GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS - ONE

I was invited to join a group of fellow photographers for a four and a half day visit to the Great Smoky Mountains. I jumped at the opportunity as it was an area I had never visited, and I would be joining a group who had been there before and knew a bit about the area. Every one of the group had photographed with each other at one time or another. Our primary guide for this was our mutual friend, Mark.

I flew to Knoxville and was picked up at the airport by the others who had driven down from Illinois. My flights went smoothly while the drive for the others went through area of heavy rainfall causing them to be delayed by about two hours. We set up our quarters in a lovely cabin in Pigeon Forge, TN, where I had my own private room and bath. (I know you would love to have seen this but I did not take any photographs. Just realize that the bath and the bedroom were the same size. The bedroom held a king-sized bed, bureau night stands, and a storage box at the foot of the bed. I could have set up a dinner table in the center of the bathroom for four.!!)

The first day out we went for sunrise which did not amount to much, mostly clouds low in the mountains. We then found a very nice waterfall where we spent at least two hours photographing different sections of it. This is where my new knee high rubber boots came in handy while traipsing around the wet and water.

 

Morning Clouds in The Smokys

We enjoyed Breakfast-Lunch in the town of Cherokee, North Carolina. We then headed back to Pigeon Forge for a grocery run, and a break (rest), before heading off for afternoon photography and sunset. 

Sweet White Trillium

Along the way we were attracted to the profusely flowering dogwood trees. They were lovely, and we found some good stands.

View from Bunches Bald Overlook

The classic view of the Smokys is of the various ridge lines seen through the atmosphere. The sunset was blocked quite a bit by low hanging clouds but it  made a very brief  appearance as a firey ball near Clingman’s Dome.

 

Edge of Firey Sun Setting

Smoky Mountain Ridges 1

Smoky Mountain Ridges 2

As the weather is a real factor here we lucked out the second morning with fog developing in the area of Cades Cove. (A cove here refers to a valley within a mountain area.)This was about an hour from our abode so we were off about 0600, sunrise was a 0655. We had a good time creating images through the fog. 

Cades Cove in Fog

Tree and Fog

Old homestead in Morning Fog

Tree on Edge of Fog

Foggy View

We then pursued the water falls, ripples, etc, that were not in sunlight. One thing we like to photograph is the reflected colors of the sky and trees, etc. in the water. 

 

 

Along the way I was looking at blooming flowers to photograph as well. After all it is springtime in the Smokys.--- Yellow Trillium, False Solomon Seal, Dogwood, and Dog Hobble -----

Wooly Blue Violet

Foamflower

Dog Hobble

Dogwood Blossoms

Yellow Trillium

Dogwood Branch