More than a photo.
Each shot below has its own story and each one I am proud of. While some were being in the right place at the right time, others were the result of planning, driving, failing, getting rained on, stuck in snow, or completely missing peak autumn colors. Some shots required many attempts to get one picture I was happy with.
“Tones of Home”
They’re called the Blue Ridge Mountains for a reason. Layers upon layers of mountains. Shot with with my 70-200mm at full zoom with my Sony a7iii, this was a rare time I used my mirrorless over my drone.
“Smooth Skies”
This shot is one of my favorites. After visiting several spots around the Plateau with no luck due to thunderstorms, I stopped off at a favorite pull off, put my drone in the air and the sky opened up. Oranges and reds mixed with the gloomy storm clouds parting and gave way to one of the best sunsets I’ve ever seen. This is a 75 second exposure, 15 pictures shot every 5 seconds, then blended in Adobe Photoshop.
“Breakthrough“
“Colorful Whiteside”
“Moody Falls”
"Gliding"
"Elevated Dry Falls"
“Helton Creek Falls”
Arriving at the trail head with the sky dark and a light rain, I threw on my rain jacket and walked the relatively short hike to the falls. As I was looking for compositions the sky opened up and soaked me for the next 30 minutes. I refused to give up and I waited the rain out and once it stop I set both my camera and drone up. This shots consists of 3 exposures stitched vertically, each shot at 1/2s
“Late Day Glow”
“Summer at Silver Run”
“Remnants of Fall”
"Postcard Winter"
"Falls Last Show"
Mountaintop Farm
This shot is what I would show to someone asking about fall in the mountains. Rolling hills and curvy mountain roads surrounded by a spectrum of ever-changing color. Add some frost, a red barn, and a gorgeous sunrise and you get a picture perfect scene. Fall of 2021, taken with my Autel Robotics EVO ll Pro.
“High Country Sunrise”
“Old Iron Bridge“
“Little Bird Falls”
"Sunrise Overwatch"
"Full Moon Over Albert Mountain"
“Illuminated Leaves”
Autumn is my favorite season to photograph. While trying to catch the leaves at peak can be stressful, it’s well worth it when I get the perfect shot. I track the sunlight to make sure I get the perfect light and watch the wind to make sure the leaves are tack sharp while shooting. This image is 5 images stitched vertically taken from my old DJI Phantom 4 Pro.
“Stars over Pisgah”
“Estatoah Falls”
“Chasing Color”
“Fall in the High Country”
"Autumn Morning Views"
“Beautiful Beast”
Upper Whitewater Falls is the highest waterfall east of the Rockies with a fall of 411 feet. With a short walk you can experience the power and beauty of nature. Especially beautiful in early summer and fall, but impressive all year long. Shot with my Autel Evo Pro 2, at 1/8s
“Smooth Cascades”
“Driving Through Fall”
“The Falls and Old Bridge”
“Beech Gap”
"First Light Over Nantahala Lake"
“Life and Death”
One of my favorites shooting techniques when flying my drone is to tilt my camera up or down a few degrees between shots until I get my entire subject in frame. This shot consists of 5 frames stitched vertically Adobe Lightroom. This technique helped me capture the scars atop Wayah Bald from wildfires that burned the area in 2016.
“Appalachian Morning”
“Falling Down”
“Cullasaja Falls surrounded by Color”
"Chasing the Light"
“Winter Drive”
Flying in the winter has its challenges, and when it snows it gets more difficult. The cold temperatures are hard on the batteries resulting in shorter flight times and the roads can be treacherous. With proper planning and precautions, driving through the snow can be otherworldly. This switch back, usually covered by foliage, was a perfect subject for a “top down” shot.
“Plateau Sunrise”
“Elk River Falls”
“The Mill and the Falls”
“Sunburst Falls”
"Frigid Sunrise"
“Nantahala Sunrise”
Popular for its easy access and extended views, Wayah Bald is one of the best places to experience the mountains for anyone visiting the area. This was taken right at sunrise, looking east into a sea of fog.
“Snowy Mountain Road”
“Falls Arrival on Yellow Mountain”
“Backcountry Leaf Peaking”
“Fallscape”
"Frozen Falls 1"
“Over the River and Through the Woods”
Fall along the Parkway is very special. You can start north and follow the changing leaves all the way down south and see many iconic locations surrounded by different colors. This image shows the Parkway crosses over the Linville River and was featured in Our State Magazine in 2020.
“Tones of Home”
They’re called the Blue Ridge Mountains for a reason. Layers upon layers of mountains. Shot with with my 70-200mm at full zoom with my Sony a7iii, this was a rare time I used my mirrorless over my drone.
“Early Morning Sunlight”
“Last Light”
“Glassyrock Ridge”
“Colors Popping”
"Tucked Away"
“Over the River and Through the Woods”
Fall along the Parkway is very special. You can start north and follow the changing leaves all the way down south and see many iconic locations surrounded by different colors. This image shows the Parkway crosses over the Linville River and was featured in Our State Magazine in 2020.
