When you don’t have time to drive out in the wilderness, the Botanical Garden at the University of North Carolina in Asheville is a great place for photography of native plants. They collect plants from the Appalachians and have a very pleasing display with easy access from the parking lot and a series of paths that … [Read more…]
I can’t resist the temptation to get out as soon as the spring bulbs begin to poke their heads out of the ground. It’s fun to try to get a new view of an old favorite. The above photo was one of a large grouping blooming in my daughter’s garden in Mississippi. Close-up it … [Read more…]
This year was a good year for spring blooming magnolias. Many years there is what gardeners refer to as the Magnolia Frost. The blossoms come out and there is a spring freeze. We only get to enjoy the blossoms for a day or two and then the frost turns them brown. This year the Magnolia … [Read more…]
This bridge is the most photographed subject in Magnolia Gardens. It is not my favorite item to photograph because it is very white, which to me does not fit in with natural settings. I decided to photograph it in infrared to honor the whiteness and give it some company. This is an abstract reflection of a … [Read more…]
One of my favorite places at Magnolia Plantation is the Audubon Swamp. The name comes from John Audubon, who visited there to find bird specimens for his drawings. Audubon came to shoot birds, so that he could paint them. Most wildlife artists, pre civil war, would draw or paint stuffed birds. Audubon used fine shot to … [Read more…]
Spring in Charleston is usually several weeks ahead of the NC mountains where I live. We try to go there every year to get a head start on photographing flowers outdoors. Magnolia Plantation http://www.magnoliaplantation.com/is the oldest public garden in the USA, first opening in 1870. The plantation itself has been around since 1676. Many photography … [Read more…]
My first Lensbaby lens was a Double Glass. Lensbaby is a small company in Portland OR that makes special effects lenses. Their motto is ‘See in a new way’. Instead of customer support, they have customer happiness. Thier lenses connect to many popular camera bodies using a Composer Pro, which holds their various lenses like … [Read more…]
When we first moved here 11 years ago, we joined the Carolina Mountain Club (CMC). We were new to hiking in mountains and wilderness areas and wanted to know the best places to go and how to do it safely. CMC has been around for over 90 years. Members helped build and now help … [Read more…]
Schoolhouse Falls is a lovely little falls with a tight series of small cascades falling 20 feet at the end into a large pool at the bottom. It is located in Nantahala National Forest in an area called Panthertown Valley, about a 45 minute drive from Eastatoe Falls. It was being logged in the 1920s … [Read more…]
After several cold spells, the weather last weekend was supposed to be warmish for winter in the mountains. Some friends from Charlotte suggested that we meet-up and photograph waterfalls. Waterfalls seemed like a good idea because we could focus on the water and try to avoid the dead looking vegetation. The weather was overcast making … [Read more…]