Spring Cascade

Spring Cascade
NCAR10D-199

April 3, 2010

Starting off the week still in North Carolina, during my first backpacking excursion in the state.  I had found this gorgeous little camp spot next to the river, under the shade of rhododendron trees, and the next morning I got up, filtering water while sitting on a boulder and watching the spring water cascade past boulders.  It was such a peaceful way to wake up and start the day, utterly quiet save the murmur of the water.  If only that could happen every day :).  Enjoy, and have a good weekend.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  135 mm

Exposure: 4/5 @ f/25   ISO 100

Post-processing: Minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

A Rhododendron Jungle

A Rhododendron Jungle
NCAR11D-121

May 29, 2011

Hiking through Nantahala National Forest, you go through some pretty incredible and diverse landscapes.  This was Memorial Day Weekend last year, and I was in the middle of a 3-day trek around the headwaters of the Nantahala River.  As I leveled out on the trail, I spent part of the afternoon hiking through these dense rhododendron thickets.  The tangle of trunks, and the lush canopy overhead, was amazing, and it dampened the sounds from the nearby river so that everything was hushed.  I saw less than 10 people along the trail that day, as it was far from day-hiking trails and pretty much only backpackers or AT through-hikers were present.  I like how the panoramic merge helped convey the jumble of the rhododendron thicket, adding to the chaos of the trail.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  18 mm

Exposure: 1/20 @ f/4   ISO 400

Post-processing: Minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

Morning Forest Light

Morning Forest Light
NCAR10D-208

April 4, 2010

Today's image is a bit different from others, in several ways.  First, it was shot on the fly and through the fly.  Waking up in my tent, I decided I liked the angle and just grabbed my camera and snapped away.  Reviewing it in the LCD, I didn't think much of it but left it on the card.  Since then I've grown to like its spontaneous atmosphere, the texture that shooting through the screen gave the image, and the silhouettes of the rhododendrons that surrounded my camp that night.  It is not a technically gifted image, but one that has a lot of elements going for it.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  18 mm

Exposure: 1/125 @ f/3.5   ISO 100

Post-processing: Minor tone adjusted with PS 4 and LR 1.4.

Ready for the Trail

Ready for the Trail
NCAR10D-183

April 3, 2010

I'm getting impatient for spring to arrive, and want to get out on the trail again.  This isn't the most artistic image, from my first spring in NC when I went off-trail in Pisgah National Forest for a couple days near Easter, using the smallest reasonable pack I had at my disposal.  I've since gone back to my normal bag, an REI Valhalla, knowing that with the equipment I bring (especially for photography), such a small backpack isn't really feasible.  I'm anxious to be out on the trail with this weather, with my girlfriend and wonderful hiking partner Sarah, to show her some of the fun of backpacking in the wilderness.  Even on the East Coast :)  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: NIkon D80

Lens: Nikon 28-135 mm f/3.5-5.6

Focal length: 105 mm

Exposure: 1/200   f/4.5 

Post-processing: Small toning and curves adjustment in PS

The Dark Forest Paths

The Dark Forest Paths

NCAR11D-254

October 23, 2011

Wandering through the forests of the Birkhead Wilderness, part of Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina.  These deciduous trees were crouched overhead, menacing in a way, as they tried to block the way through the forest.  Even the sun, slipping behind a cloud, lent a dark, ominous feeling to the trek.  I felt that this image, with the heavy shadows in the foreground, and slightly dingy, dun colors, accurately represented this trepidation.  Enjoy.

Technical notes:

Camera: Nikon D80

Lens: Nikon 18-135 f/3.5-5.6

Focal length:  26 mm

Exposure: 1/20 @ f/8, ISO 400

Post-processing: Cropped down with contrast and tone adjustment, sharpening in PS4 & LR1.4