“A Walk Thru The Woods”
I just returned from a quick weekend trip to The Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GSMNP). We met up with family members and spent time hiking a few of the many trails that wind their way up and over the many beautiful mountains and canyons that make this place so special. The weather was perfect for hiking but not photography,windy and bright, but I was able to capture a few images of this wonderful area.
I took a small hike along the road to Clingmans Dome, and came away with a few nice wildflower images to add to my portfolio. The scenery was beautiful as always but what impressed me the most was the magnificent odor of the vegetation and the lush environment that I was able to experience. The area has a mystical quality that looks like it came straight out of a Lewis Carroll novel, the ground is soft from the moss and spruce needles that line the trails and the area was very quiet even with cars traveling the road below me.
I came across a wonderful stand of Turk’s Cap Lilies that were swaying slowly with the wind, it may have made for a beautiful scene but it was terrible if your are trying to capture an image, but with persistence and a large diffuser I was finally ably to get a couple decent images from these wonderful wildflowers. The mountain roads and trails were also covered with an abundance of Bee-Balm and Green Headed – Coneflower that a made a stunning contrast to each other and a butterfly oasis, but the wind made any shots just about impossible for any butterfly images.
The hike was a wonderful experience and I was able to come away with a few nice wildflower images , I was also able to spend some time in the many streams that dissect the Park and I will post a few of them later. We also made a side trip to Burgess Falls and came away with a new appreciation of waterfalls, if you get a chance it is a place you have to hike sometime it is definitely worth the trip.
Turk’s Cap Lily
Bee Balm and Green-Headed Coneflower
How about a little music to set the mood for this post …
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About
Hello my name is Bernie Kasper and I am a photographer from Madison, a small town located in the Southeastern part of Indiana on the banks of the Ohio River, the area I call home has a rich diversity of topography and wildlife that make it a special place. From the canyons and waterfalls of Clifty Park to the wetlands of the Muscatatuck NWR the area is rich in photographic opportunities, hopefully I will be able to convey the beauty of the area and share any info as well about this place I call home
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Bernie, I’ve been to the smokies once, over 10 years ago now, and I found it to be just as you have described. I love the contrast between the yellows, crimsons and greens of your second image.
Tom
Thanks Tom it is truly a magical place !!
I visited there in the mid 60′s and remember how beautiful it was. Sadly now going back there is out of the question. Beautiful photos, as always!
Yea but you got a mountain or two at your house Terry that are a whole lot bigger !!
Thanks for the invitation to follow your blog, Bernie.
Neat idea adding music to set the tone.
Good job.
Thanks for following me Carol !!
It must have been amazing experience as you describe it Bernie. I like both images, a lily for nice composition, details, colours and lightning, the second one for nice contrast between those 3 different colours. Your mountains are just too far for me but a couple year ago I was in Austrian Alps in natural park where the atmosphere was very similar to what you describe here. After few hours on trail we got to the small valley high in the moutains with big lake and some sheppard cottages made of stone. No turist attractions, no other tourists passing by, just we and nature. It was wonderful! And there were similar lilie but with crimson colour. So thank you for recalling this beautiful memory
Thanks Tomas, the mountains can be such a wonderful place !!
We spent our honeymoon camping in the Smokies and I remember the park for its amazing hiking and great beauty. We climbed to Andrews Bald and the entire landscape was in bloom with mountain laurel. What a great opportunity you had. Your photos are pretty amazing too, even with the wind.
My wife and I took our son and his cousins to Andrews Bald on Saturday, no blooms but a spectacular view anyway !!
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Such a colour display of flora. I like the way you compose the images.
Thanks James, they are very beautiful and even better in person !!
great flowers, so wonderful colors!!!
Thanks Vaggelis !!
The Turk’s Cap Lily is beautiful and well captured ! Getting to know more different flowers across the world !
Bee Balm and Green-Headed Coneflower – These 2 flowers grow together on the same plant/tree ? Looks like it from the photo !
Happy flower shooting in Spring !!
JH
http://www.photojournalist-tgh.tv
JH..They are separate plants that grow in large clusters on mountainsides.
Wind – the ultimate enemy of the flower photographer!! Great color in the shot of the Turk’s Cap Lily anyway. Never seen one of those before.
Thanks Jim, wind can be a pain in the old bicycle seat if you know what I mean
The Lily was the first live one I had I ever seen as well, very cool plants, they can grow to be 8 ft. and be covered in these blooms.
Beautiful images from a beautiful place. I’ve never been there although I have thought about it for years. I think next spring, we will make it as far south as Shenandoah. Then who knows.
Thanks for stopping by Ed, you really ought to keep going south I think you will love it !!
Lovely flowers in both of these posts. We didn’t get many flowers in my area due to an extended drought & heatwave. Things are normalizing more now.
Yea but you get those great swamp shots with the wonderful cypress trees, I love those as well !!