Finding Color in the Smokies

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. Maybe it's the cooler mornings, and perhaps the crispness of the air, but I love Fall. Here in the Smokey Mountains of eastern Tennessee we wait patiently all year for the spectacle of fall color. Here our trees put on a display of color that rivals any show on earth. When the conditions are just right, Smokey Mountain color can be like something you just can't imagine. Although some years are better than others, every fall is worth a trip to see what nature has provided for us all. I have yet to be disappointed by any fall in these wonderful hardwood mountains. So......come see what you are missing. The show has started, and you still have time before the curtain falls.

Catching the Light

So much of my work is conditional upon the lighting available at the singular moment in time that I need to hit the shutter button. Too often, clouds, tree branches, blowing grasses, or whatever else can destroy an otherwise perfect moment for a photograph. An amazing amount of my time is spent simply waiting for the light to get right. Sometimes I find myself just sipping a coffee, as I wait for hours to see what the light is going to do to my subject. But, when it finally comes, and when you're ready for the magic moment........something special can happen.

The Annual Hummingbird Migration

Here in east Tennessee the annual fall migration of hummingbirds is well underway. Each year I look forward to the first two weeks of September, when swarms of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds arrive to fill their tummies with nectar, before beginning their long flight to Central and South America. Our gardens become alive with the flying little jewels, and I grab the cameras and go to work. Hummers are one of my very favorite subject, and I might add one of the toughest to photograph. To say they are fast....is an understatement. These little guys can move out of the frame in a fraction of a second. Their extreme territorial nature makes them almost impossible to capture with a camera, but after years of practice, I seem to have come up with a plan of attack. I love these birds, and I love the joy they bring to so many people around the world. Let's face it.......their Special.

Pelicans of the Gulf

For nearly all of my life, I have been an environmentalist. I have taken pride in the fact that I have tried in every area of my life to make this world a better place, a place where the beauty that I have seen would remain for my children and grandchildren. Through my photography and my art, I have worked to show the world the wonders of nature, and the beauty it holds for all of us.

Several weeks ago, when we all heard the news of the BP oil leak, I knew the world was about to change. I sensed that this was not going to just pass, but that something major had just occurred and that the very nature of it would change our lives. Many of my friends thought perhaps I was just over-reacting to an event that would soon be cleaned up and forgotten. At times, I thought perhaps they were right......maybe I was over-reacting. But now I know better.

Last week something called to me to visit the Gulf and to see for myself what had happened. So, I and my wife decided to just go down for a few days and have a look for ourselves. We both had an idea in our minds of what we would find, but neither of us were prepared for what we saw. Beaches in late July empty of people. Hotels empty. Parks empty. Restaurants empty. Highways and roads empty. Retail stores empty. Million dollar condos empty. For Sale signs everywhere!

You really can't prepare yourself for what has happened and what lies in store for the people of the Gulf in the years to come. Keep in mind that only one well experienced a leak. Nearly three thousand wells remain in the Gulf, and every one of those wells was put there with the same lack of regulation as the BP well that leaked. Also, remember that those wells have been in place for decades and can potentially develop problems at any time. No sane person can look at this situation and believe that we are not going to see more failures in these existing wells. People in the Gulf know and understand that many more hammers are yet to fall. Tar balls on the beaches of Mobile are just the beginning of what is to come in our future. We, all of us, have stood by and allowed oil companies to drill off our shores with very little regulation and almost no enforcement. Our thirst for cheap oil has made us close our eyes to the dangers of this kind of environmental disaster. Not BP nor the government of the U.S. should shoulder all the blame, as we all must look in the mirror and admit our part in allowing this to happen. This is not about oil on birds or beaches, but rather about our willingness to sacrifice the planet to satisfy our desire for cheap fuel. You, me, our children, our neighbors.....all of us owe the planet an apology. WE DID THIS......you and me. It's time to call those who represent us and say enough of this nonsense. Please......make one call and start a movement.

Sunsets in Smokey Mountain National Park

One of the things that I love about my job is that I get to spend much of my time in the outdoors. I never cease to be amazed by the sights and the sounds of nature, and I love the magic of her surprises. Sunsets are a case in point. You really never know how they are going to turn out, unless you are willing to stay the course and let them play themselves out completely. Just when you think it is over, more often than not, something magical will happen before your eyes. The magic moment when light and color come together to paint a picture for us. Sometimes we are lucky enough to have a camera in hand to record that special moment in time. How blessed we all are to witness nature's last show of the evening.

Stories Untold

A couple of years ago, while hiking near Yellowstone National Park, I came upon this old truck. Sitting in the middle of nowhere, this truck seemed oddly out of place, and I wondered how and why it had ended up here. There is, of course, a story to explain how and why it is here, but that story remains unanswered for me. I know that someone walked away from this spot and left it behind, maybe thinking he would return for it someday, but here it still sits parked. I can't help but wonder about those that must have used this truck to earn their wages, to haul what unknown loads to a job site. Looking at this photo makes me wonder the truth of this picture. Who owned this truck? Why was it left behind? How many others have walked this path and found it here? Photographs should make you think, and I like what this one does to me.

Keeping Images Simple

Most of the time, I find that simple images, those uncluttered with distraction, are the most effective. Photographs rarely need the "stuff" that we pack into them. Images often speak to us more clearly, when they have breathing room. The older I get, the more I am trying to unclutter my life, and my images. I think it's a good thing.

Working with Lightroom 3

This image of the Coyote on a snowy ledge is a very difficult exposure. With this kind of contrast, it is tough to process for both the light snow and the dark rock of the background. But Lightroom 3 handles it without any trouble.


The photo above was taken two years ago in Yellowstone National Park in early May. It was shot with a Canon 30D and Canon 17 - 85 lense. A fill flash was used to bring out some of the foreground detail. It was post-processed using the new Adobe Lightroom 3.





To say that I am excited by the new version of Adobe Lightroom is certainly an understatement. I love this new program, and I am blown away by the improvements from the previous version. Adobe has been listening to its' users, and they have given us the best processing program on the market. It's simple, and it's powerful. I am now reprocessing my older images, and the results are nothing short of amazing. Images that were once rejected are now back on the table, and many are just plain stunning. Thank you Adobe for listening to real photographers.

Yellowstone in the Spring

Yellowstone National Park is always an amazing destination, but in the Spring it is truly an exciting wilderness adventure. Nowhere in North America can you find a more concentrated and diverse assortment of wildlife, and all within the boundaries of our nation's premier national park.

As a wildlife photographer, I have visited the park on numerous occasions and have never been disappointed. No matter what time of year you visit, the park delivers incredible photo opportunities. But, if you want to see the spectacle of natures renewal, the birth of just about everything, you need to come to the park in early spring. Late April and throughout the month of May the park is alive with newborns. It's one of the most exciting times to see nature at her best. Bring along your binoculars and long lenses, and sit back and enjoy the show. It's like no other on earth.