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Find Your Photography Family at Tremont
I recently finished another soul-filling jaunt to the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont for the spring photography workshop. If you’ve followed the blog for any length of time, you’re familiar with my love of this place. Now that I live in Nevada, the commute is a bit more cumbersome, making my time in the Smokies more limited and all the more precious.
I love my new home state out west but the Great Smoky Mountains, Tremont, and this workshop in particular hold a special place in my life. It’s a retreat and a reunion. The workshop schedule leaves us all exhausted yet fulfilled for the effort, the richness of the Smokies, and time with friends.
Those of us who return again and again call ourselves the “repeat offenders.” We keep coming back because we know this experience is about more than honing our photography skills. This is family.
When is a photography workshop more than a workshop? When you come to Tremont and discover a new family.
The people
One of the joys of greeting first-time participants is that they have no idea what awaits them. Over the course of the long weekend, we “old-timers” get to watch their understanding build. By the end of the weekend, most will tell you it has been a life-changing experience.
This time I had a short chat with John DiDiego, Tremont’s Education Director, who I know from my days earning my Southern Appalachian Naturalist Certification. I was remarking on the fact that two-thirds of the participants are returnees and how the conversations always come back to connection and friendship. He gave me a knowing smile and said “It’s always about the people.” True enough.
Instructor Tom Vadnais in action.
The workshop
Vetting workshops like this is tough. We all have limited time and money to invest in these things. It’s a leap to take it on if you don’t have some confidence that it will suit you.
Obviously I’m sold on the Tremont workshop experience but it’s nice to hear why others have been bitten by the Tremont bug. What seems to speak to participants most is the depth of collaboration. This workshop isn’t a unilateral instructor-to-student scenario. Information and inspiration flow in all directions among instructors and peers. Knowledge and excitement permeate every aspect of the weekend.
During this particular workshop, we also had the opportunity to photograph the birds of the Smoky Mountain Raptor Center. This was a unique chance to improve our wildlife photography skills as well as support the work the center is doing to rehabilitate injured raptors. We got images we’d never get otherwise and they use our photos to gain awareness for their program.
A visit to the Smoky Mountain Raptor Center helped me work on my largely undeveloped wildlife photography as well as support the amazing work Natalie and her crew are doing.
The instructors
Without fail, by the end of the weekend we’re all waxing philosophical about our time at the workshop. One of my new-found Tremont family members commented on how approachable and humble the instructors are. To him, that was the key. In my mind, though, it takes a triad of humility, confidence, and knowledge to be an effective instructor. If any one of those is missing or off balance, it’s not going to be a great experience.
The spring workshop is headed by the fabulous Bill Lea.
On a personal level
I mentioned earlier this year that I’ve been struggling with photography. I’ve made some strides in improving some equipment issues as well as my motivation. But it’s been a battle.
Artistically, I’ve been in the doldrums. Leave it to the people and environment of Tremont to help me reset. I needed this boost to reclaim my art, push my boundaries, and fall in love with photography again. It also forced me to learn some of the newer features and technologies of my new-ish Panasonic Lumix GX-85 camera. Immersing yourself in a workshop does that for you. It allows you to concentrate and grow, outside of life’s distractions.
The opportunity to work with the birds of the Smoky Mountain Raptor Center helped me figure out some of the more advanced features of my Lumix GX-85.
Case in point?
A young first-time Tremonster who excels at portraiture asked me to be a model of sorts for a shot through a cabin window. While I was sitting on the floor, still and contemplative, I noticed the texture of the wood floor in a way I hadn’t before. Even though I’ve been to that spot dozens of times. I also noticed that the sunlight through the window would highlight some holes in the floor. If I was patient enough to wait for it. So I did. I worked that spot for quite some time and came away with one of the most dramatic images I’ve ever captured.
If not for the serendipity of a fellow Tremonster liking the contrast of my blonde hair and my black hat, I would have missed my opportunity to work this subject. I simply wouldn’t have spent the time there because I would have overlooked it. If nothing else comes from my time at this workshop, the reminder to put myself in an environment in which I can build off of others’ excitement and vision would be more than enough.
Stepping out of nature and photorealism to try new things.
Why be a repeat offender?
All of these experiences are why we keep coming back. Beyond seeing my adopted Tremont family and the joy of being in the Smokies, returning to the same place allows me to explore it more deeply. I get second chances at shots I’ve missed. Each time, pieces of information and expertise sink in a bit further. I get to see how the instructors’ and other participants’ work has grown and it inspires me.
And if not for Steve Zigler’s presentation, I would not have given that window shot the high-key black and white treatment that I chose. I’ve always been tied to photorealism. By surrounding myself with excellent photographers I opened up a new world of possibilities.
If you’re in need of retreat and inspiration join me at Tremont for the fall workshop! You’ll come away with a new family.
Special shoutout to the fabulous instructors of the spring workshop: Bill Lea, Tom Vadnais, Todd Moore, Jeff Miller, Steve Zigler, and Sue Milinkovich.
My takeaways
Here’s a little gallery of some of my favorite shots from the workshop.
May 16, 2018
The Woes of a Lazy Photographer
Quick, name the top five things you like to spend your time on. How much time did you spend doing those things in 2017? Are you satisfied? Or did they take a back seat to other activities and life in general?
My favorites are motorcycling, travel, photography, hiking, and knitting. There are a handful of runners-up but those are my core five. I consider them life values. Looking back at 2017, I didn’t do nearly as much of those things as I wanted or intended. Compared to 2016, my motorcycling mileage was slightly down. My hiking mileage was abysmal. I only completed one knitting project. My travels were disjointed and exhausting, with fewer travel days on which I was truly exploring. My time spent behind the camera plummeted.
To look at my Instagram feed, you’d probably call bullshit on me. I’m looking at the trajectory from one year to the next, though. In my personal review of 2017, what I see is a frenetic year. One in which the energy put into the things I love most wasn’t as purposeful as I’d like. Of those five core values, the backslide that bothers me the most is photography.
Short, whirlwind adventures through places like Seattle, Dragon Con, Salt Lake City, and British Columbia, made 2017 feel like a yo-yo year of travel.
A Challenge
What brought on this existential crisis? The annual challenge from my Tremont photography family. Every year we share our top five photographs with each other. It’s a tremendous source of inspiration from people I admire.
In reviewing my images from 2017, I’m not satisfied. In fact, I’m kind of pissed off at myself. I have no notions of being a virtuoso photographer but I do believe in competing with yourself to achieve personal growth. I know I’m better that what I produced last year. Not that I don’t have images I’m happy with. I have some I really love. But in relation to everything I did in 2017, the photographic results don’t match up.
Obviously, I can’t go back and have a do-over of 2017. I can, however, look at why I struggled and fix the obstacles. I can make certain I don’t stay on a trajectory that isn’t working.
A friendly challenge from good friends has me fired up to get back on course.
What went wrong
Big picture: I got lazy. Unlike my riding, I didn’t train or practice much. On a daily basis, I was inconsistent at keeping my skills sharp. I only engaged in photography in fits and spurts. I used to carry a camera everywhere. Just in case. I learned long ago that there are opportunities to capture moments everywhere, whether traveling, near home, or even at home.
I didn’t honor that in 2017. I realized that failing towards the end of the year so I started carrying a camera more. But I found myself doing stupid things like forgetting to put in a battery or a memory card when going out for short jaunts without a full kit. At one point, I realized my sensor was so dirty on my main camera that there were close to two dozen spots on my images. And it still took me three months to get around to cleaning it. In the most egregious offense of inattention, I actually shot a bunch of images of Mount Rainier only to realize after the fact that I’d been shooting with a giant smudge of some unidentifiable substance on my lens. Seriously, a big lump of sticky goo across the entire lens!
It’s all silly, really. And simple enough to fix. Those missteps made me realize I simply need to get organized and set myself up for having my gear at the ready when I need it. I also need to pay more attention to the little details of maintenance so I’m not wasting my time when I do shoot.
Another aspect of the lazy was not taking the time to shoot. With an iPhone in hand or even when I had a “real” camera with me, I failed to take the time to grab compelling images. I made excuses about the shot not being worth stopping for or that I didn’t have time. Oftentimes when I did pull out the camera, I did it half-heartedly. Throw in struggles to manage photography from the bike in challenging conditions, and that makes for a downward spiral.
Tier Number Three of lazy photographer syndrome? Often when I did shoot, I whipped off a couple of shots without taking the care to review my camera settings and make certain I captured what I envisioned. So many images from this year fell into the “close but no cigar” category. They’re shots that had one (if not more) technical elements out of whack in an otherwise nicely composed image.
In the end, I didn’t make photography a priority. I didn’t take the time. The opportunities were there. And I blew it on most of them. It’s clear now that the photography foundation I used to be able to count on crumbled in 2017.
For a good part of the year, my photography kit looked like this. Hardly a platform for success.
What went right
The year wasn’t a complete bust, though. In the few surges when I did make photography a priority I came away with some nice images. And I did break into people photography, which is a huge leap for me. I’m getting past feeling intrusive. That’s really hard for me.
Another realization I made towards the end of the year was that I had a mental obstacle with the weight, bulk, and complexity of my photography gear, particularly when on the bike. So I made changes to streamline my kit to make it easier to manage while riding. I’m still getting that system dialed in but it’s more realistic for how I travel most often. I’m optimistic that a simpler system will make embracing photography more appealing, especially when I’m fatigued or battling challenging conditions.
No more monster-sized Canon 50D to serve as my infrared camera. I converted a Panasonic GX7 in order to downsize and simplify my kit.
Top five
So here are my top five favorite imagess from 2017 that I shared with my photog friends. Mind you, not necessarily the “best” but my favorites. (Click on images to find them on my Zenfoli o site.)
Other favorites
Here are some of the other contenders for my 2017 favorites. There wasn’t much more to choose from, though. My goal is to turn that around in 2018. I hope next year’s challenge finds me agonizing about which are my top five because I’ve put my heart back into my photography. In other words, I need to photograph like I mean it. Thank you to my Tremont friends who have lit a fire under my photographic ass!
All of these are available on my Zenfolio site. Check them out!
Adventure on, friends!
January 9, 2018
Bad Weather and Good Friends at Tremont
Let’s face it, life dishes out the unexpected and undesired. A lot. The only thing we’re in control of is how we respond, right?
I have just returned from a whirlwind trip to Georgia. Part of the time was dedicated to hanging out with Fred and George. The rest was mostly allocated to attending the spring photography workshop at my beloved Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont.
One of the best groups we’ve had at the workshop to date! Fabulous folks who know how to go with the flow. (Photo courtesy of the supremely talented Steve Zigler.)
Challenges
Returning to Atlanta at the moment means dealing with the insanity that is I-85 being closed in the heart of the city. Along with other catastrophic transportation issues that seemed to have come in a relentless onslaught on the heels of that event, Atlanta is not a great place to be right now—if you actually want to get anywhere.
On top of that, my arrival at Tremont coincided with massive storms—one of the reasons I opted to drive instead of ride. While a nice soft rain makes for excellent photography, flooding and torrential downpours don’t exactly make for ideal shooting conditions.
My main goal heading to the workshop this time was to stretch my boundaries by bonding with my telephoto lens, a piece of equipment I’ve always struggled to use effectively. I made some attempts while I was there but the weather simply made it the wrong tool for the job. That’s a challenge that will have to wait for another time.
I’ve been to this workshop a dozen times and this session presented a unique and unprecedented challenge with the flooding rains. We managed one decent day of shooting but only after rearranging the entire workshop schedule to accommodate the incoming storms. To have a day that we didn’t go out to shoot at all is unheard of at this workshop but it happened this time. The storms meant no early morning trip to Cades Cove which is one of the major perks of this workshop. Our Foothills Parkway morning was completely socked in. And the uncertainty of the storms meant no trip to Elkmont as a group. I pulled off a quick time lapse from Foothills Parkway on the first morning of the workshop, though.

Rewards
In spite of this year’s challenges, I still call the workshop a resounding success. We immersed ourselves in shooting along Tremont Road and the Lynn Camp Prong. For me, the conditions meant embracing my wheelhouse—macro photography. That normally means a metric ton of flower shots but this time I made a little snail friend which is about as close as I get to wildlife photography. Even keeping up with Speed Racer as I affectionately call him (her?) was quite challenging.
And we were still able to shoot the birds of prey brought in by Smoky Mountain Raptor Center. They are extraordinary to work with and are doing excellent work with these birds.
In the end, the Tremont workshop is my reunion with my photog family. While that has historically been a small core group of instructors and repeat participants, the Tremont photography family is growing as participants connect and find peace here. Of the 36 participants this time, 21 were repeat attendees. It was such a comfort to see familiar faces and share our love of Tremont. More heartening still was seeing the newcomers embrace it and want to return as well, even with the challenges thrown at them for their first experience at the workshop.
It’s a testament to the workshop and its leaders that these challenges can be absorbed and still run a successful workshop. It’s also a testament to the caliber of the participants. Everyone rolled with it. They understood weather can’t be helped and appreciated the efforts of the instructors to still deliver a valuable experience.
“Speed Racer” refused to stay in the frame. Little trickster!
The big picture
Of course, there’s a lesson, or reminder if you will, in this experience. Flexibility! Remaining flexible in travel, and life in general, means you can adjust for the unexpected without angst. That ability to dance with the circumstances means you’re likely to have better experiences because you aren’t focused on what didn’t come to pass. It means you look at the changes as new or different opportunities, not losses to be lamented.
With that in mind, here are few shots I’m pleased with from a very soggy weekend.
Snails get a bad rap for being “slimy” but the super-chill elegance with which they move is worthy of appreciation.
The textures and lines on this little guy are entrancing.
So the funny thing about the snail is that I only discovered him when I almost stepped on him in my quest to shoot this Solomon’s Seal. It was a close call.
When in doubt, or when the weather is challenging, I dive back into my safe place… macro world!
This aster was way more ready for its closeup than Speed Racer was.
Cheers, friends! Adventure on and stay flexible.
Many, many kudos and thanks to the instructors who made a great workshop possible through continual challenges: Bill Lea, Tom Vadnais, Steve Zigler, Sue Milinkovich, Todd Moore, and Jeff Miller. Y’all rock!

April 28, 2017
Back to the Throttle With Moto Guzzi…
Last time I talked about the physical and emotional process of getting back to riding after a crash. With that out of the way, let’s talk about the technical aspects of re-gearing and choosing a new motorcycle.
The logistics of starting over…
As a result of the crash, my motorcycle was totaled and my gear was destroyed in the effort to save my life. Getting back to riding obviously meant starting over from scratch which is a substantial investment, of course. That means making careful decisions. Since I couldn’t walk for quite awhile, much less ride, I had time to consider my choices at length.
In my final my decisions, I employed some new safety strategies with regard to my gear and equipment. It involved an investment in auxiliary LED lighting and more hi-viz gear. But more on those details another time because, let’s face it, the key factor is the ride…
So meet Nina. My 2016 Moto Guzzi V7 II Stone.
I’m thoroughly in love with my new bike.
You’ve already seen her if you follow me on Instagram and Facebook but now I get to break down the decision process that led me to choosing this particular motorcycle.
Why Moto Guzzi?
I loved my Bonneville. Marlo was a fantastic bike. And I was almost set on getting another Bonneville until some less-than-stellar experiences with Triumph’s customer service and a sudden scarcity of dealers in the Atlanta area compelled me to start looking at other options.
RIP Marlo, my Triumph Bonneville.
That’s when Moto Guzzi’s V7 Stone came to my attention. The Bonneville and Stone are very comparable bikes. Either one is a great way to go if you like the classic style and a mid-size ride.
Initially I was looking at a 2015 model of the Stone. I decided to be patient, though, and wait for the 2016 V7 II version that had substantial changes over the 2015 model. Those changes included ABS, traction control, and a 6-speed gear box. Given my experiences this year, the safety features were very attractive.
Here are some other pertinent points that put the Stone ahead of the Bonneville for me:
- The Stone is about 100 pounds lighter. That makes a big difference on a good day and especially when your left leg is a fraction of its former strength and ability.
- Running 120 cc less displacement and a nudge less horsepower, the Stone is just a little less bike. The Bonneville was always more than I wanted or needed but when you are inseam-challenged and you still want something more than 250cc, you don’t have a lot of options in the classic styling.
- In that vein, the Stone is also a little smaller. She has a slightly shorter wheel-base and overall length. The specs don’t seem to shout “I’m a smaller bike!” but she is more compact and sturdy. Kind like her rider.
- To me, the Stone’s center of gravity seems a little lower as well. Bonus points there.
- Equipped with a drive shaft instead of a chain, the Stone will require a lot less maintenance on the road. It does mean a bigger ordeal when you need a repair, it just won’t be as often. That’s a trade-off I’m willing to make to not have to lube my chain constantly on trips.
- The Stone’s fuel tank is 1.6 gallons larger than the Bonneville. With the unexpected bonus of much better mileage, my range on the Stone is substantially improved. Those combinations of factors mean I can get at least 100 miles more out of a tank of fuel on the Stone. That’s really important when you’re on long hauls with few refueling options.
- It’s a little detail, but the Stone has a recessed, locking fuel cap. I could have replaced the factory cap on the Bonneville with a locking one but it would still be raised above the tank, interfering with my tank bag.
So given all of that, what do I plan to do with her?
Testing out my motocamping strategy in North Carolina.
What’s coming up…
Well, I had big plans for this past spring that didn’t come to pass, as you know. But I’m coming back hard. A lot of my efforts have been to build strength, stamina, and confidence in the post-crash era of my life.
In conjunction with that, I’ve also been working to refine my traveling and camping process on Nina. I’ve been testing loads and my travel strategies on some weekend adventures to make sure I’ve got it dialed in for the bigger ones… like riding to Overland Expo East in Asheville (NC), Horizons Unlimited near Robbinsville (NC), and to the fall photography workshop at Tremont in the Great Smoky Mountains (TN).
But before all of those, I have a really groovy trip starting on Monday. Tune in for Monday’s post to find out all about it!
Be sure follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to keep up with all of the action.
Stay tuned!
And now for your moment of green…
Nina and I are ready to take on new adventures together.
July 27, 2012
Find Your Photography Bliss at Tremont
As you know, I’ve become a bit of a Great Smoky Institute at Tremont junkie. It’s becoming a second home to me this year as I’m working toward my Southern Appalachian Naturalist Certification. I simply love my time there and it’s time to catch you up a bit on why.
Discovering a “floating” sycamore leaf in a spider web is all sorts of granola groovy.
A little background…
On my first visit to Tremont last October for the Fall Photography workshop with Will Clay, I didn’t quite know what to expect. I’d taken a couple of day-long seminars but never a workshop. I’ve always been a do-it-yourselfer in that respect (i.e. stubborn), protesting that I could pick up what I needed without having to break away for workshops and seminars.
After watching my progress stagnate, I finally attended a couple of seminars quickly that convinced me how wrong I was, or rather, that I was doing it the hard way. After hearing Will talk in Atlanta, I was rabid to soak up more of his awesome at the Tremont workshop. And it was a real eye-opener!
Exploring the textures of Elkmont’s past.
Musings on workshops…
So why am I a convert to workshops? Well for one, it greatly speeds up the learning process. To have the opportunity to listen to knowledgable instructors, go out and put that knowledge into practice, then return to get constructive feedback – all in a focused setting – is invaluable.
Essentially it’s the same experiential learning I promote as a roadschooler with Fred and George. So why in the world did I not allow myself the same rich experience before now?
It was partly not knowing how to pick a good workshop and be certain it would be worth the time and money. There are plenty of horror stories out there about bad workshops. Vetting them can be real chore and, since not all great photographers are great teachers, having an instructor that takes nice shots isn’t enough to guarantee you’ll come away with greater photographic skills and understanding.
Bill Lea is the wildlife photography guru…clearly I still have a lot to learn.
So why Tremont?
Will came to speak through our local nature photography club, the Georgia Nature Photographers Association, which is where I discovered he was doing the workshop through Tremont. Having loved his seminar, I knew I had a lot more to learn from him and that I liked his style. The unknown for me was the location, the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, which I ended up loving instantly. So that’s how I discovered Tremont and the workshop but…
What makes this workshop all that?
Well, there’s the adage…location, location, location but it’s much more than that. Certainly being nestled in the Smoky Mountains is an advantage, but the atmosphere of the Institute itself, in combination with the assemblage of talent of both staff and instructors, is what elevates this workshop.
In the workshop setting at Tremont, you get down to the meat of the creative process. You get to see others’ techniques from initial vision to finished image and it is very enlightening. It helps you re-evaluate your processes, techniques, and dedication, opening the path to being a better photographer.
Many folks love the colors of Autumn in the Smokies, but Spring can be just as eye-catching.
Going back for more…
In spite of having an epic time at the Fall Photography Workshop, I was still uncertain about attending the Spring session because I wasn’t familiar with the lead instructor, Bill Lea. At this point you’d think I would know better than to doubt anything about Tremont’s programs yet I waffled about attending.
I can’t tell you how happy I am that I went. I didn’t imagine that anyone could match the entertainment value of Will Clay but Bill Lea is just a much fun and just as talented a photographer and instructor. The beauty of attending both workshops is that Will and Bill have such different styles and experience to offer.
Cades Cove is a main event at the Spring workshop.
What you can expect…
If you’re considering attending a Tremont photography workshop, here’s what you can expect:
- Lots of field work, rain or shine, and very early in the morning,
- Educational sessions in between field sessions,
- Inspiration from instructors and fellow students,
- Instructors who accommodate all levels of skill, from total newbies on up,
- Constructive and supportive feedback on your work,
- and fun! The atmosphere at Tremont is light-hearted and and the instructors are a hoot.
Oh, and you can expect a lot of good-natured ribbing if you oversleep for a morning field session. Not that I know about that from personal experience or anything…
Final thanks…
So a big thank you to Will and Bill for just being awesome and genuine. And a big thank you to the other instructors who are all equally fabulous: Todd Moore for holding my hand through post-processing and not laughing too hard at my ineptitude, Ken Thompson for his macro inspiration, and Jeff Miller for asking me the questions I should have been asking myself in the field.
A final special thanks to instructor and fellow GNPA-er Tom Vadnais. Mad photography skills aside, he’s the one who started all this for me by bringing Will to Atlanta for that fateful seminar…
And sorry fellas, you’re not done with me yet…I’m a junkie after all. See you this October!
And now for your moment of green…
My favorite shot of the Spring workshop, a macro shot of a yellow trillium bloom in the rain.
July 26, 2012
Real Life Connections: The Tremont Workshop Junkies
This addition to Real Life Connections is actually a collection of people. But, as a collective, they’ve greatly impacted yours truly and totally qualify for inclusion. And yes, it has been a long time since I’ve inducted anyone so why not go big and just add a bunch at once right?
What’s the deal?
Well, I’m still absorbing the awesome of the Spring Photography Workshop at Tremont that I snuck off to a couple of weeks ago. Since that particular post is really just not writing itself at the moment, I thought I’d start with a separate, quick shout out to the people who really made this workshop amazing for me.
But first, what are Tremont Junkies?
There are the folks who attend a fall or spring workshop from time-to-time, then there are the junkies…the ones who attend a lot. Now, I’ve only attended the last two photography workshops but since I’m now visiting Tremont on a semi-regular basis to complete the Naturalist Certification as well, I need to fess up that I am indeed a Tremont junkie too. The true sign though is that I don’t intend to miss any future workshops and now arrange my rather considerable travel plans around them.
My fellow Tremont Junkies. On a side note…am I really that short? Had no idea.
The inductees…
So without further delay, here are some of the characters who will always keep me coming back to Tremont for more…(going left to right) Pat Kennedy (AKA The Butterfly Whisperer), Bill Lea (Spring Workshop Head Honcho), Sue Milinkovich, Dan Thompson, and Steve Zigler.
Without going all sappy on you, how about I just say that, first of all, these guys just make the workshop fun. They have great energy that feeds the atmosphere. Second, they’re all enormously talented. Just being able to watch them work and create is fun and educational from a photography standpoint, but for me they also embody the fuzzier traits I’d like to emulate in terms of perseverance and vision. The Junkies’ willingness to share and collaborate is much appreciated.
Granted, these are not the only people who filled out the experience for me. All the participants were wonderful, it’s just that these are the ones I spent the most time with. I do want to give a tip-o-the-hat to the not-pictured instructors though…Tom Vadnais, Todd Moore, and Jeff Miller. I’ll have to induct them next time around…
The take-away…
The real point in sharing these people with you is that you just never know when and where you’ll meet some one who influences you in some way. If you stop to take notice, there’s mad talent all around you. Soak it up!
Anyway, obviously I’m quite inspired by these people and I thought they deserved the Val version of a thank you note. And of course, if you come to a workshop, you’ll get to bask in their awesome too. I promise I’ll share them with you.
And now for your moment of green…
Ok, so sometimes in spite of surrounded by inspiration I can’t get out of my little macro world. It’s cozy here.

May 3, 2012
Autumn Brilliance at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
So what seems like an eternity ago but what was really only a few months, I got a little uber-mommy time. That’s right, I got to spend a glorious long weekend at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont for the Autumn Brilliance Photography workshop. With the boys shipped off to Gma for safe keeping, I got four days away sans all demands of homeschooling and domestic duties to soak up the awesome that is Will Clay and the Smoky Mountains.
Will’s first test for us…sunrise on Foothills Parkway
First, The Workshop…
As you know, I was already a fan of Will and his work. He’s a rare combination of great talent, teaching ability, personality, and passion. After meeting him in Atlanta for a seminar, I knew it would be worth the time and energy to venture off to Tremont for his workshop. And while Will was the reason I ventured to Tremont for the first time, it turns out he had way more up his considerable sleeve than I imagined, and that was his assemblage of additional instructors.
Watching the sun rise over mountains and through trees is all kinds of granola goodness.
Not only is Will all sorts of groovy, he handed to floor over to some other wonderful photographers to help us photographer wannabes become more “be” than “wanna.” So I have to give a shout out to his other instructors…Tom Vadnais, Steve Zigler, Ken Thompson, and Todd Moore. It’s safe to say I learned a lot from each of them and they were the chocolate sauce, whipped cream, sprinkles, and cherry on top of the Will Clay sundae. And while I realize that’s probably a really odd metaphor for photographers, you get the idea.
At any rate, I won’t go photo-geek on you with all the minutia of the workshop, but I will say that it was very worthwhile. With visits to Foothills Parkway, Elkmont, and the Middle Prong River there was plenty of opportunity to put into practice all of the expertise they shared with us. They deftly handled all ability levels and we, as students, got to benefit from their extensive knowledge of the area. I thoroughly appreciated that Will kept maximizing our shooting opportunities as the top priority even if it meant breakfast in the field. As Will said…”We’re not here to eat.”
Aside from the opportunity to expand my photographic abilities, just having time to hang out in the Smokies with my camera and a bunch of cool, talented people was enough to leave a silly grin on my face for days. Be sure to check it out if you’re looking for a great workshop in a stunning location…
With countless cascades, there’s plenty to keep you busy in the Smokies.
…which brings us to the location.
Tremont is a cozy little retreat that hosts all sorts of events…family weekends, courses, school groups, etc. Of course, I was so wrapped up in shooting the natural landscapes that I didn’t get any shots of the facilities themselves for you. Never fear, I’ll be sure to grab some when I’m there next month, but more on that later.
At any rate, the accommodations are simple and in keeping with the natural setting nestled on the Tennessee side of the Smokies. Obviously this isn’t a luxury resort but that’s ok. It’s what it needs to be and you know I’m not one for frills anyway so this is right up my alley. Having said that, as much as I like the simple life, I will say the that dorm rooms are not for the light sleeper…ahem, that would be me. (And I now know why many of the participants hoteled it in town!) In spite of the limited sleep, I still had a great time exploring Tremont and will be a repeat visitor.
The Middle Prong River has infinite details to capture.
Oh so full calendar…
…but in a good way. So yes, I will be returning for the Spring Photography Workshop…and probably the autumn workshop again in October. And because I can’t seem to get enough, I’ll be pursuing the Southern Appalachian Naturalist Certification in addition to honing my photography skills. So I’ll certainly be posting lots of Tremont fodder this year and next time I’ll be sure to take a few more shots of the place itself.
In the meantime, here are some of the shots I managed during the workshop, plus a few more over on my Flickr page for Tremont. Hopefully you’ll get a feel for the beauty of the Smokies if you’ve never had the opportunity to visit. Trust me, there’s a reason it’s the most visited park in the U.S.
The Smokies are an idyllic place to get lost along dreamy streambanks.
Foothills Parkway is a popular destination…and for good reason..
A study of reflection and shade.
And now for your moment of green…
One of Will’s assignments…our zen word. This is my contribution to Intimacy.

January 26, 2012