We are really getting bombarded with snow here in East Tennessee the likes of which have never been seen before, so I'm told. Below are two shots of the now drained Douglas Lake at Leadvale, TN where the Leadvale boat ramp gives access to the river and reservoir. The brown, gooey mud has been white for over a week.
Even a coat of pure white snow can't improve the face of this ugly duckling, empty lake much. But its a blessing not to have to look at a sea of brown mud every day.
Complaining about Douglas Lake isn't why this blog entry is submitted, however, but its a shame that plastic surgery of some sort can't be applied to beautify the massive desolation.
Yesterday morning was unique in that all the tree limbs had a layer of snow on them and the sky had an orange cast to it as the sun started to glow. All that was surrounded by a layer of fog that appeared gentle to light in some places and heavy to dense in others.
The combination of all those parts, when applied to trees, presented an extravagant picture to the eye. I don't presume to be competent enough to capture the essence of that beautiful morning accurately with a camera but, maybe I can get just a little bit close. Anyway, the results of my attempt to photograph those gorgeous trees follows:
These shots were taken in RAW format, which I rarely use due to complexity and and extremely large files. I mostly take photos for my own enjoyment or documentation of an outing and RAW isn't really that big a deal. That all being said - RAW format is a bit sharper and the shadows and highlights are more intense or accurate. I don't know whether to use RAW routinely or not. Its another step in developing the pictures as RAW is the negative for digital photography. I'll sleep on it.
I found myself standing in front of many of these scenes with my mouth open. Its amazing how the outdoors changes with the addition of snow. I wish I could get over to Cades Cove for a ten mile hike through that place and just take pictures of snowy landscape. My old truck wouldn't make the trip in snow.
I tried to soften the "white" of the snow and the browns of the trees. Bright white against dark brown or black results in a harsh effect and I think it overpowers the beauty and uniqueness of the winter scene. Just me sayen.....
Note the soft brown texture and color of the trees with the gentle white snow reaching up the trunks from the ground.
I looked at 4AM this morning and the porch and yard have about four to five inches of wet snow covering everything. I drove the truck out the lane and left it almost at the end because it wouldn't pull the tiny hill just out from the house. It probably was a futile effort to do that as I doubt that old two wheel drive truck will even move downhill from the spot it sits on. I don't know why two wheel drive trucks are still produced. Want to reduce traffic accidents and save lives? Require all trucks to be 4 wheel drive and be done with the ridiculous, dangerous 2 wheel drive junk. Don't even make 2 wheel drive versions available. It will save more lives and reduce more injuries than seat belts. Had to get at least one rant in for the day. :)
I just wanted to separate these pictures from the rest as they are my favorites. The subject matter and light are just how I like it. These shots have appeared on the blog previous to this so there's really nothing new.
I photographed the falls at the Amis House in Rogersville, TN a couple months ago and decided to return this morning to do a follow up photo session at the falls.
I couldn't sleep last night and was up at 3 AM today, showered and took off for Rogersville. Ms Sharp, my photographic pardner, went along. She is really good with a camera and a blast to travel and work with.
It was zero degrees when the sun came up at The Amis House and there was a mist of half rain and half snow falling on the windshield of the car. We set off for the stream and the falls.
I wanted to work with a tripod this morning to try and get that soft, feathery, cotton look to the water. My finger tips were already getting cold and I didn't even have the tripod and camera set up for the first shots. Wow!
I thought about what I wanted the shots to look like while driving up here today and I think I achieved the desired results. I like soft looking water and rocks with tendrils of water that resemble strands of cotton that have a touch of cream color. I'm satisfied with the results.
So, there it is. A beautiful waterfall captured in a soft mood with beautiful, wispy tendrils of cottony water flowing everywhere. My finger tips were so cold I couldn't feel the shutter button on the camera let alone adjust that aluminum tripod. I headed for the truck.
These pictures and others are posted on my Face Book page along with other shots from previous albums. I invite you to look in on them. Also, my good friend and very accomplished photographer, Clarissa Sharp, also has many of her photographs posted on Face Book. Please check out her fantastic work. We both do rustic, scenic and wildlife photography. Hope you enjoy it.
