Looking for Clear Skies…

It’s actually been more than a month since I’ve been behind my camera. I headed out last night to photograph star trails around rural North Carolina. All day long the Weather Chanel app said there would be clear skies all night. I’ve got a couple locations in mind that I want to photograph at night once the skies get cold and clear. This was one of them, but the weather didn’t cooperate. I’ll be back to this location, as well as others like it this winter, to photograph long star trails. Until then, I’ll settle for this moody black and white image.

To see a color version, click here

Hope you enjoy.

2015 Calendar Preorder

2015 Calendar

 

Now taking pre-orders for my 2015 calendar! Everyone who pre-orders will be entered to win a FREE PRINT! Click HERE TO GET STARTED!

Jennifer + Ryan – Destin, Florida

Just a preview of a beautiful wedding in Destin, Florida. I was so happy to have been there, it was great seeing old friends again! Jennifer and Ryan, I wish you the best and many happy days ahead! Thanks for having me there!

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Radnor Lake Sunrise

So while I was in Nashville, I stopped by an old favorite place – Radnor Lake. It’s been almost a year since I was last able to visit. This was what greeted me Monday morning – just how I remembered it 😉

Duke University Chapel

I was in Durham, NC over the weekend for Durham Art Counsel’s Centerfest Art Festival. Thank you to everyone who stopped by, and especially to those who purchased prints and made it one of by best shows to date!

While in Durham, I decided to head over for a brief visit to Duke University to have a look around. Right as I was pulling in, the sky began to light up with brilliant sunset skies. I headed straight for the chapel and took this photo. I will definitely be back with more time to explore and photograph more of the campus.

 

 

Sunset on Mt LeConte

I thought I’d share another photo from the sunset I watched from Cliff Top, near the LeConte Lodge in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This was taken a little before the last one I posted. The clouds and fog constantly moved in and out of the scene, it really was beautiful.

LeConte Cabin at Night

Almost the entire time that I was on Mt LeConte we were engulfed in a cloud/fog/mist/rain. By chance, my young daughter woke me around 4:30 because she had to go to the bathroom. I got up to take her to the bathrooms (they are separate from the cabins) and as soon as we stepped outside, we both looked up in awe. It was so crystal clear, and there were so many  stars visible. After I got her back in bed, I grabbed my camera and went back out. It only lasted for about 10-15 minutes after getting my camera, but I had enough time to take this photo of our cabin with the incredible night sky overhead. Soon the stars were gone and we were back in the fog, and all the “normal” people who were sleeping at 4:30am missed it…

 

How the cabin is lit: Directly behind me was the dining hall. There were already several people working there that morning with a couple of lanterns. The rest of the light is coming from Gatlinburg, far below but visible from the lodge.

The “Smokies”

Ever wonder why they call them the Great Smoky Mountains?   – Now you know 😉

Foggy Sunset from Cliff Top

Last week was my first time hiking to the LeConte Lodge in the Smoky Mountains. We hiked the Trillium Gap Trail up, 6.5 miles +- to the lodge. After arriving around 5 pm, we ate dinner at the lodges dining hall and then headed up a little further to Cliff Top for a great view of the sunset. The clouds were constantly rolling through the scene, with some moments having near zero visibility and when those clouds rolled out you had this amazing view.