We’re in the thick of winter finally. It was beginning to look like we wouldn’t have to break out the heavy coats here in Georgia this season but it is here now. And just in time for me to head off to Tremont for the Winter Woody Plant ID class.
The funny thing is that I’m no longer acclimated to the South Florida weather of my youth but I’m also not acclimated to the snow either. The cold temperatures are not foreign to me having been in North Georgia for almost twenty years now but snow is a different story. We get snow infrequently and usually in such small amounts that it isn’t a way of life to deal with it here.
As ill-equipped as I am to deal with the inclement weather I’m facing this weekend in the Smokies, I’m not going to gain any experience if I don’t dive in right? So off I go, looking forward to experiencing the Smokies in a way that’s unusual for me. Of course, given my love of Tremont and the Smokies, I have no doubt I’ll have a blast.
People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy. ~Anton Chekhov
The extent of my snow experience in the Smokies is a climb up Clingman’s Dome after Hurricane Sandy moved through last October, leaving behind unexpected snow.
It’s time! Time to head back to Tremont for the Autumn Brilliance workshop. As I set forth this morning, it’s more about getting a break from the house-selling insanity than the photography but I’m hopeful by the time I get there, I’ll be in the proper mindset to focus on improving my skills and not just getting away from suburbia.
In the end what I’m hoping to channel this weekend is artistry. I’ve got to step out of blogger mode in which I’m trying to capture the essence of a trip or place through a series of images and push myself to take composition to new heights in a single image.
This idea takes me back a couple of years to a National Geographic seminar I took with one of my idols, Jim Richardson. Jim has been known to rent planes, trucks, etc. to fulfill the vision of an image he wants to capture. During the seminar he shared a dramatic image he shot from a moving truck he had to finagle in some way in order to get the shot. It’s a captivating image of course, but it seems some amateur once told him “I could have done that.” To which he replied “Yes, but did you?”
I’ve taken that anecdote to heart, knowing that you have to go to greater lengths to capture truly compelling images because there’s a world of difference between could have and did. With that in mind, what I’ll be mentally exercising this weekend is the idea of going all in to achieve true artistry.
And since it I’ll be spending the weekend with the fabulous Will Clay, I thought it would be appropriate to share one of my favorite Willism’s that is a nice companion for the Richardson anecdote…
Photograph like you mean it.
It may not look like it, but it took quite some doing to get this shot. Here’s wishing you the passion to go further in your pursuits this weekend. Whatever you do, do it like you mean it.
I know you parents out there feel my pain. As rich as our kids make our lives, sometimes you need a little adult time. And when you spend as much time together as we do in our roadschooling pursuits, that becomes the understatement of the decade.
The entrance at Townsend, Tennessee, the self-proclaimed “quiet side” of the Smokies.
I’ve alluded to my July solo trip to the Smokies in recent posts about the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont and Cades Cove but I’ve yet to give you the full rundown. Basically I spent a week camping in Cades Cove followed by a week of SANCP classes at Tremont. It was certainly a much needed respite from constantly being on mommy duty but it also gave me some time to focus on my personal pursuits, spend my time on my own terms, and get rejuvenated to jump back into the fold upon my return. I certainly missed my little camping buddies but I knew they were having adventures of a different kind that only a Gramma can provide. (Thanks Gramma!)
My original plans for this trip included lots of naturalist practice and photography on the more difficult trails that Fred and George would balk at tackling. This was my prime opportunity! Only my plans took a radical turn when a quite literal run-in with a rock in Colorado back in June left me with a very, very broken big toe. I had to scrap my backcountry bliss for roadside exploration…along with the countless other visitors that flock to the Smokies in the middle of summer. Little did I realize how educational the people-watching would be but given better circumstances, I would have stuck to my original plans.
At any rate, regardless of having to change up my plans, it was still an epic trip and I’m just now figuring out the best way to share my rare solo adventure with you. Unfortunately, sometimes an experience is almost too much to put into words. Since I can’t show you in images what this adventure meant to me in terms of personal satisfaction, I’m at least going to share with you some of the things I saw and hopefully you’ll understand why the Smokies are a fitting place to find your happy. (Just remember, it’s a zoo there in July.)
So without further ado, here’s some of the lovely that is the Great Smoky Mountains.
Cades Cove…
One of the perks of a July visit is the volatile weather. The constantly changing light made it hard to know what to shoot first. This field is at the north end of Hyatt Lane in Cades Cove.
Many visitors to the Smokies seek out the modern attractions of nearby Gatlinburg,TN for excitement but for me this is the kind of roadside attraction that stops me in my tracks. I could have spent hours investigating these beauties if not for the car-dodging required along the Cades Cove loop.
A artifact of history blemished by modern hands.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a compelling mix of history and nature.
While standing on Sparks Lane shooting the fog rolling through the cove, I was reminded to always turn around and see the possibilities behind me. Of course, camera set on another subject, I resorted to Instragram iPhoneography.
Tremont Road and the Middle Prong River…
This was one of the many times I found a surprise while looking at something else. In this case, this harvestman was nestled in the bark of a tree I was inspecting for its fabulous lichen offerings. (Top of Tremont Road at the Middle Prong trailhead.)
This shattered puzzle of geologic awesome is located in one of my favorite little spots along the Middle Prong.
Another of those surprises I mentioned. I was examining this tree for entirely different reasons when this big, wet, seriously tough looking beetle startled me.
This Lilliputian mushroom may only be about an inch tall, but what a marvel of detail in its little world.
Foothills Parkway…
I spent hours on the Foothills, studying plants, shooting the landscape, and working away on this blog. It’s certainly not a burden to plug in and work when this is your office view.
Newfound Gap…
After yet another summer storm, mesmerizing fog drifted up and over Newfound Gap.
Clingman’s Dome…
I put the “cling” in Clingman’s Dome to get this shot! On a steep, slippery, rain-soaked roadside, I clung to the slick grass, trying not to further distress my already throbbing toe in order to catch this bee on a misshapen sunflower. No tripod possibilities in this situation. Pure iPhone Instagram action here.
Roaring Forks Motor Drive…
Roaring Forks was a first for me. While I eventually managed a quiet place to shoot , it was so crowded along this motor trail, the roads were nearly impassable. Very beautiful but I don’t recommend it during the busy season…it’s an exercise in frustration.
And now for your moment of green…
No matter where you decide to visit in the Smokies, you’ll find beautiful surprises.
