater images from the December dive trip. The waters of Belize were crystal clear resulting in some very nice images of coral reefs and marine life. The link to these images can be found on the Underwater page.

The second update are images from a live performance of The Guy Forsyth Band at The Evening Muse on January 5th, 2008. It was the first time I had seen this group performance and they were very good. My EveningMuse blog has been updated as well as the Musicians portfolio. Images of the show can be directly seen here.

Cheers,

Monty

Italy, Spain, France Photos

2007-09-06T11:05:00.000-04:00

In July 2007 I spent a little time going through a few cities in Spain, France and Italy. While it has taken a little time, I have finally posted some photos up on the website. Malta, Nice, Pompeii, Rome and The Vatican are among the places visited.

These can be found via the Galleries link on the website. http://www.montychandler.com/

Cheers,

Monty

Amsterdam - May 2007

2007-05-02T17:40:00.000-04:00

http://www.montychandler.com/Amsterdam.htm

Heading back to Amsterdam the week of May 7th. Springtime in Amsterdam is a beautiful time of year and I'm looking forward to gettting some wonderful photo's.

Check back at the website towards the end of the month for a peek. I should have them up by then.

Cheers,

Monty

http://www.montychandler.com/Colorado.htm

Amsterdam

2006-05-10T11:12:00.000-04:00

http://www.montychandler.com/Amsterdam.htm

Watching very old family videos as a young person - the 8mm type home movies - I first heard of a place called Amsterdam.

It was a place that my father enjoyed visiting while in the Navy. I never really gave it much thought - but I must admit a little smile crossed my lips as I walked around Amsterdam for the very first time in April '06. Almost like a little secret, I understand why it held a special place in his memory.

Amsterdam is a lovely city. Very easy to get around in. The people are wonderful - perhaps a little direct - but pleasant none-the-less. Amsterdam is a place that doesn't "sweat the small stuff" so to speak. It has a unique beauty, diversity of culture, an open attitude, big city ability with a country feel.

This portfolio (Link at the top) contains photos I took during this Spring visit. I hope you enjoy the view as much as I did in doing the photography.

Cheers,

Monty
www.montychandler.com

London, England

2006-02-05T14:54:00.000-05:00

http://www.montychandler.com/London.htm

This portfolio is made up of photographs taken on one day in London during January 2006. It was a whirlwind tourism blitz on a Sunday. As time was particularly short due to the lighting problems brought on by heavy cloud cover and the shortened days of mid-winter, I endeavored to capture a blend of the tourist imperatives, unique architectures of London, and maybe a little perspective on the complexities found within this large urban environment - including a bit of wildlife.

London is certainly a blend of the old and new. By old, I mean very old. By new, I mean stark contrast. I didn't understand why Prince Charles has said over the last several years that he prefers the old style architecture in London and doesn't really desire the new, until I had visited London. The old styles have a unique feel and character, which the new completely contrasts with - it's almost humorous. Judge for yourself.............

The influence of religion on the architecture was something that I had not thought of previously but on this first visit to London it was very evident. Perhaps it was because I was on the tourist route but it became obvious that the church has played a significant role in the history of London and its architecture.

I enjoyed my stroll through Soho. The diversity stood out. Upscale restaraunts to small hole-in-the-wall pubs. I'd like to spend a bit more time there as it looked like a place where you could have a lot of fun!!

Hope you enjoy the portfolio..

Cheers,

Monty
www.montychandler.com

Texas City, Tx

2006-01-02T14:01:00.001-05:00

Texas City is a somewhat small town located south of Houston down near Galveston Island. It is one of several small communities within Galveston County.

Texas City has two primary industries. First and by far the largest is its Petrochemical roots. If Texas City is famous for anything it would be its refineries - and the couple of accidents (read explosions) it has endured over the years. Its second industry would be Shrimping & Fishing. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, Texas City participates in the large fisheries industry of the gulf coast. This linkage extends to the High School mascot - The Stingrays.

Upon first glance most visitors will see the enormous petrochemical plants. Most people will then leave and head on down to Galveston not giving a second thought to Texas City. But, if one does take a second look Texas City offers a beauty and diversity that is not found everywhere. It is this diversity that I have tried to begin to capture in the two shoots I have done thus far. There is a plethora of wildlife in the wetland marshes that surround Texas City. People have been successfully fishing the waters around Texas City for decades. Through proper management, these fertile fishing and shrimping grounds will continue to be available for generations to come.

Texas city also has a complex system of dikes, levees, pumps, and spillways to control flooding due to storms. Texas City has been affected by many hurricanes over the years. Primarily in the early 1900's and most recently in 1993 by hurricane Alicia. These systems kept the coastal community safe from flood waters in the Alicia hurricane and during the many thunderstorms which tend to hit the coastal area of Texas during the spring and summer months.

There's more to come from Texas City and the proud people who call her home.

The above link will take you to photos of Texas City which i have taken on my last two visits there. I'll build on this over time and also hope to add a page for Galveston Island.

Cheers,

Monty Chandler

Anchorage, Alaska

2005-11-20T22:57:00.000-05:00

http://www.montychandler.com/Alaska.htm

Oct 2005 - Proving life can turn on a dime I very unexpectedly found myself in Achorage Alaska this past October. Just as I was about to head off to the UK and Amsterdam - with camera bag in tow - someone very dear to me took ill and found herself in hospital in the Anchorage area. So, the very day I was to head East, I headed West instead.

The second week I was in Alaska I was able to take some time during the day and do a little exploring. Anchorage is located on the coastline - sea level for those who did not know that. It is quite literally surrounded by mountains though - a couple of ranges in fact. The temps in the middle of October are downright cold - in the teens at night and around 30-40 in the day. The mountains had snow covered peaks, which were beautiful. In fact driving around there was dangerous for me because all I wanted to do was look around at the scenery and vistas - not neccessarily the roads!

I spent time up at Hatchers Pass - which was closed at the top due to the weather already, Seeward Highway - all the way to Seeward which was a beautiful drive, Palmer and the MatSu valley, a couple of Glaciers and the surrounding hills of Anchorage. One thing I did learn is that you have to hike to get to see anything you really want to see. That would have been ok if I had given any real thought as to where I was headed when I hurriedly packed my suitcase before my flight. But none-the-less I got to the places I needed in order to get the photo's I wanted. Well almost all the photo's I wanted..

There was a rumor going around that there were Moose walking all around the place in Anchorage and its surrounding properties. I was given instructions on a couple of occasions and assured that if I went to these places I would see Moose. Of course this never happened. In desparation, the day I left Anchorage I was actually taken on a tour of locations where my guests assured me we would see Moose. Alas, I saw no Moose.

So from what I saw In Anchorage I'll have to visit again next July when the weather is warmer, the salmon are running, the Bear and Eagles are feeding and the damned Moose are actually out and about!!! :-)

Hope you enjoy the photo's half as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Cheers,

Monty
www.montychandler.com

p.s. As for the ill person, she is now back home in the warm weather and recovering.

Blue Ridge Mountains

2005-11-16T10:40:00.000-05:00

http://www.montychandler.com/Blue%20Ridge%20Mountains.htm

The Blue Ridge Mountains are located on the Western half of North Carolina and are shared with Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee. There are numerous roads and parkways which thread through the Mountains. The day this addition to the portfolio was shot I focused on some of the rivers, streams and waterfalls which wind in and through this wonderland of beauty.

Hope you enjoy.

Cheers,

Monty
www.montychandler.com

Rural Texas

2005-10-03T08:16:00.000-04:00

http://www.montychandler.com/Rural%20Texas.htm

I had the opportunity to spend a couple of days in a rural part of central Texas - near Groesbeck - around the end of September. What struck me as interesting was the beauty hidden within this very country setting. The temperatures were very hot - until the front came through - and there was not a lot of hustle and bustle going on.
So, I took the opportunity to attempt to capture some of the beauty and the diversification I saw in these little communities. Small streams, heavily wooden areas, open fields, cattle ponds, back county dirt roads, cotton fields - there was a little bit of everything - all contained within a few square miles.
You know you are in the country when you find yellow catfish skeletons hanging from the fence-posts.

Cheers,

Monty
www.montychandler.com

Tulum Mayan Ruins

2005-09-26T13:59:00.000-04:00

http://www.montychandler.com/Tulum.htm

The Tulum Mayan Ruins are located approx one hour south of Playa Del Carmen by bus, or two hours south of Cancun on the coast of the beautiful Mayan Riviera. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous and are probably the most beautiful of all the Mayan archeological sites.
Tulum was the location for the Mayan elite between 1,000 and 1,600AD. It really looks like an ancient country club with sprawling grounds and a beautiful beach.
Its easy to see why this site is a favorite of Mayan Ruin visitors. People who are in the "know", know to bring a bathing suit and towel with them when they visit, along with a fully charged camera.

Cheers,

Monty
www.montychandler.com

Colorado - Garden Of The Gods

2005-09-21T11:00:00.000-04:00

On my first visit to Colorado Springs, I heard of a state park named the "Garden Of The Gods". I thought that a bit pretentious, but decided to go have a look. After the visit I completely understood the name and better yet understood the appropriateness. In fact, the state should be known as the Garden Of The Gods - thus the name of this blog post.

In addition to this little park, I decided on this visit to drive up to the summit of Pikes Peak. Little did I know how much my slight fear of heights would be kicking into high gear! About half way up the mountain, the nice paved road comes to an end and turns into a nicely graded dirt raod. This isn't bad as it is tree lined and begins to twist and turn a bit - comfortable switchbacks providing nice views at every turn. As you might imagine, it's hard to keep an eye on the road when you are constantly turning your head to appreciate the views. About a mile into the drive on the dirt road, all that lack of attention to the road changes. The tree lines go away and there is nothing at the dirt road edges except for a long and rapid decent down the mountain.

This is where the fear of heights comes into play. Although alone in the car, all I could hear was me saying "oh my God" - over and over again as I went higher and higher. The views became better and better - my heart beat went faster and faster. Fortunately, there wasn't much traffic on this day (late afternoon actually) as I was driving very slow and the switchbacks were frequent and very sharp. I wanted so much to stop many times and take photos as I went up, but I think my blood pressure was too high - fear is probably a better word - thus preventing me from doing so. At one point as I looked up at a beautiful snowcapped peak, I thought to myself - how beautiful is this? Next thing I knew, I was passing that snow capped peak as I approached the summit. The excitement I felt is difficult to describe. Once on the summit I parked and started walking around - taking photos of the most beautiful vistas I think I have ever seen.

Not long into this walk around the summit I realized I was feeling a bit chilled, then felt very cold. Mind you this is summer and it was 80 degrees at the start of this trek. A quick look at the thermostat in the car (nice little feature in todays auto's) showed that it was 33 degrees! Fortunately there is a souveniour shop on the summit (heated) so after a bit of lingering in there to warm up I bought a tee shirt (got oxygen?) and a light jacket to take the edge off the chill. As I completed taking my shots on the summit I was feeling a bit better about the height, the cold, and the lack of oxygen. So on my drive down the mountain I stopped numerous times to get some snaps of the vistas I had passed on during the drive up.

If you ever get the chance to go to the summit of Pikes Peak - do it. You won't regret it. Bring a jacket, or a sweater, or a coat/parka - you'll be glad you did. Might even want to be sure you aren't the one driving too - in this case, shotgun would be the order of the day. The views are unbelievable!

The photos I have posted on the site include Pikes Peak, The Garden Of The Gods state park, Royal Gorge, and a little old west town replica named Buckskin Joe's.

Hope you enjoy..

Cheers,

Monty

Cozumel Trip - Sept 2005

2005-09-19T10:37:00.000-04:00

Photo by: Monty Chandler

Cozumel Mexico is a very special place for me. I had a chance to make another visit the week after Labor Day. Our stay at the Suites Bahia was once again a great experience and our diving with Aldora Divers was its usual excellence.

We were a little concerned with the effects of hurricane Emily. We were told that Cozumel had recovered from the storm but we're a little skeptical. However, our fears were unfounded as Cozumel had indeed cleaned up and had recovered. Not only was San Miguel its normal charming self, but the reefs had not been affected that much either.

The southern end of the reefs did have a little sand on them from the churning of the ocean during the storm, but nature will take care of herself. The diving was wonderful as usual. It's what we have come to expect of Cozumel diving.

I took a little extra time on this trip - some very long afternoon walks - to take photos of Cozumel in an attempt to capture a bit of its charm. I hope you enjoy the photos via the link at the bottom. This trip we went over to the mainland and took a bus down to Tulum to see the Mayan ruins. What a treat. When I get those photos up, I'll post another Blog entry with a link to those photos as well.

Cozumel photos: http://www.montychandler.com/cozumel.htm

Cozumel underwater photos: http://www.montychandler.com/UW%20Cozumel.htm

Cheers,

Monty

Photos of Sunsets

2005-09-01T11:12:00.000-04:00

Photo by: Monty Chandler
http://www.montychandler.com/Sunsets.htm

The word "sunset" is used in varying ways in the English language. Generally it reflects the end of something - either in our sunset years or sunset at the end of the lifecycle of a product. I tend to look at it as the most beautiful time of day and actually the beginning of the night - when the fun really starts to heat up.. Because of this, I rarely see the sun rise.

The above link contains my portfolio of sunset photos. Primarily sunsets over:

The Atlantic Ocean
West Caicos Island - Turks & Caicos
Northwest Point - Turks & Caicos
West Sand Spit - Turks & Caicos
Erie Canal - Rochester NY
Dockyards - Bermuda

Cheers