Not All Are Equal

The Showoff, Haywood County, NC  -  2013

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

As with people, some leaves just stand out in a crowd! As we get into the latter stages of the Fall leaf season, the yellows and golds of early Fall are transitioning into the oranges and reds that really make the trees beautiful! If you live in the southern Appalachian mountains, now is the time to take a drive and enjoy the views. I've been blessed to be able to enjoy the colorful forests down in the Murphy and Hayesville areas for the past two days while at work. Nothing better than getting paid to enjoy the show!

Color Junkie

Fall Reflection 14, Avery County, NC  -  2013

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I'm reveling in the color now because the local forests are about at peak color. I don't think this Fall has been as spectacular as some in recent years, but right now it's a pretty good show, and I'm enjoying my yearly fix. This photo was made a little over a week ago in Avery county when the color was good up there. Yesterday I was much further south in Cherokee and Macon counties, and the color is looking good there now. Enjoy it while you can because with the wind we've been getting, the show will be over soon!

Sometimes something just catches my eye.

Three Lamps, Sylva, NC -  2013

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Random Shots

On a quick errand to Asheville yesterday, I couldn't resist stopping for a few minutes in the Prichard Park area just to see what was going on. As some of you know, I'm a frustrated street photographer. I admire the work of others, but I'm very shy about snapping pictures of strangers on the street. Maybe one day I'll get over it. Until then, I guess I'll continue to make my timid attempts. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

An Unabashed Copy Cat

Imitation is supposedly the highest form of flattery. One thing I find fun to do is to try to emulate the style of an artist whose work I admire. I have been fascinated for quite some time by the work of New York artist Jessica Jenny. Her photos have a warmth and texture that make them look more like paintings, while still retaining the qualities of a photograph. I know basically what she's doing, but I can't quite figure out exactly how she's doing it. Trying to replicate her "look" is both fun and challenging, although sometimes a little frustrating. The photo below is probably the closest I've come to a satisfactory result. (The "Straight out of the camera" version is at the bottom.) It was fun trying, and I'm encouraged enough with this one to keep experimenting.

Fawn Lake Shoreline, DuPont State Forest, NC  -  2013

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Fawn Lake Shoreline "Straight out of the camera"

More From DSF

My only regret about visiting DuPont State Forest was that I hadn't visited before yesterday. I was really impressed with how the trails were maintained, and access to the falls was made so most people in half-way decent shape could get to them. There were great trails for hikers and mountain bikers, and now I'm looking forward to warmer weather when I can go back and explore on my bike. There is really much here for outdoors lovers of all ages and skill levels. Here's some more photos from yesterday's visit. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Covered Bridge Over Little River

Fallen Maple Leaf

Fall On Little River

Hooker Falls 2

Final Resting Place

Pilgrimage To DuPont

For several years I've been wanting to visit DuPont State Forest, south of Brevard. It seemed like every time I planned to go down there something prevented me from being able to go. Today I finally made the trip.

I had twin objectives of photographing some waterfalls, and also some Fall foliage. I knew the leaf situation would be a crap shoot with the weird Fall we're having, but I was sure I could get some good waterfall shots if I got there early enough. You have to get to the falls before the full sun starts hitting it or the highlights will blow out. No detail in the water makes for a dull photo. Since Joe Tourist doesn't like to roll out of bed before 8:00 am or so, I figured arriving at sunrise would give me time to avoid the crowds and get the right light.

Happiness is arriving at the Hooker Falls parking area and finding it completely empty! In fact, I didn't see a single soul until after 9:00 am. I had everything all to myself for the first 2 1/2 hours of my visit. I'm not anti-social, but having to remove the guy with the loud Hawaiian shirt from a waterfall photo with software can get tedious.

Hooker Falls

I made it to three different falls before the sun started getting too high. The first was Hooker Falls above. Next was Triple Falls, pictured below. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Triple Falls

The last one I got to was High Falls. This one was tough because I was almost shooting directly into the sun. This one would be better photographed in the late afternoon. At the top of the photo, you can see part of a covered bridge that crosses the river just above the falls.

High Falls

The Fall color in the DuPont area was actually a little better than where I live in Haywood County. Better, but not great. There were some pretty trees here and there, but the wind of the last couple of days is taking its toll quickly. I found some of the most colorful leaves already on the ground.

Multi-colored Maple Leaf

After rushing a bit to get to the three falls, I slowed down to my usual unhurried pace for the rest of the hike. I've learned to go slow and see what's there to see. I found the two leaves below because I was going slow enough to notice them. I didn't "pose" these two leaves, they are just as I found them.

Unposed

The last shot is just to show my two daughters that the old man survived his hike unscathed. A few years ago I slipped on a wet rock face, landed on my butt, and almost slid down into the abyss. Heather grabbed my backpack and slowed me down enough for me to get stopped before I became another hiking statistic. Oh yeah, Courtney would want me to mention that she saved the tripod I jettisoned when I fell. Anyway, one mishap and they tried to get me to promise not to hike by myself after they left for college. Sorry, girls, Dad has to get out into the woods once in a while to maintain his sanity; sometimes I have to do it solo. I'll be careful.

Survivor