Playing in the Clouds with Christmas Trees

One of my stops along the way was a small Christmas Tree Farm. If you know western North Carolina at all you know that they have the BEST Christmas trees. There is something about standing in the middle of a pine orchard while surrounded by a cloud. This was an extremely peaceful morning.

Playing in the Clouds

I had a really great weekend! I headed up to western North Carolina to enjoy some mountain time. I went for a drive on Sunday morning to try and capture the fog that had engulfed the mountain. I had no idea where I was going, but I simply kept trying to go higher into the cloud. I was listening to Mumford and Sons as I snaked my way up. It was a wonderful morning, and I will be posting my finds this week. To start off I found this entrance into a wooded area that seemed to bend around my camera. My only wish was that I could have taken a video because it was amazing to feel and watch the fog roll down through the trees.

Schmap!

I got an email a long time ago saying that one of my flickr photos was in consideration for an online mapping/guidebook. But I didn't realize they had used the image until they sent me another email saying that had changed some things about Schmap and wanted me to check it out. They liked a picture of the Brooklyn Bridge I had taken a while ago. It is a different shot. I actually took it from the Staten Island Ferry. It is not my favorite, but it reminds me of an absolutely beautiful afternoon/sunset in NYC. So if you have the time go and check out Schmap for one of their guides to a city in your area!

I wanted to share the original picture with you all, but I haven't found it on my external hard drive yet... so I will try and do a whole post on most of my pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge. I just have to learn to label all of my folders a little better!

High Water in WV

On a great visit to my home state of Wild Wonderful West Virginia, I was catching the cresting flood waters. It happens about every year. Some years are far worse than others. This year it was certainly high, but not as destructive as it has been in the past. I thought a little black and white editing would work well here. I don't know if you will really get the perspective. I grew up on the Ohio river so I certainly understand how high the water reached. It basically flooded our whole plot of land that goes from the tracks down to the normal level. I have heard that it has gone up somewhere between 19-22 ft.

Reaching the Top

So I need to send a big Shout Out to my App State friends I met who spent last weekend on Crowders Mountain. They were setting up lines all day, and were gracious enough to let me hang out and take some shots. The only problem I found was that it took a while to get from one position to the next in order to capture the action. Therefore, the only solid shots I got were from the best vantage point, but this doesn't show you a lot of variation. At least I know better for next time. So now you get to play Find the Climber below. I think the first one is the hardest to see.

Crowders Mountain

This past weekend I made a quick run up to Crowders Mountain located just outside Charlotte. Perfect for a day trip, and with a beautiful 70 degree spring day I had an amazing time on the hike. It was fairly crowded, but like most little summits the crowds were primarily gathering in the parking lot and at the very top. The hiking itself was pretty peaceful. Here are just a couple of shots to prove I made the trip. I am still going through my other images of the rock climbers. Hopefully I will find one or two to share. Have a great week!

Spring is really starting to show itself, and there was evidence all over the trail. This is something I am not quite used to. It is early March and I am seeing things bloom. This was never imaginable in New England.

I was not stalking this couple, but I thought they were cute walking down the beginning of the trail together.

Food of the Week

Gotta get your antioxidants!

These blueberries were taken right out of the freezer. What looks like sugar is actually a little frost. We found many uses for these. Wish it was blueberry season and I were picking them right off the bush!

Birds of a Feather

Birds of a feather flock together, but these little guys had some bigger birds chasing them. It was a little crazy watching them fly around. They seemed to be playing with the winds at the beginning of a storm front that rolled through.

It is a little hard to see them, but in the picture below you can just make out the flock of birds in the darker clouds.

How to Title a Piece of Art or Image

Sometimes when I take a photo I can immediately imagine the photo on my blog with a great title over it. But I usually don't end up titling my own work. I think that the titles I come up with might be a little too cliche or abstract, or other times I find that they are way too bland. I stumbled upon this web site called The Abstract Art Titlegenerator that gives random suggestions for your work. I have had a blast clicking through. Below are my attempts to apply the title generator's tremendously random insight to some of my images:  

"Apparition of Reflecting Meditation"

"Hallucinagenic Memories of Inverse Feeling"

"Act Including Trancendental Metamorphosis"

I could have picked 10 different titles for each of these. Please check out the site, and keep clicking through those titles for inspiration.

Watermarks

I am having watermark issues. I know it is probably a little egocentric, but I like having a watermark on my photos. I had downloaded a great program, but didn't realize in all my naivety that of course I only downloaded the trial version. So for a small fee of $49.95 I can continue to add all the watermarks on my photos that my heart could ever desire. I, of course, being as cheap as I am have been searching and trying to find something that will work without spending the fifty bucks. I have not found anything as of yet... so I am throwing this out there: does anyone have any suggestions for free/cheap watermark software? 

Engagment Shoot II

Here are some more of Becky and Josh's engagement shoot. Enjoy!

Engagement Shoot

This was a great engagement shoot. I love Becky and Josh, and I can't wait for their wedding. We ran around NYC for a few hours and came away with some wonderful shots. Here are a few of them: