The View from Grandfather Mountain

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I started experimenting with panoramas back in 2011.  Although smartphones and tablets have a pano mode, I make my panoramas by stitching together individual images using Photoshop.  I’m never quite sure how a particular experiment is going to turn out, but I will admit I like the image above.  It was made on Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina in November, 2012.  I like the way the mountains slowly retreat toward the horizon and start to fade away.

Morning at the Beach

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Betsy and I enjoy going to Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, for many reasons, but seeing sights like this when we wake up in the morning is definitely one of them.  What a way to start a day!

Grand Tetons Panorama

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Betsy and I really enjoyed our return visit to Grand Teton National Park earlier this year.  There was smoke and haze the first couple of days of our visit, but the weather cleared and we were able to enjoy those majestic mountains in all their glory our last few days.  I captured this panorama of the Tetons near the end of our visit.

Evening on the Golf Course

For the past several weeks Betsy and I have been walking the golf course at dusk.  At that hour the golfers and (hopefully) some of the heat are gone.  We've been treated to some beautiful evening skies on our walks.  I captured this scene last week. You can click on the picture for a larger view.

Down in the Valley

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There are many things Betsy and I like about Mt. No State Park.  One of those things is the view from the back of ‘our’ cabin, which looks down into the valley below.  We had a great deal of fog during our visit this year, and I captured this image one morning as the fog in the valley was lifting.

West Prong Little Pigeon River

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The West Prong Little Pigeon River in the Greenbrier section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  We visited this beautiful stream February 13, 2015.

A Beach Panorama

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When it was time for Betsy and I to end our January visit to Ocean Isle Beach, we left early in the morning.  As I was loading the car, I noticed this beautiful pre-sunrise sky.  I grabbed my iPad and got this panorama image.

Icy Tree on the Mountain

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This photo, taken from my archives, was taken on Mt. Nebo, in Arkansas in March, 2009.  There had been an ice storm during the night which left the the top of the mountain coated with ice.  I came upon this ice-encrusted tree when walking along the Rim Trail later in the day.

Pier At Sunrise

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Betsy and I got up each morning we were at the beach in order to watch the sunrise.  I captured this photo on our last morning as we were loading up the car to head home.  The sun had not yet popped up over the horizon, but I really liked the colors in the sky.  The pier and the reflections in the sand were a nice bonus.

Worse than Snow

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If you follow us on Facebook, you know that Betsy and I were without power for about 50 hours because of an ice storm that hit our area.  Our yard looks like a war zone with broken tree branches all over the ground, so it’s not pretty in our yard.  I got this picture of an ice-coated holly bush during a break in the storm.

Spruce Flat Falls in Winter

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Several years ago Betsy and I hiked to Spruce Flat Falls in the Tremont area of the Great Smoky Mountains on a brisk February day.  There was as much ice as there was water on the falls, which made for a beautiful wintry photo.

The Sinks

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The Sinks is a very popular spot in the summer, since there is a swimming hole just below this little drop.  But I captured this photo on a January visit to the Smokies when Betsy and I had The Sinks to ourselves.

Biltmore Orchid

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A visit to the Conservatory at Biltmore House and Gardens in Asheville, North Carolina, is a wonderful way to bring some color and beauty to a dreary January day.  This picture, from my archives, was taken a couple of years ago.