Blue Ridge Imagery: Blog

Favorite Images From 2018

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Fri, 21 Dec 2018 21:50:53 GMT

2018 has been a year that I will always remember for a few personal and photography accomplishments. First, on the personal side this year, with A LOT of help from family and friends, my wife and I built our forever home. And, of course, we decided to build during one of Virginia's rainiest years on record. This meant for the first half of the year, almost every free moment my wife and I had, we were busy working on the house, which left little time for anything else. Even though I didn’t have as much free time as in years past, my family and I still continued to explore new and old places in Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. When Virginia got a late snow in March, I snuck away for a few hours and headed to the Blue Ridge Parkway to photograph the beautiful snow covered peaks at sunset. As spring turned to summer, we finished our house, and in mid-June, we got our permit for occupancy! We moved in just in time before my very busy photography schedule started.

In June, my friends Mike, Tom, and I got to explore the Shenandoah Valley for a few days as we filmed a few videos for Virginia Tourism. Well, Mike and Tom did most the filming; I mostly tagged along carrying gear, taking behind the scenes images, and learned a lot from both of them about the video world. On the last day, as we were filming Skydive Shenandoah, we needed another subject to film jumping out of the plane, so I volunteered, and I got to skydive for the first time, which was an awesome experience and another personal accomplishment. Then in late June, I headed up to New York’s Catskills Mountains for a fun weekend teaching my first ever photography workshops for The Outbound: Pursuit Series. I had a great time teaching and helping other people improve their photography skills. It was also awesome working with fellow landscape photographer Jason, my co-photography instructor, and the rest of The Outbound Media Team. When Jason and I were not instructing, we got to hang out with other outdoor enthusiasts while trying a bunch of new outdoor activities. Once the event was over, I could not wait for the second event in my home state of California to start.

In early August, my family and I flew back to California to visit my family and so I could teach a bunch of photography workshops at the second The Outbound: Pursuit Series in the Sierra Mountains. We were in California when most of the state was on fire, which included a fire that was only about seven miles from the event site. My brother, who is a wild land fire fighter, was working that fire, so I got to see him for about an hour as we grabbed dinner the night before the event started. The next morning, the smoke was so thick that I had about ½ mile visibility, but this thick smoke helped make some awesome images as I hiked though a grove of sequoia trees. As the morning turned to afternoon, the winds finally switched just as the event participants started to arrive. Once again, I had a great time at teaching a series of photography workshops and hanging out with my co-instructors Jason and Scott, along with the rest of The Outbound Media Team. Everyone I talked to had an outstanding time, and we got lucky because the wind continued to blow the smoke from the nearby fire away from the event, and it helped create some beautiful sunsets. After the event, my family and I flew back to Virginia, and I started to explore and plan out my locations to capture the fall colors.

This year has been a strange weather year in the mid-Atlantic region of the country. As I said earlier, Virginia and most of the East Coast got record rainfall, and because of all of this rain, I was looking forward all year to fall. Why? Because as a landscape photographer, the rain makes the leaves’ colors more vibrant when they turn, and the rain also helps the leaves stay on the trees longer because they don’t dry out as fast. But the Mid-Atlantic never got a good cold snap to get the leaves to start turning colors. September hit, and the mid-Atlantic was still having summer temperatures. Then October started, and it was still 90 degrees outside, and everything was still green. It wasn’t until mid-October that it FINALLY started to feel like fall, but by that point in time, it was too late in most areas; most of the leaves just turned brown and fell off the trees. But there were small pockets of fall colors, and one of these pockets just happened to be at a location I’ve been scouting for years. This year, I was FINALLY able to photograph the beautiful Glade Creek Grist Mill with fall colors and water flowing over the falls. Even though the leaves never really turned color in most areas, my family and I a great time camping in West Virginia and Shenandoah National Park as we were hunting for pockets of color. 2018 was a great year and ended with a huge amount of snow. This year has been a blast, and I will remember the events forever. As I’m looking forward to the adventures of 2019, below are my 15 favorite images from this year. Make sure you click the link below each image to learn some photography tips.

Click here to lean how to photograph Little Stonyman

Click here to lean how to photograph Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook

Click Here for tips on how to Photograph Black Rock Summit

Click here to learn how to Photograph Spitler Knob Overlook

Why you should use a Telephoto Lens

Click here to lean tips to photograph Bearfence Mountain

Tips for photographing the Milky Way

Click here for composition techniques

Click here for essential landscape photo tips

Why you should use a telephoto lens in landscape photography

Leave No Trace in the Social Media Age

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 00:23:05 GMT

Leave No Trace in the Social Media Age

Immersing myself in the outdoors is how I love to spend my free time because it helps me unwind from the daily grind. I love hiking through the forest to an amazing vista or along a creek that leads to a beautiful waterfall. I know I’m not the only one that feels this way. Getting outside to experience nature is becoming more and more popular, I believe, in large part because of social media. People are posting their amazing images to different social media outlets, and these images are inspiring people to get out and see the world with their own eyes. It is awesome that so many people are now getting off the couch and seeing the images that have been on the background of their computer desktops, but the huge increase of people exploring nature has come at a heavy price. The people who have come to see its beauty are slowly destroying the places that we all love.

How do we encourage people to get out and enjoy nature but also protect the environment from the influx of people that have come to experience it? I believe the first big step is educating people about the Leave No Trace (LNT) principles. I grew up in a very outdoorsy family and was in Boys Scouts. From a very early age I was not only taught LNT, but I practiced the principles so often with my family and scout troop that they become a part of my routine. I know everyone comes from different walks of life, and some people have never heard of LNT, which is why it is very important for people to be educated about how they can both enjoy and preserve the landscape and wildlife. Even though I have been practicing LNT for decades, I still review the seven principles every now and then to make sure I’m still following them and that my actions are not damaging the environments I love to visit. According to lnt.org the seven LNT principles are as follow:

1) Plan Ahead and Prepare

2) Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

3) Dispose of Waste Properly

4) Leave What you Find

5) Minimize Campfire Impacts

6) Respect Wildlife

7) Be Considerate of Others Visitors

LNT.org goes into more detail about the meaning of each principle, and following these seven simple principles will help you not only enjoy your trip but also make sure that future generations will also be able to visit these amazing locations.

As more and more people get outside and social media continues to grow, LNT has had to adapt to the new digital age. LNT has come up with some new guidelines to consider before posting an image to social media, and some of them are very controversial. The four new guidelines are as follow:

1) Tag Thoughtfully

2) Be Mindful of What Your Images Portray

3) Give Back to the Places You Love

4) Encourage and Inspire LNT in Social Media Posts

Guideline One: Tag Thoughtfully is undoubtedly the most controversial guideline on this list because it encourages people NOT to geotag the exact location of where the picture was taken but, instead, use a general location if you decide to geotag. It states: “avoid tagging (or geotagging) specific locations. Instead, tag a general location such as a state or region, if any at all. While tagging can seem innocent, it can also lead to significant impacts to particular places.” I 100% agree with this statement. Near the being of this year, I stopped geotagging the exact spot where I took my image. Instead, I would tag “Shenandoah National Park,” “George Washington National Forest,” “Blue Ridge Parkway,” “Virginia,” etc. The reason why I started to do this was because I began to notice places that I loved either being trashed or destroyed or the environment being trampled to death by an increase in visitors. I also go one step further than the LNT guideline suggested. If the location in my image was taken in a fragile environment, I will not even geotag a general area. This was a hard decision for me to make because, like most people, I want my images to inspire people to get outside and explore. I love sharing my adventures with people, and I hope my images will show people the pure beauty of landscapes and nature, but this can also be a double edged sword because certain places have become so popular the beauty of the landscape everyone has come to see is being destroyed. If you geotag a specific location, most people will only go to that location, but if you geotag a general area it will one still encourage people to get outside and explore, but it will help spread people out so one small area isn’t overrun.

There are many examples of areas being overrun due to images on social media inspiring people to visit that exact spot. Half Dome in Yosemite National Park now requires a permit to hike to the summit because so many people have made the amazing trek up to the summit that the rock is being smoothed out from the amount of foot traffic. Angels Landing in Zion National Park is also considering requiring a permit for visitors to hike to the summit for the same reason. Panther Creek Falls in the Columbia River Gorge has been absolutely destroyed by the amount of people that have visited that location. The fragile ferns and moss which made that location so amazing and inspiring to visit have been trampled to death, so now most of its beauty is gone, replaced with large dirt patches. The Grand Canyon’s Horseshoe Bend has been so popular they are now building an observation deck to keep people away from the cliff’s edge to help stop the erosion caused by people wanting to take a picture of their feet hanging over the edge. More locally for me, Falling Spring Falls in Virginia now has No Trespassing signs to protect the environment. This spot has become so popular over the last 5 years and so many people were hiking to the bottom of this amazing waterfall, they were destroying the moss and plants. Yes, I want my pictures to encourage people to visit and see these amazing locations with their own eyes, but at the same time I want to make sure that I am also protecting the environment of these locations.

One of the main arguments I have heard why I should continue to geotag specific locations is people will do their research find the location anyways. To that I say, “I hope they do.” I found the location by doing my own research, and I have no doubt if I found it, other people will also. I don’t want to keep that area all to myself; I want other people to experience the beauty of any given location. I have found the more effort I have to put into finding a new location to explore, the more connected I become with that location. If people have to put in a lot of effort to find a location then 1) it will help keep the foot traffic down, which will help pressure the environment, and 2) people that put effort into finding the location will usually be a lot more respectful of the environment, and 3) if they are lucky, while they were researching this location, they also found two or three other places to explore, which will also help spread people out.

The second LNT guideline for social media is, I think, just as important as the first: Be Mindful of What Your Images Portray. As social media has been come a part of our everyday life, some trends have become very popular. Almost all of us want our images to inspire people, but we want to make sure it doesn’t encourage them to break the law or destroy the landscape. If a location has a rope/barrier, which includes No Trespassing signs, please stay on the proper side of the barrier, even if it’s blocking access to the best viewpoint. All barriers are there for a reason; some are for your safety, some are to let the environment recover and regrow, and some are there for both. One example of a popular image on social media is one of capturing the view from your campsite. This trend has become popular for good reasons; it allows viewers to imagine themselves camping in that location. But make sure you are following the LNT principles when choosing a campsite. One thing I was taught and has stuck with me is “Great camp sites are found not made.” If you are camping outside of a campground, first make sure you can camp at that location, second, make sure you are on a durable surface and third, make sure you are at least 200’ away from any bodies of water (lakes and streams). One of the most popular images on social media is camping right next to a lake. Yes, these images can be very inspirational, which is the problem because it will and has led to more and more people copying that idea. They think it is ok to camp along the seashore because they have seen other people do it at that exact location or another location. I have also heard the argument “I didn’t really camp there; I just sent up my tent, and other camping gear (which sometimes include a campfire) to take the image, so it’s ok.” I would say NO, it’s not ok because your image portrays this beautiful campsite with this outstanding view and the intention to inspire people. The reason why you are not actually camping at that location is because you know you cannot and should not camp there, but you are not disclosing that to your viewers. Guess what, your image will work but your image is also doing harm to the environment because other people will actually camp at that or similar locations.

Guideline three reminds us all not to just visit these amazing places but to also give back to help make sure they are around for a long time. You can give back in a number of ways, but I have found one of the most rewarding is to volunteer your time. Most parks will have information on their website about how you can volunteer and get involved.

Lastly, the 4 guidelines remind us to encourage and inspire others to follow the LNT principles while they are posting on social media. I had to take a hard look at my own work and ask myself if I follow LNT and if I encourage other people to follow LNT. Once of the main reasons why I decided to write this post is to help educate people on LNT. I strongly believe education will help tremendously. So many people are new to the outdoors and have never heard of LNT and may not know their actions may be hurting the environment they have come to enjoy and love. I hope this post will encourage others to speak out about LNT, which will help spread the word so that the landscape, wildlife, and nature that we enjoy now will be around for generations.

Click here for more information about LNT.

7 Essential Tips for Photographing the Milky Way

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 21:29:14 GMT

7 Essential Tips for Photographing the Milky Way

1) Finding Dark Skies

The first step to photographing the Milky Way is finding a location where the skies are dark enough in order to be able to get a clear view of the Milky Way. One of the best resources I used is Dark Sky Finder. This website shows the light pollution in a given area. I always look at the area I will be visiting to see if it is even possible to photograph the Milky Way, or I look for new areas that have little to no light pollution.

2) Moon Phase

Next, I check the moon phase. The best time is to photograph the Milky Way is during a new moon. During a new moon, the stars and the Milky Way are clearly visible in the sky because the moonlight is not overpowering the dimmer stars, which includes the Milky Way. I also like to photograph the Milky Way during a crescent moon because the moonlight is just enough to illuminate the foreground but does not overpower the Milky Way. A few great apps I use to find the moon phase, when moon will be rising and setting along with the location of the moon in the sky at any given time for your location, are the Photo Pills and The Photographers Ephemeris.

3) Finding the Milky Way

After checking the light pollution and the moon phase, I check for locations where I will be able to view the Milky Way. When most people talk about photographing the Milky Way, they are referring to the galactic core, which is the brightest part of the Milky Way. In the Northern Hemisphere, the galactic core is visible just before sunrise along the horizon starting in late March until just after sunset in late-October. The best months to view the core of the Milky Way are usually between June and August when the core is higher in the sky and visible for most of the night. The core is located next to the constellation Sagittarius, which looks like a tea pot, and the core runs from the spout of the tea pot past the top of the pot. The Milky Way will rise in the southeast and set in the southwest, which makes choosing a southern view the best for photographing the core. To the naked eye, the Milky Way looks like a faint cloud in the night sky.

4) Gear

The camera gear required to photograph the Milky Way is a camera with high ISO capabilities, a fast, wide angle lens, and a tripod. Most modern DSLR/Mirrorless cameras can photograph at high ISO. I usually set my camera at ISO 3200 and adjust it from there as needed. Fast glass (lens) refers to the maximum aperture of the lens. The lower the number F/1.4, F/1.8, F/2.8, F/4 etc. the larger the aperture, resulting in more light being able to pass through your lens to your camera sensor. To photograph the Milky Way, an F/2.8 or faster lens is optimal, but it is possible to use a F/4 lens if it is a very dark area on a moonless night. A wide angle lens 35mm or wider is required to be able to use longer shutter speeds without creating star trails. The wider your focal length, the longer your shutter can be open; the faster your lens, the more light your camera will be able to capture while your shutter is open, resulting in brighter stars and a clearer, more detailed Milky Way image. The last required gear is a sturdy tripod. A tripod is required to prevent your camera from moving during the long exposes required to photograph the Milky Way. Any movement, no matter how slight, will ruin your image, making it unusable.

5) 500 Rule

What is the 500 rule? The 500 rule is 500 divided by your focal length, which will give you the longest your cameras shutter can be open without getting movement in the stars, also known as star trails. For example, if I were photographing the Milky Way at 16mm I would take 500/16mm = 31.25 or 31 seconds. This means at 16mm, I could use a shutter speed of 31 seconds and still have tack sharp stars in my image. If I were to use the focal length of 35mm, it would be 500/35mm = 14.28 or 14 seconds. This is why using a fast wide angle lens is ideal because at wider the focal length, you are able to take advantage of longer shutter speeds. Just remember that if you are using a crop sensor camera, you must multiply your focal length by the crop. For most Nikon and Sony cameras, it’s a 1.5x crop factor, and for most Canons it’s a 1.6x crop factor. This means if I were using a Nikon D7200 at 16mm, I would multiply 16mm X 1.5 = 24mm to adjust for the crop and then use the rule of 500, 500/24mm = 20.8 s or 20 seconds.

Milkyway Cave

6) Focusing in the Dark

Focusing at night can be difficult the first few times you do it, but making sure your lens is focused properly is very important. Usually the first thing people notice is auto focus will not work, so some people believe they can just turn off auto focus and set their camera to infinity, but this is not always the case. Many factors have an effect on your lens, including the temperature, which is why most lenses are able to focus past infinity. The best way to focus once it is already dark is to first turn off auto focus on your lens and/or camera. Then turn on your camera’s live view mode, and look for the brightest star on your camera’s LCD screen. Zoom into that bright star on your LCD screen until it is a large dot on your screen. Next, slowly rotate your lens focus ring until the star becomes the smallest pinpoint possible. If you rotate your focus ring too far, the star will start to appear larger, so slowly rotate your focus ring back until the star returns to its smallest pinpoint possible. Once this is done, I look at my lens, and it should be at or near the lens infinity mark. Lastly, I take a test image and then zoom in on the image to check my exposure, to make sure I do not have any star trails, and to make sure everything is tack sharp. Once I am happy with everything, as an added safety measure, I take a piece of gaffers tape and CAREFULLY tape my focus ring in place to prevent it from accidentally getting bumped during the course of the night.

7) Composition

Even though the Milky Way will be the main element in your image, it shouldn’t be the only element in your image. Remember to add interesting elements to help tell the story of your location. For more photography composition techniques, click here.

Click here for more photo tips!

Photographing Appalachian Mountains: Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 19:54:38 GMT

Photographing Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook

Location: Blue Ridge Parkway

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunset

Popularity: Low

Mile Maker: 44.9 on The Blue Ridge Parkway

With an outstanding southwest view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook is a great spot to enjoy a beautiful sunset while driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

(200mm, F/16, 1/13 sec, ISO 100)

Located at mile marker 44.9 along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook is super easy to access and has an amazing view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Looking southwest over the Buena Vista, VA, this 2,485 foot overlook has a great view of the Apple Orchard Mountain and multiple other mountains and hills as they lead down to the Shenandoah Valley. Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook is located 0.6 miles north from the Humphreys Gap Entrance of the Blue Ridge Parkway just off of US-60, making it super easy to get to. There is no park entrance fee, but this overlook is small, so only a few vehicles are able to park there at any given time.

(70mm, F/16, 1/4sec, ISO 100)

The main outlook facing west is overgrown, which blocks the view, but if you walk to the very southern end of Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook, it has one of the best views in Virginia along the parkway. The Shenandoah Valley and the multiple layers of nearby mountain ranges/hills make Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook an ideal place to photograph the Blue Ridge Mountains (click here for photography tips). Since the main vista looks southwest, this is a great spot for photographing sunsets. From late November through mid-February, you will be able to capture the sun setting from this vantage point. As the earth approaches the spring equinox, through the summer, until just after the fall equinox, the view of the sun setting will be blocked by a ridge directly to the west and trees to the northwest. But during these months, photographers will be able to capture a nice sidelight, which will help add depth and detail in the mountain ranges (click here for composition tips). With it being along the Blue Ridge Parkway, this makes it a great spot to stop and watch the sunset after a day on the trail.

(5 image pano, 110mm, F/16, 1/8sec, ISO 100)

Click here for more photo locations in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Click here for more photo tips.

7 Essential Spring Landscape Photography Tips

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 09:15:08 GMT

7 Essential Spring Landscape Photography Tips

Below are seven essential spring photography tips which will help you take your spring images to the next level and will help you make unique one of a kind images.

1) Rain Gear

The spring rain showers and warmer weather cause nature to come back to life with wonderful wildflowers and rushing waterfalls, but this also means rain gear is vital. Having great rain gear to keep you dry and warm means you will be able to enjoy your time photographing the beautiful landscapes. Keeping your camera dry is also very important. Some higher end cameras have weather sealing, which will help protect them from mist and light rain, but spring can cause some torrential downpours, so I suggest keeping a rain cover in your bag at all times. If you live in places like the Pacific Northwest where it is always raining, then I suggest investing in a nice well-made rain cover. For everyone else, OP/TECH makes a great, affordable option. For less than $7 USD, you receive 2 rain covers that are small, lightweight, and easy to use. I always have one in my bag, and this has helped me get some amazing images in the rain that would have ordinarily forced me to stop shooting or risk ruining my gear.

2) Boots

Mud, mud, mud… mud will be everywhere, so having a great pair of boots will make hiking to your location much easier and safer. Whether it’s to a waterfall or mountain top, photographing spring landscapes will require hiking through mud. I suggest getting a pair of Gore Tex boots to ensure your feet stay dry while slogging through mud puddles or rock-hopping across creeks or rivers.

3) Waterfalls

One of the best times to photograph waterfalls is during the spring. The added water flow from the rain and the snowmelt usually make waterfalls look their best during this season. Just be very careful because this added water also means the rivers/creeks will be moving a lot faster than normal and will easily sweep you and your camera equipment down river. According to the National Parks Service, “Water-related accidents are among the most common cause of death in some of our nation’s most visited parks,” so just be very careful when photographing these spectacular cascades. For waterfall photography tips including how to create silky smooth water click here.

4) Use Flowers in Foreground

Spring flowers help add some wonderful colors to the landscape. During the spring, wildflowers add to the beauty of the landscape by making wonderful foreground interests that can help take your image to the next level.

5) Flowers

Along with being an amazing foreground interest, the flowers themselves make great subjects to photograph. Macro lenses are great for capturing flowers, but if you do not own a macro lens, try using a long or telephoto lens. Using a large aperture F/1.4 - F/4 will help isolate your subject from the background by blurring the background. Also, don’t simply shoot down on the flower, get down low and photograph it from the level of the flower itself, or get below the flower and photograph it against the blue sky. You may have to crouch or lay on the ground to do this, but it is often well worth the effort and will provide a unique perspective in your photos.

6) Look for Fog

Cooler night temperature blowing over the wet landscape from all of the spring rain and snow melt helps form fog, which can help create some unique and dramatic landscape images. Remember when photographing fog, you will have to overexpose your image because the fog usually causes your camera’s light meter to underexpose the scene. If you are in the fog, remember to check your front element for water droplets.

7) Add Wildlife to Your Landscapes

Spring is all about new life; the trees are turning green, flowers are blooming, and newborn animals are running around with their mommas. Adding young animals to your landscape will help tell the whole story of the environment you are photographing. Most animals are usually most active in the morning or late in the evening around sunrise and sunset. Not only is this the best light to photograph landscapes but wildlife as well. Also, photographing an animal within your landscape will add scale to your image, giving your viewers some perspective of the actual size of the trees, mountains, waterfalls, meadows, etc.

Click here for more photo tips!

Pursuit Series: Hunter Mountain, New York

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 14:05:09 GMT

Pursuit Series: Hunter Mountain, New York

June 29-July 1, 2018

I'm excited to announce I will be a photography instructor at The Outbound Collective, Pursuit Series this year. The first event will be held at Hunter Mountain, New York the weekend of June 29- July 1, 2018. Come and experience the breathtaking beauty of New York's Catskill Mountains at Hunter Mountain. With hundreds of glorious acres of waterfalls, forested trails, and lakes for you to explore, and located less than 3 hours outside of New York City. The Pursuit Series is an all inclusive weekend full of great outdoor workshops lead by expert instructors. All meals, nightly open bars, live music, guided activities and field sessions are all included. I will be leading a series of landscape photography workshops throughout the weekend which includes a introduction to night time photography. I hope to see you there!!!

For more information and to sign up click here!

Pursuit Series: Bear Valley, California

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 14:03:49 GMT

Pursuit Series: Bear Valley, CA

August 10-12, 2018

I'm excited to announce I will be a photography instructor at The Outbound Collective, Pursuit Series this year. The second event will be held in Bear Valley, California, the weekend of August 10-12, 2018. With over 1,600 acres of trails, lakes, rocks, and meadows at your fingertips, you'll quickly realize why the Sierra Nevada mountains are a true multi-sport mecca. You'll find this amazing location conveniently located between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, and an easy drive from anywhere in the Bay Area. The Pursuit Series is an all inclusive weekend full of great outdoor workshops lead by expert instructors. All meals, nightly open bars, live music, guided activities and field sessions are all included. I will be leading a series of landscape photography workshops throughout the weekend which includes a introduction to night time photography. I am very excited about this workshop because Bear Valley is like a second home to me. I use to spend nine weeks every summer working at a Boy Scout Camp less than 10 minutes down the road from Bear Valley. As a result I know all of the best locations to take amazing photographs. This area of Northern California really is a hidden gem and I hope to see you there!!!

For more information and to sign up click here!

6 Reasons Why You Should Use a Telephoto Lens for Landscape Photography

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 20:00:00 GMT

6 Reasons Why You Should Use a Telephoto Lens for Landscape Photography

When most people start out taking landscape photos, they think they need to get a wide angle lens in order to capture the whole landscape. When I bought my first DSLR, I was one of those people. I made sure I had a wide angle lens because I knew I mostly wanted to photograph landscapes from my adventures, and that’s what everyone told me I required to get the job done. For YEARS I photographed landscapes from my adventures only using my 18-55mm kit lens. Like most people, I would hike to the top of a mountain and want to photograph the entire grand vista in a single frame. It wasn’t until years later, when I started to take photography more seriously and really started to look other photographers' work, I noticed most of the images I liked were taken with a telephoto lens. Below are 6 reasons why you should also consider caring a telephoto lens in your bag:

1) Perspective

What is perspective, and how does it work in photography? First, objects will appear larger in the frame as you get closer to them, and foreground objects such as rocks, bushes, trees, etc. will appear larger in the frame than objects father away such as mountain ranges or sea stacks. A wide angle lens has a wild angle of view, which exaggerates this effect. This means when you use a wide angle lens, the small rocks you are standing on or the tree you are standing beside will appear enormous while the mountain ranges will practically disappear in your image. The below image was taken at 24mm, and since I was only a few feet away from the rocks on the right side of the frame, they look just as large if not bigger than 14,000' Longs Peak in the distance. A telephoto lens has a more narrow angle of view, which helps reduce this effect and compresses the foreground and background. This compression helps make the background elements more prominent in the image.

2) K.I.S.S.

Most successful landscape images are simple and have a clear subject. When I am photographing landscape images, I try to remind myself of the acronym K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Using a telephoto lens will help reduce the distractions of a grand vista by allowing you to pick out interesting details and subjects in the scene. The below image was taken at 120mm, which helped me isolate and draw the viewer's interest to the below group of trees from the rest if the wide vista. Using my telephoto lens also helped me fill the frame and show all of the different mountain layers. The second image was taken from the same location at 20mm; the image is busy, and the mountains are less prominent.

3) Composition

When I first arrive to a place I want to photograph, before I even get out my camera and set up my tripod, I look for a great composition while remembering K.I.S.S. When I have a hard time finding a clear composition because everything is too busy, I pull out my camera and put on my telephoto lens. A telephoto lens helps me to isolate and add prominence to the main subject while also adding layers (which adds depth), patterns, textures, etc. to the image. A wide angle lens usually needs a strong foreground element like a rock, flowers, a tree, etc. for the image to work. A telephoto lens will also help you exclude uninteresting foreground elements. The below image was taken at 105mm; this particular location has an outstanding but busy vista. I took out my telephoto lens, isolating this section of mountain ridges. By filling the frame with the mountains, it helped me add prominence to the mountain ridges, which helps show the viewer what is important in the frame. For more photography composition techniques click here.

4) Blue Boring Skies

Clear, blue skies make for a great day of hiking and exploring, but they also make boring pictures. Usually, the best time to photograph landscapes is around sunrise and sunset. If there are clouds in the sky during these times of day, they can reflect some light creating breathtaking views and photographs. But what do you do if there are no clouds in the sky? Instead of filling 1/3 or ½ your frame with an empty blue sky, use your telephoto lens, and find some interesting details near the horizon. As the sun nears the horizon, it usually creates some color in the sky just above the horizon, and a telephoto lens will help you fill part of the frame with this beautiful color. Or you can find a composition that excludes the sky altogether while being able to take full advantage of that beautiful light.

5) No Foreground Interest

Most wide angle landscape pictures work really well when there is a clear and strong foreground element like a rock, flowers, a tree, a lake, etc. When there isn’t a great foreground element that will add to the image, this is another great time to use a telephoto lens. A telephoto lens will also help you exclude uninteresting foreground elements that will distract the viewer from the subject. The below two images were taken on the same morning in the same location. The first image was taken at 20mm, and the second was taken at 105mm. There wasn't a strong foreground interest to help anchor the image, so I put on my telephoto lens and took the second image using the valleys as leading lines and filled the frame with the mountains.

6) Reduce Camera Shake

When using your telephoto lens, any minute vibration will be magnified and cause your image to lose a sharp focus. To mitigate this, make sure you have a sturdy tripod, and use a cable release or your camera’s self timer. The below image was taken at 150mm, I used the above techniques to make sure this image was tack sharp.

To keep building your photography knowledge and to keep from repeating the same tips over and over again, I also recommend you quickly read 7 Essential Landscape Photography Tips. This is full of great tips that will help take your photography to the next level, and both articles will also help you improve your landscape photographs.

Click here to lean more photography tips.

Photographing Shenandoah NP: Little Stony Man

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 22:54:24 GMT

Photographing Little Stony Man

Location: Shenandoah National Park: Central District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Sunset, Landscape

Popularity: High

Distance: 0.9 miles out and back

(Facing Northwest, 24mm, 1/20sec, F/16, ISO 100)

To reach Little Stony Man, also known as Stony Man Cliffs, park at Little Stony Man parking area located at mile marker 39.1 along Skyline Drive. This is a VERY small parking area and can fill up fast because it only fits 6-10 vehicles. Don’t worry if the parking lot is full; drive 0.4 mile north along Skyline Drive to the Stony Man Overlook located at mile marker 38.7. The Stony Man Overlook is large and has lots of parking spots. No matter what location in which you park, to reach Little Stony Man just hop on the AT, and head south.

(Facing Northwest, 35mm, 1/10sec, F/16, ISO 100)

From the Little Stony Man parking area, it is about 0.9 miles to the outlook, and you will gain about 400 feet in elevation. Follow the trail from the parking lot to the Appalachian Trail (AT). Once on the AT, turn left (south), following the white blazes of the AT as it winds up the mountain. About 0.3 miles up the trail, you will reach a trail junction to an overlook that is just off the trail (marked with sign). I usually skip this overlook because the main overlook is a lot better and less than 0.25 miles up the trail. Just before you reach the top of Little Stony Man, the AT makes a 180 degree turn as you crest the summit, revealing the beautiful vista. Little Stony Man is a rocky cliff that offers an outstanding western-facing view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley, making it an ideal location to photograph the sunset.

(Facing North, 105mm, 1/6sec, F/16, ISO 100)

Photographing Little Stony Man is awesome because of the ability to take so many different types of images. With unobstructed views from the southwest through the north, you are able to photograph the sun setting no matter the time of year. To the southwest is a view of Stony Man Mountain, the second tallest mountain in Shenandoah National Park. To the west is a view of the mountains as they lead to the Shenandoah Valley, and to the north is an outstanding view of the multiple mountain ranges that make up the North District of Shenandoah National Park (for landscape photo tips, click here). There are also a couple of rocks spires that pop out of the cliff face, which can be used as a foreground element. The rocks also form a small shallow pool at the base of one of the rock formations and fills with water after rainstorms, which can also add a cool reflection to your image. The AT also runs right next to these rock formations, which could also be used as a leading line to the mountain ridges in the background (click here for more landscape composition techniques).

(Facing Southwest, 30mm, 1/2sec, F/16, ISO 100)

The outstanding view plus a short hike makes Little Stony Man a very popular hike, especially during peak season. The trail is moderately difficult, but since the trail switches back up the mountain, the trail steadily climbs to the outlook. Kids should be able to hike to the point with no problem, and dogs are allowed on this trail making it a fun adventure for the whole family. My six and three year olds hiked to the view point and back with no problem. Remember: if you are going to photograph the sunset, bring a flash light with you for the return trip. To return to your vehicle, follow the AT back down the mountain (north) to your vehicle. If you continue to follow the AT south, it will lead you to the top of Stony Man Mountain.

To learn more landscape photography tips click here.

To find more locations to Photograph in Shenandoah National Park click here.

Photographing Shenandoah NP: Spitler Knoll Overlook

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 22:28:25 GMT

Spitler Knoll Overlook

Location: Shenandoah National Park: Central District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Sunset, Landscape

Popularity: High

Mile Maker: 48 on Skyline Drive

Spitler Knoll Overlook is a great place to enjoy sunsets because, unlike most other places in the Shenandoah, Spitler Knoll is a large grassy hillside leading down to views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley.

(24mm, 1.3sec, F/11, ISO 100)

The Spitler Knoll is one of 72 overlooks for people to enjoy as they travel through Shenandoah National Park along Skyline Drive. Skyline Drive is the road that winds through the heart of Shenandoah National Park, starting at Front Royal in the north and ending at Rockfish Gap in the south. This 105 mile long road offers great views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains and valleys while simultaneously offering photographers the chance to glimpse the outstanding scenery of Shenandoah. Spitler Knoll Overlook is located at mile marker 48 along Skyline Drive in the Central District of Shenandoah. It is also 3 miles north of Big Meadows, and because the overview looks west, it allows viewers to enjoy the amazing sunsets while in Shenandoah National Park. The quickest way to reach this outlook is through the Thornton Gap entrance off of Route 211 if you’re traveling from the north or the Swift Run Gap entrance off of Route 33 if you are traveling from the South.

(22mm, 0.5sec, F/8, ISO 100)

At an elevation of 3285 feet, Spitler Knoll Overlook has a gorgeous view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley. The proximity of Spitler Knoll to Big Meadows campground makes this a very popular spot in Shenandoah, but most people never leave the pull off. Climbing over the stone wall will allow you to walk around this very large grassy knoll until you find the perfect composition (click here to lean some photography composition tips). The knoll is a ideal place from which to photograph because each season of the year will allow you capture different foreground elements. The Spilter Knoll view to the southwest, in my opinion, is the best view because you are able you capture multiple layers, which can include: the mountain where Big Meadows Camp Ground is located, some rolling hills that lead to the Shenandoah Valley, as well as Massanutten. Looking west to north is a view of the Shenandoah Valley and Massanutten Mountain Range. Around the winter solstice, December 21, the sun sets in the southwest behind the mountain where Big Meadows Camp Ground is located. There are also a few trees spread out throughout the knoll, which can make a wonderful foreground element, and with the right angle, you are able to capture a lone tree image (click here for some landscape photography tips).

(26mm, 3sec, F/16, ISO 100)

To learn more landscape photography tips click here.

To learn about more locations in to Photograph in Shenandoah National Park click here.

Favorite Images From 2017

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 16:45:26 GMT

Favorite Images of 2017

With the year starting off with a great snowfall that covered the landscape with its beautiful fluffy white snow, it’s only fitting that 2017 should end with a snow, once again covering most of the east coast. This past year has been another great year for my family and me. I got to explore areas of the east coast that I have never been but have been on my bucket list of places to explore and photograph. One of those places was Falling Spring Falls in Virginia’s Allegheny County. This is one of the prettiest waterfalls in Virginia as well as on the east coast, and if you have not been to this waterfall, it is well worth the trip. My family and I also continue to photograph and explore areas of Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway, hiking through some of the best terrain in Virginia.

During the summer, my family and I traveled back to California to visit my family. It was great to see my family, and while there, I made a trip through the Sierra Mountains, which included stops at Alpine Lake, Big Trees, Desolation Wilderness, Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe and gold panning at Coloma. It was great to finally see the lakes and reservoir filled to the brim with water alongside the snowy mountain peaks.

The fall season out here on the east coast was very interesting this year. In some areas it came very early, and other areas it came VERY late. While photographing areas in West Virginia, fall colors would be peaking in one area, but the next valley over would still be 90% green. One of my favorite trips I took this fall was a camping trip with my sons to Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia. This is one of my favorite areas to explore and photograph, and I was able to capture some amazing images on this trip, including my favorite image that I took this year atop Twin Pinnacles Trail. 2017 was a great year, and I looking forward to the adventures of 2018. Below are my 15 favorite images from this year. Click the link below each image to read more about the location, which includes some helpful photo tips.

Click here for photography tips for photographing Devils Knob Overlook

Click here for photography tips for photographing Falling Spring Falls

Click here for photography tips on photographing 20 Minute Cliff Overlook

Click here for photography tips on photographing Range View Overlook

Click here for photography tips on photographing Dana Fork

Click here for photography tips on photographing Lake Tahoe's Inspiration Point

Yosemite Falls from Swinging Bridge

Click here for photography tips on photographing Beauty Mountain Trail

Click here for photographing tips on photographing Humpback Rock

Click here for photography tips on photographing Babcock State Park

Click here for photography tips on photographing The Point Overlook

Click here for photography tips on photographing Sugarland Overlook

Click here for photography tips on photographing Wilburn Ridge

Click here for photography tips on photographing Twin Pinnacles Trail

Click here for photography tips on photographing Buck Hollow Overlook

7 Essential Winter Landscape Photography Tips

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Sun, 10 Dec 2017 22:35:01 GMT

7 Essential Winter Landscape Photography Tips

1) Timing

Like most other aspects of landscape photography, timing is everything when photographing winter landscape. As a landscape photographer, sometimes I feel like I have become a meteorologist because I am always watching the weather to try and predict the best conditions to photograph a location. For winter landscapes, usually the best conditions are just after a snowfall. Winter landscapes typically look their best after that fresh blanket of snow covers the scenery. Photographing during a snow storm can be difficult because snowflakes will land on the front of your lens, creating water spots. If you are photographing while it is snowing, make sure you have a microfiber cloth with you to remove all of the snowflakes and water drops from your lens. Also, weather during the winter can quickly change, so make sure you check it again right before you leave for safety reasons and to make sure the conditions are what you are hoping to photograph.

2) Over Expose Your Image

Photographing snow and ice can be very tricky because all of the white tones your camera views as you photograph the snowy landscape. Without getting into too many technical details, your camera wants to make everything 18% gray. It will see all of that amazing white and bright snow and will under expose the image, resulting in gray snow and ice in your image. To help prevent gray snow and ice, you will have to take control of your camera and overexpose your image by 1-2 stops of light, which will allow you to capture the proper white tones. Make sure you look at your histogram because you want to make sure you capture all of the details in the snow and ice. If you have a spike along the right edge of your histogram, then lower the exposure until your histogram is as far to the right as possible without any spikes along the edge. Doing this will help you capture white snow and ice.

3) Think before You Walk

Pristine snow can really help set the mood of isolation and foot prints in the snow, especially if there are a lot, can spoil this feeling, so think ahead about the composition you would like to capture before walking all over the place. To help prevent this, I work wide to small. When I first arrive at a location and am looking for a composition, I first stop and think about what elements drew me to this location and where do I need to be to best capture these elements. As I move around looking for the best composition, I slowly walk in a wide arch trying to disturb as little snow as possible and making sure I do not disturb any snow in the area I want to photograph. Once I’ve captured my wide angle image(s) I slowing move in, still walking in a wide arch, looking for other winter landscape compositions and detail images to capture.

4) Details

While capturing the grand winter landscape is a lot of fun, to help tell the whole story, remember to capture the detail images as well. Look for interesting subjects that will add to the story of the day’s adventure. Details can be anything including snow on tree branches, pinecones, or icicles on rocks. Usually when I am photographing detail images, I will use a large aperture (f/2.8 – 4), which will help blur the background making the subject stand out. And if your lucky you might have a cardinal land on the branch you are photographing.

5) Polarizer Filter

A circular polarizer (CP) filter is an essential tool to have in your camera bag year around, but it is very helpful when photographing winter landscapes. Most beginner landscape photographers use a circular polarizer (CP) filter only to enhance the color of the sky, but it can also be used to darken the sky and can remove the glare from the snow. Darkening the sky while removing the glare of the surface of the snow can help add some much needed contrast to your images, especially if you are thinking about converting the final image into black and white. If you want to capture the snow and ice around waterfalls, most CP filters also block 1- 2 stops of light, which will slow the shutter speed allowing you to create the smooth water effect.

6) Dress for Success

Staying warm and dry are very important because the truth is that landscape photographers sit around a location for hours waiting for the perfect light. If you are cold or wet, it may force you to leave early, which could lead to you miss a beautiful sunrise or sunset. Dressing in layers is very important especially if you have to hike to a location, and never wear cotton as a base layer. In fact, you should just leave your cotton cloths at home. A rule I was taught in the military while going though survivor training was to stay comfortably cool while hiking. This will help keep you from sweating, which in turn will help keep you dry. Once you get to your location, you can start adding layers back as your body cools down from the hike. If you are not comfortable, you will become miserable, and you will not enjoy the experience of being out photographing winter landscapes; besides being miserable, being cold and wet could lead to more serious issues like hyperthermia, so please dress appropriately.

Also, batteries and the cold do not mix very well, which means your camera battery will not last as long as normal. If you have a spare battery, bring it with you and keep it in an inside pocket, close to your body to keep it warm. If your camera battery does die, usually if you warm it back up, you are able to get a few more pictures out of it. Another trick is to put your battery next to your hand warmer, which allows you to stay warm while keeping your battery ready to go.

7) Protect your gear

After you are done getting amazing winter landscapes, DO NOT bring your camera and glass (lens) back into a warm room or vehicle, this can cause condensation to form on or inside your camera and glass. When traveling home, do not blast your heater as soon as you get into the vehicle, but instead, slowly raise the temperature as this will help prevent condensation from forming. If you must blast your heater as soon as you get into your vehicle or are heading directly into a warm room, put your camera and glass into a zip lock bag or dry bag beforehand. This way, any condensation that forms will be on the outside of the bag and not on or in your gear.

Sunrise at Great Falls National Park

To keep building your photography knowledge and to keep from repeating the same tips over and over again, I also recommend you quickly read 7 Essential Landscape Photography Tips and 7 Essential Landscape Photography Competition Techniques. Both are full of great tips that will help take your photography to the next level, and both articles will also help you improve your winter landscape photographs.

Photographing Appalachian Mountains: Humpback Rock

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 04:50:25 GMT

Photographing Humpback Rock

Location: Blue Ridge Parkway

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunrise and Sunset

Popularity: High

Mile Maker: 5.8 on The Blue Ridge Parkway

Distance: 2.0 miles out and back

With views to the north, east and west, Humpback Rock provides photographers a stunning panoramic view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains and is a great location to photograph both sunrise and sunset.

(East, 19mm, F/16, 1/20 sec, ISO 100)

Located at mile marker 5.8 along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the trail head for Humpback Rock is super easy to access. There is no park entrance fee, and the parking lot at the trail head has plenty of parking spots. Since Humpback Rock is located so close to Interstate 64, and because it is short hike with an amazing view, Humpback Rock is one of the more popular hikes in central Virginia. The trail is short but steep, gaining over 800’ over the course of the mile from the trail head to the top of the rocks. The trail is well maintained and very easy to follow. To reach Humpback Rock, just follow the blue blazes at they lead from the parking lot to the rock outlook. Once you reach Humpback Rock, there are plenty of places for you to spread out along the rocks, which is great because unlike most other hikes I’ve done in Virginia, I have never had this view to myself. No matter the time of day or weather conditions, which includes snow, there has always been a group of people with me at the rock outcropping. UVA students love to hike Humpback Rock at sunrise, so your best chance to have the view to yourself is at sunrise when UVA is on a break. Luckily, this massive greenstone outcropping is so large that it is easy to compose your image to exclude the other hikers, if you choose to do (click here for essential landscape photography tips).

(North, 70mm, F/11, 0.4 sec, ISO 100)

Humpback Rock’s 3,080’ outlook offers photographers some outstanding views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. The view to the north is of the Afton Mountain and the Southern District of Shenandoah National Park, the east captures views of the gorgeous rolling Piedmont Hills as they lead toward Charlottesville, and the view to the west overlooks the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, Cellar Mountain and Elliott’s Knob. The view to the south looks down along the Blue Ridge Parkway as it winds through the Blue Ridge Mountains toward Wintergreen, but it is blocked by the summit of Humpback Mountain. There are a few areas on which you are able to scramble to get a southwest view, if desired. Once at the top of the rocks, take a few minutes to scramble around the rocks to find a great composition (click here for landscape photo composition tips).

(East, 55mm, F/16, 1/20 sec, ISO 100)

The rocks can be used as a foreground element. Photographers are able to capture multiple layers of the Blue Ridge Mountain ranges rather than just one or two ranges when looking north toward Shenandoah. The exposed greenstone on top of the outlook works well as a foreground element or a leading line, which can help add layers and depth to your image. The wide range in views makes finding and photographing the perfect light easier. Photographers are not limited to only facing one direction, allowing photographers to take full advantage of the light in almost every direction. Humpback Rock allows photographers the ability to take advantage of different types of light (front, side, and back) cast on the mountain ranges to capture the pictures they envisioned without hiking miles to a new location and possibly missing the perfect light. This is also a perfect spot for photographers to capture stunning sunrise and sunset pictures year around because of the view from the northeast to the southeast and the northwest to the southwest.

(Northeast, 16mm, F/16, 1/30 sec, ISO 100)

Once you are done enjoying the views, follow the trail back down to your vehicle. If you are photographing sunrise or sunset, remember to bring your head lamp.

Click here for more photography tips!

Click here for more photo adventures in the Appalachians Mountains!

Click Here for photo adventures in Shenandoah National Park!

Photographing Appalachian Mountains: Babcock State Park

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 03:53:34 GMT

Photographing Babcock State Park

Location: Babcock State Park, West Virginia

Best time of year to photograph: Spring, Summer, and Fall

Subject Focus: Grist Mill, Landscape, Nature, Sunrise, Sunset

Popularity: High

Babcock State Park is one of 36 state parks in West Virginia and is located just southeast of Fayetteville, WV. The main attraction of Babcock State Park is the Glade Creek Grist Mill, which is located on the banks of Glade Creek. There is a large parking lot across the creek from the grist mill, making it very assessable. This parking lot is also for the state park information area and gift shop. Right below the Glad Creek Grist Mill, there are some waterfalls with the tallest at about 10 feet tall. The easiest way to the base of the falls is to walk through the parking lot toward the building where you will find stone stairs the lead down to the creek. Depending on the level of the creek, there are some rocks you are able to scramble on to help find a composition (click here for landscape composition tips).

( View near parking area, 35mm, F/11, 1.3 sec, ISO 100)

To take the more iconic image of the Glade Creek Grist Mill, you will need to cross to the other side of Glade Creek. Next to the Glade Creek Grist Mill is a bride that makes crossing the creek very easy. After walking across the bridge, turn right passed the grist mill, and follow the road about 400 feet until the stone wall ends. If the road enters the forest, you have gone about 25 feet too far. From here, you will need a telephoto lens to shoot back up the creek. On a full frame camera, I personally found between 90mm to 100mm is perfect to incorporate the waterfalls and the Glade Creek Grist Mill in my composition (click here for essential landscape photo tips) . From this location, just behind you is a dam. This dam creates a pool, which is great for capturing reflections of the gristmill. From this location, you will also be facing south, so during the morning, you will be able to capture beautiful side light as the sun slowly rises around the surrounding mountains. Since this location is very easy to get to, it can be very popular. I found that photographing the Glade Creek Grist Mill at sunrise helped me avoid the crowds. To help get to the Glade Creek Grist Mill for sunrise, think about camping at in Babcock State Park.

(90mm, F/11, 3 sec, ISO 100)

The campground has 51 campsites for tents and is open from the last weekend in April through October 31. The campground is dog friendly, making it ideal to bring the whole family. I like to camp on the outside of the loop because, even though you are still able to see the neighbors, it doesn't feel like they are right next to you. The camp sites also have plenty of room to set up your tent, have picnic tables to cook and eat, and have fire rings for camp fires to make s’mores. The campgrounds do have bathrooms, showers, laundry facilities and (as of 2017) cost 25 USD per night.

(100mm, F/14, 4 sec, ISO 100)

Another great thing about camping in the Babcock State Park is the location! It is close to some amazing places and is a great spot for a base camp while you are out exploring and photographing the New River Gorge and the surrounding mountains. Babcock State Park also has over 4,000 acres to explore, making it a great place to camp while you explore this beautiful area. Just outside the park, there are a lot of hiking trails in and around the New River Gorge, which includes another one of my favorite hikes, Beauty Mountain Trail (click here for details). For more information about camping at Babcock State Park, including how to reserve a camp spot, click here.

Click here to find more adventure in the Appalachian Mountains!

Click here for some photography tips!

Photographing Appalachian Mountains: Falling Spring Falls

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 00:49:32 GMT

Photographing Falling Spring Falls

Location: Alleghany County, Virginia

Best time of year to photograph: Spring and Fall

Subject Focus: Waterfalls, Landscape, Nature, Sunset

Popularity: High

Distance: 0.25 miles Out and Back

One of the prettiest waterfalls in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Falling Spring Falls is a perfect place to spend an afternoon. Falling Spring Falls is located in Alleghany County just north of the town of Covington. To reach the falls, take US 60 off of Interstate 64, then follow US 220 North for just over 9 miles until you reach the falls, which you can see from the road on the left hand side. Just past the falls is a parking lot and a picnic area.

(20mm, F/20, 3sec, ISO 100)

One of the best view of Falling Spring Falls and a great location for sunset is the vista next to the road. There is a well-maintained sidewalk that leads about 300 feet from the parking lot to this overlook. The Falling Spring Falls Overlook faces north and provides the photographer a side view of the 80’ tall waterfall with the Appalachian Mountains as the back drop (click here for some photography tips). Because of the steep terrain and surrounding trees, there is really only one angle from this location, but it is outstanding. There is a stone that I like to put my tripod on to help get my camera a little higher over the bushes growing on the side of the mountain, so I can capture an unobstructed view of Falling Spring Falls. At sunset, you can capture the last rays of light hitting the waterfall and get some beautiful golden side light on the Appalachian Mountains in the background of your image. Side light will held add shape and depth to the multiple mountain ridges as they roll off into the distance.

(35mm, F/11, 1/2 sec, ISO 100)

While you are waiting for sunset, I suggest you follow the path down to the base of Falling Spring Falls. The trail head is located on the west side of the parking lot (side closest to the overlook). The trail is steep in some areas but is very easy to follow. Once at the base of Falling Spring Falls, make sure you take a few minutes to explore the area to find a great composition (click here for photography composition tips). Unlike the overlook, there are numerous places to photograph the waterfall, including from behind it. The top of Falling Spring Falls has enough of a ledge that you are able to stand behind the waterfall, which you can use to help create some unique images. If you would like some waterfall photography tips, including how to create capture silky smooth water, click here.

(35mm, F/11, 2sec, ISO 100)

Also, remember to bring your swimsuit; there are some awesome swimming holes both at the base of the falls and near the top of the falls.

(70mm, F/16, 2 sec, ISO 100)

Click here to find more Adventures in the Appalachian Mountains.

Click here for more Photography Tips!

Photographing Shenandoah NP: Charlottesville Reservoir

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 22:38:27 GMT

Photographing Charlottesville Reservoir

Location: Shenandoah National Park: Southern District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Sunrise, Landscape, Nature

Popularity: High

Charlottesville Reservoir offers a unique view of the Blue Ridge Mountains that you will not find anywhere else in the Shenandoah National Park.

(30mm, F/16, 0.6sec, ISO 100)

The reservoir is located in the Piedmont Hills just outside the city of Charlottesville, Virginia. So technically Charlottesville Reservoir is not in Shenandoah National Park, but it is only a few feet outside of the park, and it has an outstanding view of the Blue Ridge Mountains that make up the Southern District of Shenandoah National Park.

(31mm, F/16, 0.5sec, ISO 100)

To reach Charlottesville Reservoir, known locally as Sugar Hollow Reservoir, from Interstate 64, take US 29 North to Barracks Road. Follow Barracks Road (Route 601) for 11 miles until it turns into Sugar Hollow Road (Route 614). Follow Sugar Hollow Road for 5 miles until you reach the Reservoir. I like to park at the dam and then walk down to the lake. This side of the lake provides an outstanding view of the mountains including Turk Mountain. I like to walk along the edge of the lake until I find a composition (click here to lean some photography composition tips). The level of the lake changes as the water level rises and falls, making each trip unique. This will allow you to create different compositions as the shore line changes.

(150mm, F/16, 0.5sec, ISO 100)

The Charlottesville Reservoir is a great location for sunrise. Usually in the early morning, the wind is calm, which will allow you to capture a reflection of the mountains in the water. When looking at the mountains from the dam, you will be facing west, which means the sun will be rising behind you. As the sun slowly rises, it will illuminate the mountain ridges with soft, beautiful golden light (click here for some landscape photography tips).

(86mm, F/10, 1/6sec, ISO 100)

If you would like to capture the sun rising, you can either hike to the far side of the lake, or you could continue to drive past the dam for 0.5 miles to the Sugar Hollow Trail Head parking area. From there, follow the trail down to the reservoir, and then hike along the shore line until you find your composition. This side of the reservoir provides a great view of the Piedmont Hills surrounding Charlottesville and the lower end of the valley formed by the Moorman River.

If you would like to photograph Charlottesville Reservoir from Shenandoah National Park, one of the best locations is Moorman River Overlook along Skyline Drive. Click here for some photography tips from Moorman River Overlook.

Click Here for photo adventures in Shenandoah National Park!

Click here for more photo adventures in the Appalachians Mountains!

Photographing Appalachian Mountains: Wilburn Ridge

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 01:48:06 GMT

Photographing Wilburn Ridge

Location: Grayson Highland State Park, Virginia

Best time of year to photograph: Spring, Summer, and Fall

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunrise

Popularity: High

Distance: 2.0 Loop

Grayson Highland State Park is full of some amazing trails that lead hikers to some of the best views in Virginia, and hiking along Wilburn Ridge is one of my favorite hikes in the park and has some amazing 360 degrees views.

To reach the trail head, park in the Massie Gap Parking Lot. This is the parking lot for most of the trails in the park, so it can fill up very quickly, but you are able to park along the side of the road. Massie Gap as two parking areas: one intended for overnight hikers and one for day hikers. Once parked, make your way over to the Rhododendron Trail Head. If you park in the overnight parking lot, follow the left trail for 0.2 mile until you reach the Rhododendron Trail Head. If you park in the day parking area, walk across the grass field to the Rhododendron Trail Head. Once on the Rhododendron Trail, follow it up the mountain for 0.5 miles until you reach the Appalachian Trail (AT). At 0.3 miles, the Rhododendron Trail meets the Horse Trail North; stay left at this junction. The Rhododendron Trail is the steepest part of the loop, but because the trail winds up the mountain, it not unmanageable. Right before you reach the AT, hikers will enter the highlands and have some great views. If you are in luck, you might see a wild pony. Some of the ponies may come up to you looking for food, but please help keep the ponies wild and do not feed or pet them (Leave No Trace).

At the junction of the AT, turn right and follow it north for 0.5 miles. This section of the AT is called Wilburn Ridge. It had a lot of rock piles for hikers to explore. Also, if you like rock climbing or bouldering, there are a lot of great spots to climb along Wilburn Ridge. There are three main rock piles spread out along the ridge, all of which offer outstanding 360 degree views of the surrounding Appalachian Mountains. On clear days, hikers can see over 70 miles away. I personally like the view from the third rock pile, and it usually isn’t as crowded as the first two. In fact, I often have the whole rock pile to myself. The best view is to the East making this an ideal place to watch the sunrise beehive the Blue Ridge Mountains. The rocks can easily be used as a foreground element to add some texture to your images. This view has so many mountain ranges and valleys, which could be used to add layers and depth to your images. Since it has a 360 degree view you will be able to capture the sun rising not matter the time of year. If you hiking or scouting this location later in the day anywhere along Wilburn Ridge is a great place to stop and eat lunch/snack while taking in the amazing views.

Once you are done exploring Wilburn Ridge, hop back on the AT heading north until you reach the Appalachian Spur Trail. Turn right on to the Appalachian Spur Trail, and follow it down the mountain for 0.8 miles until you reach the Massie Gap Overnight Parking Lot. If you parked in the day parking lot, turn right and follow the trail for 0.2 miles, then walk back across the grass field to your vehicle, completing the 2.0 mile loop.

This is a great hike for the whole family; dogs on leashes are allowed on this trail. If you have young children, this would also be a great hike from them. My two sons loved exploring and climbing on the rocks, but the highlight of this trail was seeing the wild ponies.

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Photographing Appalachian Mountains: Twin Pinnacles Trail

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 01:47:46 GMT

Photographing Twin Pinnacles Trail

Location: Grayson Highland State Park, Virginia

Best time of year to photograph: Spring, Summer, and Fall

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunset

Popularity: High

Distance: 1.6 Loop

Located in Grayson Highland State Park, the Twin Pinnacles Trail has some amazing west-facing outlooks, which are great for photographing the sunset.

To reach the trail head, park in the Visitor Center parking lot, walk up the hill to the Visitor Center, and follow the walkway to the left of the building until you reach the Twin Pinnacles Trail. The trail is a 1.6 mile loop and gains about 600 feet in elevation. The trail is well-marked and easy to follow, but just past the trail head, the trail splits because it is a loop; both will take you to the outlooks, but the faster way to the views is the left trail. Follow the red blazes for 0.3 miles until you reach Little Pinnacles, located on the left side of the trail. In my opinion, this is best outlook of the hike. Little Pinnacles Outlook has a few rocks that you can scramble up to help get above some of the plants and trees for an unobstructed view to the west and southwest. But the view from the base of the rocks is also outstanding. The rocks can easily be used as a foreground element to add some texture to your images. This view has so many mountain ranges and valleys, which could be used to add layers and depth to your images. Little Pinnacles is an ideal location for photographing sunsets because of the views to the west and southwest.

To reach the second outlook at Big Pinnacles, follow the trail along the ridge line for another 0.1 miles, and it will be located on the left side of the trail right before the trail begins to descend. Big Pinnacles is not as large of an outlook as Little Pinnacles (ironically enough), but it also has some rocks to scramble up to get an unobstructed view of the Highlands and Wilburn Ridge to the north. And once again, the rocks can easily be used as a foreground element to add some texture to your images.

To complete the loop, follow the trail down past Big Pinnacles. In 0.3 miles, the Twin Pinnacles Trail meets the Big Pinnacles Trail. Stay right at the junction, and continue to follow the Twin Pinnacles Trail for 0.9 miles as it slowly heads down the mountain and loops back to the Visitor Center, completing the 1.6 mile loop. If you are going to be photographing the sunset, remember to bring a headlamp or flashlight for the hike back to your vehicle. Also, if you are like me and have small kids, this is an outstanding beginner hike for them. It’s short, not too steep, and has two great vistas for them to enjoy.

An alternate route to reach the Twin Pinnacles Outlooks is via the Big Pinnacle Trail. This route is a 2.4 mile hike, which is great for people looking to stretch their legs a bit more. To reach the Big Pinnacle Trail Head, park at the Massie Gap Day Parking area, and then follow the road west (away from Massie Gap) until you reach the trail head located on the left side of the road. Follow the Big Pinnacles Trail for 0.4 miles until it intersects with the Twin Pinnacles Trail. The trail to the right will lead you to the Outlooks faster. From the junction, follow the trail 0.3 miles until you reach Big Pinnacles Outlook. Continue along the Twin Pinnacles Trail, following the ridge line for 0.1 miles until you reach Little Pinnacles Outlook. Follow the Twin Pinnacles Trail for 0.3 miles until the trail splits. If you would like to stop at the Visitor Center, turn right, but if not, turn left and continue to follow the Twin Pinnacles Trail for 0.9 mile until you reach the Big Pinnacles Trail junction. Turn right at the junction, and follow the Big Pinnacles Trail 0.4 miles back to your vehicle, completing the 2.4 mile loop.

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Photographing Appalachian Mountains: Sugarland Overlook

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 21:03:33 GMT

Photographing Sugarland Overlook

Location: Grayson Highlands State Park, Virginia

Best time of year to photograph: Spring, Summer, and Fall

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunrise

Popularity: High

Located just inside the park entrance of Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia, Sugarland Overlook provides an outstanding easterly view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Sugarland Overlook is located about a mile up from the ranger station and is on the right hand side of the road. Sugarland Overlook is easy to access and has a lot of parking spots for visitors to enjoy the amazing view. There is a small park fee to enter the park, but the views and hiking trails make it worth it. The overlook is large, which will allow photographers to spread out. Since it provides an outstanding northeast to east view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains, it makes this location ideal to photograph the sun rising behind the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Outlook is named Sugarland because of the many sugar maple trees that are visible from the outlook. The view to the east has multiple valleys and mountains ridges, which will help add depth to your images. After photographing the sunset, make sure you check out some of the amazing trails in the park.

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Photographing Appalachian Mountains: Beauty Mountain Trail

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Sun, 01 Oct 2017 21:05:03 GMT

Photographing Beauty Mountain Trail

Location: New River Gorge, West Virginia

Best time of year to photograph: Spring, Summer, and Fall

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunset

Popularity: Low

Distance: 1.5 mile out and back

The New River Gorge in West Virginia is beautiful and full of great viewpoints, but some of the best are along the Beauty Mountain Trail. This short but fun out and back hike has a new outlook every few hundred years that are great for watching the sunset.

The Beauty Mountain Trail Head is located less than 10 miles form Fayetteville, WV. To reach the trail head, you will have to travel down some very narrow roads, and I recommend going old school and printing out the directions because cell service in the area is not the best. Once at the trail head, park along the side of the road; there is no formal parking area. There is also no sign marking the trail, but if you are looking for the trail, it is very easy to find. The trail starts at the corner of Buckhorn Rd and Beauty Mountain Rd underneath some power lines.

Once on the trail, you will quickly come to your first overlook. This is a great spot, but there are better overlooks further down the trail. There are no formal trail markers, and the trail splits a fews times, but I found the side trails always rejoin the main. The easiest trail to follow and the trail with the best views is the main trail, which winds along near the cliff’s edge. The Beauty Mountain Trail is mostly flat because it follows a ridge line and is about 3/4 of a mile to the Rams Head overlook, which offers a 180 degree view of the New River Gorge.

Most of the outlooks before the Rams Head look West, which makes it ideal for photographing sunsets. There is a bend in the river which could be used for a leading line. The Rams Head is also a well-known climbing location, and if you are lucky, you will be able to capture some climbers scaling the cliff face. If you are photographing at sunset remember to bring a flashlight for the return to your vehicle.

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7 Essential Fall Photography Tips

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 02:37:30 GMT

7 Essential Fall Photography Tips

1. Plan Your Trip:

Planning your fall color trip is very important because photographers have a very small window to photograph fall colors once the leaves begin to turn. The weather.com fall foliage map is a great place to start especially if you are planning to travel. This map will give you an idea when a region of the U.S. typically hits peak color, but keep in mind every year is different. The fall of 2016 was VERY warm, so the leaves turned very late (if they turned at all), and the fall of 2017 is shaping up for early fall colors because of how cool it has been. This map just gives you an idea of when the region typically hits peak color, which is good if you need to buy airline tickets earlier in the year. Another great resource are trail cameras. A lot of the national parks and state parks now have live trail cameras, which will show you in real time the fall colors. Some of the bigger parks also give at least a weekly fall color report on their websites. If that area doesn’t have a trail camera, I use social media. I look at the most recent pictures posted to Instagram and Facebook and reach out to people I know living in the area I plan to visit to help me gauge when I want to travel to that area to photograph the changing leaves. But when in doubt, it is better to be early than late.

2. Lens Choice:

When most people first start photographing landscapes, they only use a wide angle lens; a few examples of wide angle glass are the 16-35mm, 14-24mm, or 18-55mm. This can be great for showing the whole scene of a large vista, but the problem is everything in the frame will be small including all of those beautiful trees turning colors. Usually unless I am able to get really close to my subject (i.e. a tree or waterfall) and am able to fill the frame with the subject, during fall my wide angle lens usually stays in my camera bag. Typically, I have found medium and telephoto lenses for example a 24-70mm or the 70-200mm, work best for capturing the fall colors. Using these focal lengths will help you isolate your subject, making it big in the frame, which will help showcase the fall colors.

Red TreeA red tree in West Virginia.

3. Composition:

Having a great composition can make or break an image; luckily the beautiful fall colors offer photographers some unique opportunities. Usually simple compositions that highlight the color of the leaves work really well, for example isolating a bright and vibrant tree in your fame with little or no distractions is a great place to start. Also consider using patterns for your composition. People love looking at patterns, and they generally pleasing to the eye, which will help draw them into your image. Leading lines is another great compositional technique to consider using in your image because they help guide the viewers’ eyes to the subject. A road, stream or mountain ridge are just a few examples of leading lines. When the leading line is a diagonal line, it will not only help guide the viewers’ eyes to the subject, but it can also add depth to the image by showing the distance between elements in the foreground and background. There are many different ways to compose the your image to highlight the fall colors, which makes it important to know the different rules in order to apply them to different situations. For more landscape composition techniques, click here.

4. Use a Circular Polarizer Filter:

Most landscape photographers use a CP filter to enhance the color of the sky, but it can also be used to remove the glare on the leaves. Removing the glare will help enrich the fall colors to a deep natural look. Most CP filters also block 1- 2 stops of light, which will slow the shutter speed, which can lead to negative effect when trying to photograph leaves. If the shutter speed is too slow, the leaves will blur as they move in the wind, but as long as you keep your shutter speed fast enough for the situation, the positive effect of using a CP to remove the glare heavily outweighs this negative effect.

5. Add Green:

This may sound a little unusual, but adding green really helps the fall colors pop in your image. Without getting into the nuances of color theory, adding just a little bit of green, especially dark green, will create contrast in your image, which will make the fall colors look brighter and more vibrant.

6. Time of Day:

I love photographing at sunrise and sunset, but during the fall, photographing during this time can lead to more subdued colors. If you are trying to capture bright, vibrant colors, think about photographing about an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset. During these times, the sun is low enough in the sky to provide beautiful soft light but still high enough in the sky to illuminate the leaves. If the sun is out, look for back light trees, the sun shining on the leaves on the trees can make look like they are glowing. If there on an overcast and cloudy day, don’t worry: these days also work well for photographing fall colors. Overcast skies provide even light across the landscape, which prevents bright highlights and dark shadows from creating dappled light. The overcast sky also brings out the rich fall colors. But one of the best things about overcast skies is the ability to use longer shutter, which is great for photographing waterfalls with the fall colors. A long exposure is what creates the smooth silky effect in the water. Click here for more waterfall photography tips.

7. Experiment With Your Shutter Speed:

Fall is a great time to experiment with your shutter speed. Whether it is a really fast shutter speed to capture leaves falling or speed to capture the leaves swirling in a pool at the base of a waterfall, experimenting with different shutter speeds will help you create unique, one of a kind images. In the below image, I experimented with different shutter speeds to create this unique, abstract image. I pointed my camera at a group of trees and pushed the shutter as I slowly tilted my camera up to create the motion blur.

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7 Essential Tips For Long Exposure Photography

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 19:57:18 GMT

7 Essential Tips For Long Exposure Photography

1. Something Moving

For a long exposure photograph to be successful, there must be movement in the scene you are capturing. One of the most common uses of long exposure is to show water moving over a waterfall or down a stream, but any movement that conveys the passage of time will work for long exposer photography. A few other example are clouds moving in the sky, vehicle lights driving on a road, people walking, oceans waves, star trails, etc. As long as there is movement, long exposer can make an average image into an outstanding, one of a kind image.

2. Use a Tripod

Long exposer photography requires slow shutter speed, and the camera has to be completely still while the shutter is open. The best way to ensure there is no movement is through the use of a sturdy tripod. If there is any movement or camera shake during the exposure, no matter how minor, the image will not be sharp.

3. Use a Shutter Release

Like a tripod, a shutter release is another tool to use to create tack sharp images. Pressing the shutter button on the camera can cause the camera to shake. A shutter release is a tool that releases the shutter to start the exposure without touching the camera. The most common type of shutter release is a cable release, but there are also wireless shutter releases. If you are on a budget, utilizing the camera’s self timer feature is another great way reduce the chance for camera shake when the exposure starts.

4. Filters

During the day, the use of filters is required to achieve the slow shutter speeds needed to show the movement in your image. Neutral density (ND) are the best filters to achieve the slow shutters speeds required for long exposure photography. ND filters are a dark piece of glass placed in front of the lens, reducing the amount of light passing through the lens. This allows photographers to use long exposures even on bright, sunny days. ND filters come in strengths that block anywhere from 3 to 15 stops of light.

5. Manual Focus

One downside to ND filters, especially when using a filter 6 stops or greater, is that the camera autofocus will not work. The ND filter is so dark that it’s hard for you to see through, so there is little to no chance that your camera will be able to find something to focus on. To get around this, before you put the filter in front of your lens, compose your image, and use the camera’s autofocus to make sure the image will be sharp. Next, turn off your autofocus using the switch on the side of your lens. Push the switch to “M” or manual focus; this will ensure your lens will not try to refocus once the filter is on. Lastly, carefully place your ND filter on the front of your lens.

Nubble Light, ME B&W

6. Close View Finder

Since your eye will not be against the viewfinder after you compose your image, light creeps into the camera resulting in a purple line through the middle of the image ruining all of your hard work. When using a really long exposure, greater then 10 seconds, you will need to close your view finder. Some Nikon cameras have a built in viewfinder curtain, which will stop all light from entering through your viewfinder. Some Canon cameras come with a plastic eye cap that can be placed over your viewfinder. If you do not have either, the next best thing is a piece of gaffers tape. Placing a piece over your camera’s viewfinder will work allowing you to create amazing long exposure images.

7. Composition

Having a great composition can make or break an image; just because you are taking a long exposure doesn’t mean that you do not have to take the time to find and compose your image. The key to composition is finding the subject and then composing the scene to draw the viewer’s eyes through the image to the subject. There are many different ways to compose the landscape, which makes it important to know the different rules in order to apply them to different situations. To learn more about photography composition techniques, click here. For more photography tips click here!

Photographing California: Dana Fork

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 20:24:48 GMT

Photograph Dana Fork

Yosemite is filled with some amazing views but rarely do you get to experience these views by yourself. This hidden treasure is located off of Tioga Pass, is near some of Yosemite’s most popular hikes, and offers outstanding sunrise and sunset views without the crowds.

(16mm, F/16, 1/6sec, ISO 100)

Located 2.5 miles South of the Yosemite National Park East Entrance and less than 6 miles East of Tuolumne Meadows, Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River allows photographers to photograph three different mountains Mount Dana, Mount Gibbs, and Mammoth Peak without all of the crowds normally found in Yosemite. Dana Fork originates between Mount Dana and Mount Gibbs, and when it meets the Lyell Fork in Tuolumne Meadows they form the mighty Tuolumne River. Dana Fork Overlook has a nice flat pull off along the side of Tioga Pass that could easily fit 6-8 vehicles. If you are entering through Yosemite Eastern Entrance, Dana Fork Overlook will be on the left side of the road. If you are coming from Tuolumne Meadows, it will be located on the right side of Tioga Pass. Once parked there is a lot of space to spread out and to explore to find the perfect composition.

(70mm, F/11, 10sec, ISO 100)

The Dana Fork Overlook has an outstanding eastern facing view, making this an ideal location to photograph the sun rising behind this section of the Sierra Mountains or capture the beautiful alpenglow on the mountains as the sun sets (click here for some photography tips). With some of the best unobstructed views of Mount Dana and Mount Gibbs to the East and Mammoth Peak to the Southeast, Dana Fork Overlook offers photographers the chance to glimpse some of the stunning scenery of Yosemite. The Dana Fork also meanders and snakes through a beautiful sub alpine meadow; it offers photographers a lot to work with in the foreground including some amazing “S” curves (click here for composition tips). The sub alpine meadow also makes a great home for some of the park’s wildlife and offers the chance for photographers to capture these animals in their natural habitat. As easy as this location is to get to plus the sheer beauty of the views, one would think this would be a very popular spot in Yosemite National Park, but every time I have been there, I have always had the view to myself.

(30mm, F/16, 13sec, ISO 100)

Photographing California: Lake Tahoe’s Inspiration Point

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Sat, 15 Jul 2017 02:37:17 GMT

Photographing Lake Tahoe’s Inspiration Point

(30mm, 1/50 sec, F/16, ISO 100)

Lake Tahoe’s Inspiration Point has the best view of Emerald Bay and faces East making it ideal for photographing the the sun rising over Lake Tahoe!

(42mm, 1/50 Sec, F/16, ISO 100)

Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay is a national natural landmark and is one of the prettiest parts of the lake. Inspiration Point is located along route 89 on the Southwest side of Tahoe about 10 miles from South Lake Tahoe or about 33 miles South from Truckee. It is very easy to get to, and its high vantage point allows photographers to see all of Emerald Bay as it leads into Lake Tahoe. Inspiration Point has a pull off allowing photographers to safely park while taking pictures and is large enough to accommodate 5-6 vehicles. Inspiration Point faces East making it ideal for photographing the sun rising over Lake Tahoe. The sun will rise behind the Sierra Mountains which if timed right can help create a beautiful sunstar. Fannette Island, which lies in Emerald Bay, makes a great focal point when photographing the bay. During the morning, if the wind is calm, photographers are able to capture some of the lovely sunrise colors as they are reflected in the lake. For some photography tips to help you improve your images click here.

(98mm 1/13 sec, F/16, ISO 100)

If you’re looking for a hike after watching an amazing sunrise, Eagle Falls is located about 200 feet up 89 for the pull off and has a great short hike to the base of the falls, which has some great swimming holes.

Photographing Shenandoah NP: Range View Overlook

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 04:20:15 GMT

Photographing Range View Overlook

Location: Shenandoah National Park: Northern District

Best time of year to Photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Sunrise, Sunset, Landscape, Nature, Milky Way

Popularity: High

Mile Maker: 17.1 on Skyline Drive

(18mm, 1/15 sec, F/11, ISO 400)

Range View Overlook in Shenandoah National Park is an amazing spot to watch the sunrise and sunset where the Blue Ridge Mountains meet the Virginia Piedmont.

(28mm, 1/2 sec, F/11, ISO 100)

Range View Overlook has views of Jenkins Mountain to the south, Pignet Mountain and Mary’s Rock to the southwest, and Hogback Mountain to the west. Range View Overlook is one of 72 beautiful overlooks along Skyline Dive. 105 miles long, Skyline Drive offers great views of the surrounding Blue Ride Mountains and valleys as it runs through the heart of Shenandoah National Park. Range View Overlook is located at mile marker 17.1 along Skyline Drive and is located in the Northern District of Shenandoah, five miles north of Matthews Arm Campground. Looking southwest over the Blue Ridge Mountains, this 2,810 foot overlook has a great view of the Blue Ridge Mountains as they meet the rolling hills around Sperryville. The quickest way to reach this outlook is through the Thornton Gap entrance off of Route 211, and then drive North for 13.9 miles along Skyline Drive until you reach Range View Overlook, which will be on the right side. Or if you are coming from D.C., enter through the Front Royal entrance, and drive south for 17.1 miles, and Range View Overlook will be on the left.

(26mm, 1/5sec, F/11, ISO 100)

Range View Overlook looks southwest, making it ideal for photographing side light at sunrises (click here for photography tips). Side light is outstanding for adding texture and depth to an image. There is a ridge directly behind the outlook, which helps photographing the ranges to the west, so they are not front lit until the sun is high in the sky, but the valleys to the north and south allow the light to slowly creep into the ocean, creating an amazing effect. Range View Overlook is also a great place to photograph the sun setting behind the Blue Ridge Mountains. The only time of year without a great view of the sun setting behind the mountain ridges would be between May through July when the sun sets in the northwest. Also, because there are views to the south, this is a great location to photograph the Milky Way during the summer. Range View Overlook is a huge overlook with plenty of places to park and to spread out along the overlook, giving photographers the chance to take a few different angles including a panorama (click here for tips on how to create a panorama). If you are in the Northern District of Shenandoah National Park and are hoping to photograph the sun rising, visit Thornton Hollow Overlook located about 10.5 miles south along Skyline Drive at mile marker 27.6.

(18mm, 1/6 sec, F/11, ISO 100, 6 image Pano)

(35mm, F/1.4, 15sec, ISO 3200)

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Photographing Shenandoah NP: Pinnacles Overlook

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 03:18:24 GMT

Photographing Pinnacles Overlook

Location: Shenandoah National Park: Central District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Sunrise, Landscape, Milky Way

Popularity: Low

Mile Maker: 35.1 on Skyline Drive

Pinnacles Overlook in Shenandoah National Park is a southern facing overlook in the Central District that provides one of the best views of Old Rag.

(70mm, 2sec, F/10, ISO 100, 6 Image Pano)

Looking south over the Blue Ridge Mountains, this 3,320 foot overlook has a great view of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains as well as a valley that leads the the rolling hills. Located at mile marker 35.1 on Skyline Dive, Pinnacles Overlook is one of 72 overlooks that are along Skyline Drive, which runs through the heart of Shenandoah National Park. 105 miles long, Skyline Drive offers great views of the surrounding Blue Ride Mountains and valleys. Just south of Mary’s Rock Tunnel and Hazel Mountain Overlook, the quickest way to reach this outlook is through the Thornton Gap entrance off of Route 211, and then drive south four and a half miles along Skyline Drive until you reach Pinnacles Overlook, which will be on the left side.

(35mm, 15sec, F/1.4, ISO 3200)

Pinnacles Overlook looks due south, making it ideal for photographing side light as the sun rises out of sight to the east. Side light is outstanding for adding texture and depth to an image. The valley that runs away from the overlook also provides a great leading line. If you are hoping to photograph the sun rising, visit Hazel Mountain Overlook or Buck Hollow Overlook- both are located about two miles north along Skyline Drive (click here for photography tips). Pinnacles Overlook is one of the best spots in Shenandoah to photograph Old Rag. A valley runs perpendicular to the overlook to the base of Old Rag, providing a perfect leading line (click here for composition tips). Since this overlook faces south during the summer, you are able to photograph the Milky Way behind Old Rag.

(35mm, 1/4sec, F/10, ISO 100)

Click here if you want learn tips for photographing Hazel Mountain Overlook and here to learn tips for photographing Buck Hollow Overlook.

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Photographing Shenandoah NP: South River Falls

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Thu, 01 Jun 2017 02:37:03 GMT

Photographing South River Falls

Location: Shenandoah National Park: Central District

Best time of year to photograph: Spring

Subject Focus: Waterfall, Nature

Popularity: High

Distance: 4.4 miles out and back

South River Falls is my favorite waterfall in Shenandoah National Park. This 83 foot tall waterfall is a unique two-tiered waterfall. The first tier is a single fall that flows into a rock shelf before separating into two parallel falls. South River Falls is located in the Central District of Shenandoah just north of the Swift Run Gap Entrance.

(17mm, 1.3sec, F/16, ISO 100)

The trail head for the South River Falls Trail is located at mile marker 63 off of Skyline Drive via the South River Picnic Area. Loop around the picnic area until you reach the Eastern corner where you will find a sign and a map marking the beginning of the 4.2-mile trail. Over the first mile hikers will descend down a well maintain and easy to follow trail. The trail is marked with blue blazes. At 0.2 miles, hikers will cross the Appalachian Trail; continue straight to follow the blue blazes down the mountain toward South River Falls. After hiking down the mountain, the trail flattens out as it follows the South River. There are two river crossings along this part of the trail, which will give you an idea of about how much water will be in the falls. At 1.3 miles, hikers will arrive at a stone wall overlook. This overlook is a great spot to take some pictures from above the falls. There are a lot of trees, so depending on the time of year, you may not be able to see all of the falls.

(70mm, 1.6sec, F/20, ISO 100)

To reach the bottom of the falls, continue along the trail past the overlook for 0.2 miles until you reach a fire road. Turn right to follow the fire road 0.4 miles the rest of the way down the mountain until it ends. Once you are at the end of the fire road, follow the blue blazes up the narrow rocky path for 0.3 miles to the base of the falls. This is the best location to enjoy the beauty and to take pictures of the falls.

(35mm, 1.3sec, F/20, ISO 100)

The canyon leading to the falls runs east and west, so in the morning the sun will be shining directly on the falls, but in the evening, the sun will be setting behind the falls allowing photographers to get a sunstar through the trees above the falls. South River can be used as a great leading line to help guide the viewer’s eye to the waterfall (for more composition tips click here). There is also a nice large flat rock on the right side of the falls to sit or to place a subject on. Once you are down taking your pictures and enjoying the falls, backtrack the 2.2 miles to return to the trail head. For tips on how to photograph waterfalls with silky smooth water, click here.

(180mm, 1sec, F/20, ISO 100)

South River Falls is the 3rd tallest waterfall in Shenandoah National Park and is a popular hike because of the beauty of this waterfall and because it is located so close to the Swift Run Gap Entrance. I have hiked to this waterfall on multiple occasions and have always seen other people, including the time I went during the middle of the week with 1 foot of snow on the ground. South River Falls is at its best during the spring or after a lot of rain. During the summer and fall, there isn't much water in the river resulting in water just trickling over the falls. Dogs are allowed on this trail, which makes it a great hike for the whole family.

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Photographing Appalachian Mountains: 20 Minute Cliff Overlook

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Wed, 31 May 2017 21:44:18 GMT

Photographing 20 Minute Cliff Overlook

Location: Blue Ridge Parkway

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunset

Popularity: Low

Mile Maker: 19 on The Blue Ridge Parkway

With an outstanding 180 degree western facing view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, 20 Minute Cliff Overlook is a great spot to enjoy a beautiful panoramic vista during sunset while driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

(26mm, F/11, 1sec, ISO 100, Facing Southwest)

Located at mile marker 19 along the Blue Ridge Parkway, 20 Minute Cliff Overlook is super easy to access and has an amazing 180 degree panoramic view. Looking West over the Blue Ridge Mountains, this 2,715 foot overlook has a great view of the Priest to the South, Maintop Mountain and Fork Mountain to the West, and Round Mountain to the Northwest. 20 Minute Cliff Overlook is located 19 miles south from the northern most entrance of the Blue Ridge Parkway just off of Interstate 64, making it super easy to get to. There is no park entrance fee, and the overlook has plenty of parking. I always thought it was called 20 Minute Cliff Overlook because to takes about 20 minutes to drive there once on the parkway, but the name 20 originated from farmers working in the White Rock Valley below the overlook. When the sun hit the rocks the farmers knew they had 20 minutes left before the sun set behind the ridge line.

(16mm, F/11, 1/10sec, ISO 100, Facing West)

There are two main rock cliffs but plenty of places to spread out along the overlook, giving photographers the chance to take different angles, including a panorama (click here for tips on how to create a panorama). The White Rock Valley and the multiple layers of mountain ranges make 20 Minute Cliff Overlook an ideal place to photograph the Blue Ridge Mountain (click here for photography tips). From the overlook, the White Rock Valley runs due West, but with views to the Northwest and Southwest, this is a great place to capture the sun setting behind the mountains year around. During May-July and November-January, photographers will be able to capture a nice sidelight during sunset for part of the valley, which adds depth and detail in the mountain ranges. The White Rock Valley can be used as a leading line (click here for composition tips). With it being along the Blue Ridge Parkway, this makes it a great spot to stop and watch the sunset after a day on the trail.

(27mm, F/11, 1/30sec, ISO 100, Facing South)

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Photographing Shenandoah NP: The Point Overlook

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 20:16:05 GMT

The Point Overlook

Location: Shenandoah National Park: Central District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Sunset, Landscape

Popularity: High

Mile Maker: 55.5 on Skyline Drive

The Point is the best overlook off of Skyline Drive to watch the sun set behind the Blue Ridge Mountains.

(26mm, 4sec, F/16, ISO 100, facing North-Northwest)

The Point Overlook is one of 72 overlooks for people to enjoy the beauty of Shenandoah National Park as they drive along Skyline Drive. Skyline Drive is the road that winds through the heart of Shenandoah National Park, starting at Front Royal in the north and ending at Rockfish Gap in the south. Over 105 miles long, Skyline Drive offers great views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains and valleys while simultaneously offering photographers the chance to glimpse the outstanding scenery of Shenandoah. The Point Overlook is located at mile marker 55.5 along Skyline Drive. Located in the Central District of Shenandoah 4.5 miles south of Big Meadows, the Point Overlook allows viewers to enjoy the amazing sunsets while in Shenandoah National Park. The quickest way to reach this outlook is through the Thornton Gap entrance off of Route 211 if you’re traveling from the north or the Swift Run Gap entrance off of Route 33 if you are traveling from the South.

(18mm, 1/40sec, F/16, ISO 100, facing West)

The Point Overlook is just over 3,200 feet in elevation and has a beautiful view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The proximity of the Point Overlook to the campgrounds at Big Meadows and Lewis Mountain mix with the outstanding view makes this a very popular spot in Shenandoah, but most people never leave the pull off. In the middle of the overlook is a break in the stone wall, which is the entrance to a trail that leads down to a small rocky cliff. It’s a short 0.1 mile hike to the rocks, but most people who stop at the overlook will never make the hike. This rocky cliff makes an ideal place to photograph the Point Overlook. The Point Overlook is located in an ideal place in the Central District of Shenandoah. The Blue Ridge Mountains widen allowing photographers the ability to capture multiple layers of the Blue Ridge Mountain ranges rather than just one or two ranges found at most other outlooks in Shenandoah. The exposed rock can also make a foreground element. I believe the best part of this view is to the northwest making it ideal to photograph during the late spring and summer around the summer solstice, June 21, when the sun sets in the Northwest. During this period, the sun will set directly behind multiple ridges of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which will add depth to your photograph.

(80mm, 1/30sec, F/8, ISO 100, facing Northwest)

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7 Essential Waterfalls Photography Tips

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 13:29:46 GMT

7 Essential Waterfalls Photography Tips

Ever wonder how a photographer captures a waterfall with silky smooth water flowing over a cliff or cascading down rocks? Below are 7 essential photography tips that will help you create this effect on your next adventure.

1. Shoot on Overcast Days

Light is everything in photography, and the best time to photograph waterfalls is on overcast days especially after a few days of rain. An overcast day provides even light across the waterfall, which prevents bright highlights and dark shadows from creating dappled light. The overcast sky also brings out the rich colors in moss and fall colors. But one of the best things about overcast skies is the ability to use longer shutter speeds without filters. To achieve long shutter speeds, set your camera’s ISO to its lowest native setting (usually ISO 100), and use a small aperture (f/10- F/22). A long exposure is what creates the smooth silky effect in the water. Usually, a 1 - 5 second exposure will create this effect. If your camera is at its lowest ISO and smallest aperture and your shutter speed is still too fast, then you will need to add a filter to the front of your lens.

2. Filters

When photographing waterfalls, the two most useful filters are a Circular Polarizer (CP) and a Neutral Density (ND). Most landscape photographers use a CP filter to enhance the color of the sky, but it can also be used to remove the glare from water and wet rocks while enriching the colors to a deep natural look. Most CP filters also block 1- 2 stops of light which will slow the shutter speed allowing you to create the smooth water effect. ND filters are a dark piece of glass placed in front of the lens reducing the amount of light passing through lens. This allows photographers to use long exposures even on bright sunny days. ND filters come in strengths blocking anywhere from 3 to 15 stops of light. I used a 10 stop ND filter in the below image which allowed me to take a 7 minute exposure.

3. Solid Tripod

A long exposure is the key to creating the smooth silky water effect, and a sturdy tripod is required to ensure the camera is completely still during the length of the exposure. If there is any movement or camera shake during the exposure, no matter how minor, the image will not be sharp.

4. Composition

Having a great composition can make or break an image; luckily waterfalls usually offer a photographer a few different ways to compose the image. A few examples are using the stream/river as a leading line to draw the viewer’s eye through the image to the waterfall or adding a human element to the image to show the size of the waterfall. Also, when composing a waterfall’s image, limit the amount of sky that is can be seen. When shooting on overcast days, the sky is gray and boring and can take away from the overall image leading the viewer’s eyes away from the waterfall. The key to composition is in composing the image to draw the viewer’s eyes through the image to the waterfall with little or no distractions. For more landscape composition techniques click here.

5. Shoot Tight

Most photographers put their wide angle lens on their camera to capture the beauty of the whole waterfall, which is great, but once you have the image you like of the whole waterfall try photographing the waterfall with a telephoto lens. A telephoto lens will allow you to create unique abstract images of even the most famous waterfalls. With a telephoto lens, photographers are able to isolate small section of the falls which highlights the magic of texture and colors of nature.

6. Rain Sleeve/ Lens Cloth

The main element in a waterfall is water, and water and electronics don’t mix well. Waterfalls can create mist and spray which will get your camera wet. To protect your camera and lens from the water, consider buying a rain sleeve for your camera to keep it dry. There are some expensive rain covers out there, but I use OP/TECH USA rain sleeves, which are less than 7 USD for a pack of two and have done a great job keeping my camera and lens dry as a bone. Along with a rain sleeve, a lens cloth is a must item to have with you. When water droplets freckle your lens’ front element or filter, you will need a way to wipe them away without smearing them. A good habit for photographing waterfalls is you take an image and then wipe your lens before taking another image.

7. Don’t be Afraid to get Wet

As long as it is safe, getting in the river or stream allows photographers to create some breathtaking images. The best time to photograph waterfalls just after a heavy rain when the river or creek is full of water, but be careful walking on wet rocks because they will be slippery. Also, consider wearing waders. A decent pair of waders will keep you warm and dry, which allows you to remain a long time in the river to take images. Remember be very careful with your gear because, once again, water and electronics don’t mix well.

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Photographing Shenandoah NP: Moomans River Overlook

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 20:47:03 GMT

Moormans River Overlook

Location: Shenandoah National Park- Southern District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Sunrise, Landscape

Popularity: Modorate

Mile Maker: 92 on Skyline Drive

Moormans River Overlook is one of the few eastern facing overlooks in Shenandoah National Park’s Southern District, which makes this a prime location for watching the sun rise when in this part of the park.

(86mm, 1/20sec, F/11, ISO 100, Facing Northeast)

At mile post 92 off of Skyline Drive, Moormans River Overlook offers photographers a 180 degree view of the eastern most Blue Ridge Mountains and rolling hills surrounding Charlottesville, Virginia. The overlook also provides a clear view of the Charlottesville Reservoir, which could be used as a nice foreground element. At 2,975 feet, Moormans River Overlook is one of 72 beautiful overlooks that are on Skyline Drive. Skyline Drive is the road that winds through the heart of Shenandoah National Park, is 105 miles long, and offers great views of the surrounding Blue Ride Mountains and valleys while simultaneously offering photographers the chance to glimpse the outstanding scenery of Shenandoah. The quickest way to reach this outlook is through the Rockfish Gap entrance off of Interstate 64 and then drive 13 miles North along Skyline Drive until you reach Moormans River Overlook, which will be on the right side.

(70mm, 1/6sec, F/10, ISO 100, Facing East)

One thing I really love about this overlook is the fact there are no trees growing right up next to the outlook to obstruct the view. Photographers have a clear eastern view even during the heart of the summer when the trees are full of leaves. The 180 degree view allows photographers to capture Cedar Mountain to the Northeast and Calf Mountain to the Southwest and will also allow photographers to capture the sun rising year around. When looking to the Northeast or Southwest, photographers are able to capture multiple mountain ridges providing layers to their image. Since Moormans River overlook is so close to interstate 64 and one of few eastern facing overlooks in Shenandoah’s Southern District, it can be popular. With that said, there are enough parking spots, and because of the clear view, there is plenty of room for people to spread out.

(150mm, 1/25sec, F/10, ISO 100, Facing Northeast)

Moormans River Overlook is near a lot of great hikes in the Shenandoah National Park Southern District. After you enjoy the views, I highly recommend checking out one of these hikes: Blackroack Summit and Frazier Discovery Trail.

Learn More: Essential Landscape Photography Tips, Photographing Shenandoah National Park

Photographing Appalachian Mountains: Photographing Devils Knob Overlook

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 17:31:51 GMT

Photographing Devils Knob Overlook

Location: Near Wintergreen Resort off the Blue Ridge Parkway

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunset

Popularity: Medium

With an outstanding Southwest view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Devils Knob Overlook is a great spot to enjoy a beautiful panoramic view during sunset.

(7 image Panorama, 70mm, F/11, 1.6 sec, ISO 100)

Located next to Wintergreen Resort, Devils Knob is super easy to get to and has an amazing 180 degree panoramic view. Looking Southwest over the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway, this 3,800 foot overlook had a great view of Three Ridge Mountain and the Priest. Located on Devils Knob Loop, the overlook is not marked, but it is a very obvious turn off and has plenty of parking.

(16mm, F/11, 1/3 Sec, ISO 100)

There are a few places to spread out along the overlook giving photographers the chance to take a few different angles, including a panorama (click here for tips on how to create a panorama). The multiple layers of mountain ranges make Devils Knob Overlook an ideal place to photograph the Blue Ridge Mountain (click here for photography tips). During the winter near the Winter Solstice (December 21), the sun sets in the Southwest allowing photographers to capture the moment the sun dips behind the mountains. During the Summer and Fall, photographers will be able to capture a nice sidelight during sunrise and sunset, which will add depth and detail in the mountain ranges. The outlook also has a wooden fence photographers could use as a foreground interest and leading line for their composition (click here for composition tips). With it being so close to Wintergreen Resort and the Blue Ridge Parkway, this makes it a great spot to watch the sunset after a day on the slopes or on the trail.

(21mm, F/11, 6 sec, ISO 100)

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7 Essential Technique for Creating Amazing Panoramic Images

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 17:29:22 GMT

7 Tips for Creating Amazing Panoramic Images

You just summited to the peak of a mountain or hiked to a beautiful outlook and want to create a panoramic image of the view; follow these tips to help you create a stunning panoramic view to show off your adventure.

1. To create a panoramic image: first, you need a tripod and some type of head that will allow you to rotate the camera. Most tripods have a bubble level; make sure your tripod is level.

2. Turn your camera vertically, and compose the middle part of the picture, making sure your horizon is level.

3. Put your camera to Manual (M) mode, and dial in your camera settings. It is important to be in (M) so your setting will not change as you rotate your camera to create the panoramic. If you are not comfortable using (M), put your camera on aperture priority (A or Av). Remember the setting, and then put your camera in (M) using those setting.

4. Focus your lens, and then turn off auto focus. This way your lens will not refocus as you are rotating your camera.

5. Go to your start point, either all the way to the left or right, and take the first image.

6. Rotate the camera to the the second image making sure you have at least 20% of the previous picture still in the frame for overlap. Repeat until you have finished.

Mount Vesuvius

7. Upload your images to your computer and then select all of the pictures for the panorama. Open the selected pictures in a photo software program like Lightroom or Photoshop to create your panorama image. The 20% overlap will help the software stitch time pictures together and give you your final image.

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7 Essential Landscape Photography Techniques

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Photographing Shenandoah National Park

Favorite Images From 2016

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 15:09:58 GMT

What a great year 2016 has been! I got to do a lot of exploring this past year. I discovered some amazing new places and was also able to return to some of my favorite spots. Some of my favorite memories from this year were:

-Exploring Shenandoah National Park which included hiking through shin deep snow in the dark to watch the sunrise from Bearfence Mountain, hiking with my boys to six different waterfalls, and watching some of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets I have ever seen.

Sunrise from Bearfence Mountain, Shenandoah National Park

Doyles River Falls, Shenandoah National Park

Sunrise from Blackrock Summit, Shenandoah National Park

Sunrise from Hazel Mountain Overlook, Shenandoah National Park

Sunset along the Frazier Discovery Trail, Shenandoah National Park

Sunrise at Buck Hollow Overlook, Shenandoah National Park

Cedar Run Falls, Shenandoah National Park

-Experiencing an amazing sunset from Raven’s Roost along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Sunset from Ravens Roost, Blue Ridge Parkway

-Watching the Milky Way travel over Bodie Island Lighthouse

Bodie Island Lighthouse, Outer Banks

-Exploring Lighthouses in Rhode Island

Sunset at Castle Rock Light, Rhode Island

-Backpacking with friends in the Adirondack Mountains and summating the two tallest mountains in New York

Mount Marcy, Adirondack Mountains

-Camping with my parents (who came to visit from California) in Black River Falls State Park and enjoyed seeing all of the amazing fall colors

Sunset at Lindy Point, Blackwater Falls State Park

Sunrise at Table Rock, Canaan Valley Back Country

-Hiking along the mighty Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers

Sunset above the Shenandoah River, Shenandoah River State Park

Sunrise at the Great Falls, Great Falls National Park

This past year, I got to explore with old friends and new friends, spent lots of time hiking and camping with my two boys, and watched them grow up loving being in the outdoors and exploring new locations with me. If 2017 is only half as much fun as this past year, it’s going to be a very good year.

7 Essential Landscape Photography Composition Techniques

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 04:13:09 GMT

Are you looking for a fast and cheap way to improve your landscape photography? Below are seven composition techniques that, when applied, will help you improve your landscape photography and take it to the next level.

1. The Rule of Thirds

The rule of thirds is one of the most used rules of composition and one of the most powerful. To apply this rule, visually divide the view finder into 3 equal parts both horizontally and vertically to create a grid. Next, place the subject at one of the intersections. Another use of the rule and the fastest way and easiest way to improve the quality of your landscape images is to the move the horizon from the middle of your view finder to along the line at top 1/3 or bottom 1/3 of the view finder. When both parts are combined, the rule of thirds can create a strong impact on the landscape image. In the image below, the tower is located on the left third of the frame and intersects the bridge at the bottom third of the frame.

Golden Gate Bridge, CA

2. Leading Line

When landscape photographers incorporate leading lines into their images, it helps guide the viewers’ eyes to the subject. A road, coast line or mountain ridge are just a few examples of leading lines. When the leading line is a diagonal line, it will not only help guild the viewers’ eyes to the subject, but it can also add depth to the image by showing the distance between elements in the foreground and background.

3. Framing

Seeing your subject through a frame is a powerful way to draw your viewers' eyes to what is important. Landscape photographers can use many things to frame the subject including a window, tent door, trees branches, or even a cave. Landscape photographers can become very creative on what to use to frame the subject, but keep in mind, you want the frame to add to the final image and not become the focal point or be too distracting. When selecting a frame, make sure it is not too bright, the human eye naturally travels to bright objects. Also, make sure the the camera is focused on the the subject and not the fame, because, like bright objects, the human eye naturally travels to the sharpest point in the image.

4. Scale

When you take a 3D world and turn it into a 2D image, depth perception and the size of the subject can get lost in the transformation. When a landscape photographer wants to convey how large or small the subject is in the image, they typically use an object that is recognizable such as a person or a vehicle. When the recognizable object is next to the subject, it emphasizes the actual size of the subject. For example, when a person is standing next to a waterfall, the viewer automatically understands how large that waterfall actually is. In the image below the human element provides the viewer a scale for the size of the valley and surrounding mountains.

5. Clear Subject

In photography, simplicity is key. When a picture is too busy and does not have a clear subject, the viewer does not know where to look and where to focus their attention. This can lead to the viewer becoming frustrated and then no longer engaging in the image. To prevent this, landscape photographers make sure they have a clear subject for their viewers to focus their attention.

Red TreeA red tree in West Virginia.

6. Patterns

Nature is full of patterns, and once a landscape photographer teaches his/her eye to spot them, they are easy to find. The flowers next to the trail, ripples in the lake, leaves on the trail, or a hillside full of trees are a few examples of patterns. In order for the pattern to have the full effect in your image, it must be isolated from everything else and take up the entire frame. This will convey to the viewer that the pattern continues beyond the edges of the images.

7. Know when to break the rules

Ansel Adams said, “There are no rules for good photographers. There are just good photographers.” After you become comfortable with the above composition techniques and how to apply them to your images, you are now ready to break them. There is no right or wrong way to compose your image, but applying these techniques to your image could make them more appealing. Someone told me a when I first got started in photography, “If you want to break a composition rule, you need to learn and understand it first. This will to ensure that when you break the rule, it will be more effective.” Just keep in mind, an image that is poorly composed will result in the viewers not having a clear subject or focal point causing them to be unsure about where they should look and to lose interest in your image.

If you want to lean more Landscape Photography tips click: 7 Essential Landscape Photography Tips

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Photographing Shenandoah NP: Betty's Rock

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 23:09:31 GMT

Photographing Betty’s Rock

Location: Shenandoah National Park- Central District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunset

Popularity: Low

Distance: 0.7 mile Out and Back

This hidden treasure is located in Shenandoah National Park Central District between two very popular hikes, Hawksbill Mountain and Stony Man Mountain, and offers an outstanding sunset view without the crowds.

(22mm, 1/5sec, F/16, ISO 100)

To reach Betty’s Rock, park at Crescent Rock Overlook located at mile marker 44.5 along Skyline Drive. Betty’s Rock Trail head begins on the north end of the outlook where the sidewalk and rock wall end. Around 100 yards past the outlook, hikers will come to a trail junction - stay straight at the junction. The trail parallels Skyline Drive for the first 0.1 miles before slowly drifting west. If you start descending toward the Appalachian Trail, you are heading the wrong way. Betty’s Rock Trail is well marked and easy to follow. Over the 0.35 miles, hikers will only gain about 150 feet in elevation. The trail dead ends into the the rock, so it is impossible to miss. After hiking to the top of the rock, hikers will be rewarded with a great west facing view.

(18mm, 1.3sec, F/16, ISO 100)

Betty’s rock gets hikers above the trees creating a 180 degree west facing view. Hawksbill Mountain is located to the southwest and Stony Man is located to the northwest. If you are photographing from Betty’s Rock around the summer solstice, June 21, the sun sets in the northwest behind Stony Man Mountain. If you are photographing Betty’s Rock in the fall or winter near the winter solstice, December 21, the sun sets in the southwest and will dip behind Hawksbill Mountain. Betty’s Rock is a large greenstone outcropping with some interesting vertical pieces, which can easily be used as a foreground element to add some texture to your images. If you are going to be photographing the sunset, remember to bring a headlamp or flashlight for the hike back to your vehicle. To complete the hike, follow the same trail 0.35 miles back down to your vehicle.

I hiked Betty’s Rock during the peak fall season when Shenandoah is packed with visitors, but I did not see a single person on the trail or at the rock. This is a great hike to view the sun setting in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains while being able to enjoy the quiet of nature. Also, if you are like me and have small kids, this is a outstanding beginner hike for them. It’s short, not too steep, and has a great vistas for them to enjoy. If you would like to add another short hike, check out Little Stony Man Cliffs which is located 5.5 miles north along Skyline Drive.

Learn More: Essential Landscape Photography Tips, Photographing Shenandoah National Park

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Photographing Appalachian Mountains: Table Rock

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 14:41:45 GMT

Photographing Table Rock

Location: Canaan Backcountry, West Virginia

Best time of year to photograph: Spring, Summer, and Fall

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunrise

Popularity: Low

Distance: 2.4 mile out and back

This hidden gem is located near Lindy Point and Blackwater Falls State Park. Unlike Lindy Point, which is very popular, hikers are usually able to enjoy the views from Table Rock all by themselves.

(Table Rock looking South, 21mm, F/16, 12sec, ISO 100)

The Table Rock trail head is located off of Canaan Loop Rd. I highly recommend driving to the trailhead from Highway 32 (Appalachian HWY). It is possible to reach the trailhead from Blackwater State Park and is only four miles down the road from the Lindy Point Trailhead, but those four miles are very rough. A lifted 4x4 wheel drive vehicle with a short wheel base is required driving this section of the Canaan Loop Road. The road from Highway 32 is a lot tamer. Its a normal gravel/dirt road with small potholes and some shallow ruts, but any vehicle will be able to drive this section of Canaan Loop Road. While driving down the road, stay right at all of the road forks to stay on the Canaan Loop Road. The Table Rock Trailhead is about 9.5 miles down the road and is located on the lefthand side and is marked with a wooden sign. There is a nice turn off to park in so your vehicle will not be on the side of the road.

(Canaan Loop Road, 86mm, F/10, 0.5sec, ISO100)

Once at the trailhead, follow the Table Rock Trail Southeast for 1.2 miles. Even though the trail is not very popular, it is very well marked and easy to follow. Unlike the drive, the trail is very easy, and hikers will gain under 200 feet in elevation over the 1.2 miles. Most of the hike has a very gradual incline resembling a false flat. After a great hike though the Canaan Backcountry, hikers will be rewarded with an outstanding 200 degree view.

(Table Rock Trail, 31mm F/4, 1/60sec, ISO 400)

Table Rock offers a breathtaking panorama view of the Allegheny Mountains. This 200 degree, unobstructed vista allows hikers views from the north, to east and south, and even south southwest making it ideal for sunrise images. A nice deep valley zigzags to the northeast away from Table Rock, which can be used as a natural leading line for pictures, but at the same time offering some layers to show depth while being able to photograph the sun rising over the Allegheny Mountains. That same valley continues directly below Table Rock zigzagging to the southwest and intersecting with another valley heading southeast. This south view will allow hikers the ability to capture side light at sunrise, which is great for seeing all of the texture in the mountains ranges, and during the fall, it helps showcase all of the beautiful fall colors. Table Rock offers a very large quartzite outcropping, which can easily be used as a foreground element. If you are going to be photographing the sunrise, remember to bring a headlamp or flashlight in order to make the hike easier. While on the Table Rock be mindful of snakes bathing in the sun. The first time I was there, I saw a copperhead. I left it alone, and it left me alone, so just watch your step.

(Table Rock looking Northeast, 18mm, F/16, 1/20sec, ISO 100)

This is an out and back hike, so after taking pictures, enjoying the view, and being out in nature, follow the same trail back down to your vehicle. If interested in camping overnight, back down the trail about 500 yards from Table Rock is a clear, flat area big enough for two tents. There is no water source, so backpackers would have to bring in everything they would need. Also, if you are like me and have young kids, I would highly recommend bringing them. This hike is a great hike for kids; it’s short and not steep with the reward of an outstanding view. While in the area, I also recommend exploring Blackwater Falls State Park, Lindy Point, and the Dolly Sods Wilderness.

(Table Rock looking North, 35mm, F/16, 1/60sec, ISO 100)

Photographing Shenandoah NP: Frazier Discovery Trail

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 13:00:00 GMT

Photographing Frazier Discovery Trail

Location: Shenandoah National Park-Southern District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunset

Popularity: Low

Distance: 1.3 mile loop trail or 3.7 mile out and back

If you are looking to for a great location to photograph sunsets in Shenandoah National Park while enjoying the view by yourself, then you need to hike the Frazier Discovery Trail.

(Second outlook looking West, 18mm, 1/3sec, F/16, ISO 100)

There are two ways to the summit: the first is a 1.3 mile loop that starts at the Loft Mountain Wayside parking lot at mile marker 79.5 off of Skyline Drive in the southern district of Shenandoah National Park. The second way is a 3.7 mile hike out and back from the Loft Mountain Campground, but keep in mind the campground is only open certain months of the year-usually May through October. If you plan to photograph from the outlooks atop Frazier Discovery Trail during the off season, then you will have to park at the Loft Mountain Wayside.

(Second outlook looking Southwest, 200mm, 4sec, F/16, ISO 100)

Both trails are well-marked and easy to follow. If choose to hike the 1.3 mile loop, start at Loft Mountain Wayside. Hike across Skyline drive, and the trail loop starts about 0.1 miles from the parking lot. It doesn't matter if you go left or right, but I chose to take the left trail up to the top. Follow the blue blazes as it winds up the 473 feet up to the summit. In 0.6 miles, you will be at the first of two rocky outlooks. This outlook looks mostly Northwest to North making it ideal to photograph this first outlook during the late spring and summer around the summer solstice, June 21, when the sun sets in the Northwest. During this period, the sun will set directly behind the Blue Ridge Mountains facing this outlook. If you are photographing Shenandoah National Park during the fall or winter, then you are able to capture some nice side light on the mountain ridges, which will help illuminate the textures and the fall colors. If you are photographing Shenandoah National Park during the late summer through mid spring and want to actually capture the sun setting behind the mountains, then I suggest hiking to the second outlook.

(First outlook looking North, 16mm, 1/60sec, F/13, ISO 100)

The second outlook is atop the Frazier Discovery Trail 0.1 miles from the first. Hike back to the Frazier Discovery Trail, and turn right at the junction with the Appalachian Trail. Follow the white blazes of the Appalachian Trail 0.1 miles along the ridge line. This part of the trail is relatively flat. The second outlook will be on the right hand side of the trail. If you reach the second junction on the Appalachian Trail and the Frazier Discover Trail, you have gone too far, so backtrack up the trail about 300 yards to locate the unmarked side trail that leads to the second outlook.

(Second outlook looking Southwest, 16mm, 30sec, F/16, ISO 100)

The Frazier Discovery Trail’s second outlook looks mostly West to Northwest. This outlook is ideal anytime of the year to photograph sunset in Shenandoah. But if you are photographing the Shenandoah from late summer to mid-spring, then I suggest photographing at this outlook in order to photograph the sun dipping behind the Blue Ridge Mountains. Both outlooks offer a very large greenstone outcropping, which can easily be used as a foreground element. The greenstone also allows photographers a way to get above the trees. If you are going to be photographing the sunset, remember to bring a headlamp or flashlight for the hike back to your vehicle.To complete the loop, hike back to the Appalachian Trail, and turn right. In about 300 yards, you will reach the Appalachian Trail and the Frazier Discover Trail junction. Turn right at the junction, and follow the blue blazes 0.6 mile down the mountain back to the Loft Mountain Wayside parking lot.

(Second outlook looking Northwest, 18mm, 1/2sec, F/16, ISO 100)

The Frazier Discover Trail is a great hike in the park if you like to enjoy nature by yourself. I was there on a free park entry weekend and only saw one person on the trail. I photographed both outlooks for a few hours and saw no one. Also, if you are like me and have have small kids, this is a outstanding beginner hike for them. It’s short, not too steep, and has two great vistas from them to enjoy. If you would like to add another short hike, check out Blackrock Summit, which is located 5.3 miles south off of Skyline Drive. Blackrock Summit is a great location for sunrise pictures. Click here to learn how to photograph Blackrock Summit.

(Second outlook looking Northwest, 16mm, 1/160sec, F/8, ISO 100)

Learn More: Essential Landscape Photography Tips, Photographing Shenandoah National Park

Photographing Shenandoah NP: Buck Hollow Overlook

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 02:38:43 GMT

Photographing Buck Hollow Overlook

Location: Shenandoah National Park: Central District

Best time of year to photograph: Summer

Subject Focus: Sunrise, Landscape, Nature

Popularity: Low to Modorate

Mile Maker: 32.8 on Skyline Drive

Buck Hollow Overlook is one of 72 beautiful overlooks that are on Skyline Drive. Skyline Dive is the road that winds through the heart of Shenandoah National Park. Over 105 miles long, Skyline Drive offers great views of the surrounding Blue Ride Mountains and valleys while simultaneously offering photographers the chance to glimpse the outstanding scenery of Shenandoah. Buck Hollow Overlook is located at Mile marker 32.8 long Skyline Drive. Located in the northern part of the Central District of Shenandoah less then one mile south of Mary’s Rock Tunnel, Buck Hollow Overlook allows viewers to enjoy the beautiful sunrises while in Shenandoah National Park. The quickest way to reach this outlook is through the Thornton Gap entrance off of Route 211 and then drive south 1.8 miles along Skyline Drive until you reach Buck Hollow Overlook which will be on the left side.

(Buck Hollow Overlook, 17mm, F/16, 1sec, ISO 100)

Buck Hollow Overlook has an outstanding view of the some Blue Ridge Mountains and is less popular because of its proximity to Mary’s Rock Tunnel Overlook and Hazel Mountain Overlook. Buck Hollow Overlook looks Northeast making it ideal to photograph during the late spring and summer around the summer solstice, June 21, when the sunrises in the Northeast. During this period, the sun will rise directly behind the Blue Ridge Mountains. If you are photographing Shenandoah National Park during the fall or winter, then you are able to capture some nice side light on the mountain ridges which will help illuminate the textures and the fall colors. If you are photographing Shenandoah National Park during the late summer through mid spring and want to actually capture the sun rising, then I suggest traveling south along Skyline Drive 0.2 miles to Hazel Mountain Overlook, which is an overlook that has a spectacular due east vista. Click here if you want learn how to photograph Hazel Mountain Overlook.

(20mm F/16, 1/40 sec, ISO 100)

Learn More: Essential Landscape Photography Tips, Photographing Shenandoah National Park

Photographing Shenandoah NP: Hazel Mountain Overlook

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 02:34:07 GMT

Photographing Hazel Mountain Overlook

Location: Shenandoah National Park: Central District

Best time of year to photograph: Late Summer to Mid Spring

Subject Focus: Sunrise, Landscape, Nature

Popularity: High

Mile Maker: 33 on Skyline Drive

Skyline Dive runs through the heart of Shenandoah National Park. Consisting of 72 overlooks over 105 miles, Skyline Drive offers great views of the surrounding Blue Ride Mountains and valleys. Hazel Mountain Overlook is located at mile marker 33 along Skyline Drive and is one of a handful of overlooks that looks due east. Located in the northern part of the Central District of Shenandoah one mile south of Mary’s Rock Tunnel, Hazel Mountain Overlook allows viewers to enjoy the beautiful sunrises while in Shenandoah National Park. The quickest way to reach this outlook is through the Thornton Gap entrance off of Route 211 and then drive south two miles along Skyline Drive until you reach Hazel Mountain Overlook, which will be on the left side.

(Hazel Mountain Overlook, 29mm, F/16, 1/8sec, 1/2sec, 1.6sec, HDR, ISO 100)

Hazel Mountain Overlooks has some huge boulders that can be used as a foreground interest or can be climbed on top for a higher viewpoint. Even though this can be a popular overlook, there is enough space to spread out and capture the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. If you are feeling a little adventurous, there are two flat rocks just below the overlook that photographers could hike to in order to capture a different angle of the breathtaking landscape.

(Hazel Mountain Overlook, 20mm, 1/10sec, F/16, ISO 100)

Hazel Mountain Overlook looks due east making it ideal to photograph from late summer to mid spring. Around the summer solstice, June 21, the sun rises in the north east and will be blocked by the ridge line that Skyline Drive follows. As the sun rises, it will travel south and quickly come into view while still low in the sky. If you are hoping to photograph the sun rising, then avoid Hazel Mountain Overlook from late May to July. If you are photographing Shenandoah National Park around the summer solstice, then I suggest driving north 0.2 miles along Skyline Dive to Buck Hollow Overlook which looks North East. Click here if you want learn how to photograph Buck Hollow Overlook.

Learn More: Essential Landscape Photography Tips, Photographing Shenandoah National Park

Photographing Shenandoah NP: Blackrock Summit

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 21:00:47 GMT

Photographing Blackrock Summit

Location: Shenandoah National Park-Southern District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunrise, Sunset

Popularity: High

Distance: 1 mile loop trail

Blackrock Summit has the best view of Shenandoah National Park in the Southern District. This 270 degree view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains makes this summit a must for any photographer.

(Blackrock Summit, looking North at Sunrise. 130mm, F/16, 30sec, ISO 100)

To reach the trail head, park in the Blackrock Summit parking lot located at mile marker 84.4 along Skyline Drive. There are two ways to get to the top of the mountain: through the use of the Appalachian Trail or through the use of an old fire road (Blackrock Hut Road). The fire road is a little more direct but slightly steeper; whereas the Appalachian Trail is more gradual. Either way, this is an easy hike because hikers will only gain about 175 feet of elevation. I prefer to take the Appalachian Trail there and the fire road back so that I complete the entire loop. The trail head is at the end of the parking lot furthest from Skyline Drive. Once on the trail, hike about 50 yard to intersect the Appalachian Trail. Turn south (left) at the junction, and follow the white blazes. Hike along the Appalachian Trail for 0.5 mile until you reach Blackrock Summit. There is a large pile of quartzite boulders at the top of Blackrock Summit. There are views to the north and south from the trail, but climb to the top of the boulders to get the best view of Shenandoah National Park. I have found the easiest way to get to the top of the boulders is on the backside of the pile near the trail junction of the Appalachian Trail and the Blackrock Spur Trail. The rock scramble is not as difficult as Old Rag as these boulder are much smaller. The boulders are similar in size to the boulders found along the Devil’s Marbleyard Trail.

(Blackrock Summit, looking Northeast at Sunrise. 70mm, F/16, 0.6sec, ISO 100)

Blackrock Summit is a great location in Shenandoah National Park for landscape and nature photographers. The 270 degree view offers great views of the Blue Ridge Mountains for sunrise and sunset. The view to the north, northeast, and south east has multiple layers of mountain ranges. West has a great view of Trayfoot Mountain, and Northwest has an amazing view of the Blue Ridge Mountains leading to the Shenandoah Valley. The only obstructed view is to the east, which makes sunrise between mid-September to May not ideal if you want to actually view the sun rising over the mountains, but during these months, the Blue Ridge Mountains will have a nice side light at sunrise, which is great for seeing all of the texture in the mountains ranges. Doing late spring through the summer months when the sun rises in the northeast, Blackrock Summit is an outstanding place to photograph breathtaking images of the sun rising behind the mountain. The quartzite boulders work great as a foreground element and allow endless possibilities for unique composition. With the 270 degree view, photographers will not be limited to facing a certain direction, which will allow photographers to take advantage of the best light wherever it happens to be. During the summer months, Blackrock Summit is a very popular hike in Shenandoah between midday and sunset because it is an easy, short hike with outstanding. Photographer who would like to enjoy the views to themselves during peak tourist times should consider waking up early for sunrise.

(Blackrock Summit, looking Southwest at Sunrise. 16mm, F/16, 1/8sec, ISO 100)

To return to the parking lot, follow the Appalachian Trail around the pile of boulders and back into the trees for 0.1 miles until you reach the old fire road (Blackrock Hut Road). Turn North (left) along the fire road, and follow the yellow blazes for 0.4 miles until you reach the parking lot.

(Blackrock Summit, looking Northeast at Sunrise. 70mm, F/16, 0.5sec, ISO 100)

Learn More: Essential Landscape Photography Tips, Photographing Shenandoah National Park

7 Essential Landscape Photography Tips

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Sun, 12 Jun 2016 18:57:37 GMT

7 Essential Landscape Photography Tips

1. Magic hour

Light is the cornerstone of photography. Generally, the best light for landscapes occurs during the magic hours: the Blue Hour and the Golden Hour. The Blue Hour occurs just before sunrise and just after sunset when the sky tends to have a rich blue hue. The Golden Hour occurs just after sunrise and right before sunset. Being a landscape photographer means having to wake up early or staying up late to take full advantage of the best light possible. The quality of the light is superior when the sun is low in the sky, which creates less contrast across the landscape, opposed to that of the light found around midday, when the sun is high in the sky resulting in sharp contrast throughout the landscape. Sunrises will usually produce more blue tone on the landscape, whereas sunsets will usually have more golden tones. Both are beautiful and can be used to help set the overall feel to the image.

Sunrise at Dolly Sods

2. Composition

After light, having a great composition can make or break an image. The key to composition is finding the subject and then composing the landscape to draw the viewer’s eyes through the image to the subject. There are many different ways to compose the landscape, which makes it important to know the different rules in order to apply them to different situations. The rule of thirds is a great example of how to compose a landscape. Below is an example. You will notice the tree is located on the left third to the image, and the horizon is located on the bottom third of the image. For more landscape composition techniques click here.

Oakdale, CA

3. Foreground elements

Incorporating a foreground element(s) in to the landscape composition is a way to help take your landscape photography to the next level. A foreground element can be as simple as a rock or field of colorful flowers. When a landscape image includes a foreground element, it gives the viewers an anchor when viewing your image and will help draw the viewer into the image.

Nubble Light, ME B&W

4. Depth of field

Depth of field controls what part of the image will appear sharp. Most landscape photographers choose to make every element in the image sharp. Depth of field is how landscape photographers ensure the foreground through the background appears sharp. To achieve this requires using a small aperture such as f/16 or f/22. Using a small aperture will create a larger area both in front and behind the focus point in which the landscape will appear sharp.

5. Use a tripod

When landscape photographers use smaller aperture, less light is able to pass through the lens, which requires the shutter speed to be longer in order for the image to be exposed properly. A sturdy tripod is then required to ensure the camera is completely still during the length of the exposure. If there is any movement or camera shake during the exposure, no matter how minor, the image will not be sharp.

Boone Hall Plantation, SC

6. Use a shutter release

Like a tripod, a shutter release is another tool landscape photographers use to create tack sharp images. Pressing the shutter button on the camera can cause the camera to shake. A shutter release is a tool that releases the shutter to start the exposure without touching the camera. The most common type of shutter release is a cable release, but there are also wireless shutter releases. If you are on a budget, utilizing the camera’s self timer feature is another great way reduce that chance for camera shake when the exposure starts.

7.Scout location

Location, location, location! Landscape photography is all about location and using the above skills to capture beautiful and breathtaking images. Scouting a location is very important; when possible, get to the location well before the magic hour to allowing ample time to find the subject and the perfect composition. Google Earth is a great tool to help scout new locations. The Photographers Ephemeris is a very useful app for scouting locations. Some of the features include dropping a pin on a location to get the exact sunrise and sunset times, along with the path of the sun throughout the day. Sunseaker is another useful App used by landscape photographers to help scout a location. Sunseaker has a live 3D view which allows photographers to see the exact spot the sun will rise and set. This allows photographers to figure out how to compose their image well before sunrise and sunset.

Learn More: Tips for Photographing Shenandoah National Park, 7 Essential Landscape Photography Composition Techniques

Photographing Shenandoah NP: Bearfence Mountain

(Blue Ridge Imagery) — Tue, 31 May 2016 15:00:00 GMT

Photographing Bearfence Mountain

Location: Shenandoah National Park - Central District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Landscapes, Mountains, Sunrise, Sunset

Popularity: High

Distance: 1.2 miles loop

Bearfence Mountain is one of the best 360 degree views in Shenandoah National Park, which makes it ideal for photographers. Bearfence Mountain is located in the Central District of Shenandoah in between Big Meadows and Lewis Mountain.

(Bearfence 360 outlook, looking Northwest at Sunrise. 19mm, F/16, 6 sec, ISO 100)

To reach the trail head park at the Bearfence Mountain Parking Lot, located at mile marker 56.4 along Skyline Drive: The trail head is on the opposite side of Skyline Drive. Once across Skyline Drive, follow the Bearfence Trail marked with blue trail blazes to the top of the 3,600 foot mountain. The trail is considered an easy hike and only gains 300 feet of elevation over .4 miles with a short rock scramble. About 200 yards from the trail head, the Bearfence Trail crosses the Appalachian Trail, which is marked by white blazes. Stay on the Bearface Trail, and continue to follow the blue blazes. Roughly .3 miles from the trail head is a rock scramble, which is clearly marked by the blue blazes. This rock scramble is not too difficult and easier than the rock scramble at the top of Old Rag Mountain. While scrambling up the rocks, views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains will become visible. Continue up the trail until it opens up to the 360 degree outlook. This is the ideal place to stop and take stunning photographs of Shenandoah National Park.

(Bearfence 360 outlook, looking North at sunrise. 18mm, F/8, 1/4sec, ISO 100)

Bearfence Mountain is located in an ideal place in the Central District of Shenandoah. The Blue Ridge Mountains widen both to the east and west of Skyline Drive. This, coupled with a panoramic view, makes this a rare treasure in Shenandoah. Photographers are able to capture multiple layers of the Blue Ridge Mountain ranges rather than just one or two ranges found at most other outlooks in Shenandoah. The exposed greenstone on top of Bearfence Mountain works well as a foreground element for landscape photographers and is a perfect spot for photographers to capture stunning sunrise and sunset picture. The 360 degree view makes finding and photographing the perfect light easier. Photographers are not limited to only facing one direction, allowing photographers to take full advantage of the light in every direction. This outlook offers photographers the ability to take advantage of different types of light (front, side, and back) cast on the mountain ranges to capture the pictures they envisioned without hiking miles to a new location and possibly missing the perfect light. The proximity of Bearfence Mountain to the campgrounds at Big Meadows and Lewis Mountain, mixed with an easy, short hike with outstanding views, makes this a very popular spot in Shenandoah. Photographers who would like to enjoy the view to themselves during peak tourist times should consider waking up early for sunrise.

(35mm, F/1.4, 20 sec, 3200 ISO)

To reach the true Bearfence Mountain summit and for a second outlook, the Bearfence Trail continues along the rock face for .1 miles. The 3,600 foot summit is wooded and only has a 180 degree view looking northwest back toward the first outlook. This outlook offers some of the same views as the first outlook, but for photographers who would like a second angle, this is a great location; it’s just not as grand as the first outlook.

(Looking Northwest at Sunset, 70mm, F/16, 1/6 sec, 100 ISO)

To complete the 1.2 mile loop, continue along the Bearfence Trail for another .1 miles until it intersects again with the Appalachian Trail. Turn right and follow the while blazes of the Appalachian Trail for .6 miles at which point the trail is at the first junction crossed on the hike. Turn left back on to the Bearfence Trail for .1 miles until you reach Skyline Drive and the Bearfence Parking Lot.

Learn More: Essential Landscape Photography Tips, Photographing Shenandoah National Park

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Blue Ridge Imagery: Blog

Favorite Images From 2018

Black Rock Summit SunriseBlackrock Summit has the best view of Shenandoah National Park in the Southern District. This 270 degree view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains makes this summit a must for any photographer. Click Here for tips on how to Photograph Black Rock Summit

Leave No Trace in the Social Media Age

Leave No Trace in the Social Media Age

Hiker in Shenandoah National ParkShenandoah National Park has some of the best views for hiking in Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

1) Plan Ahead and Prepare

2) Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces

3) Dispose of Waste Properly

4) Leave What you Find

5) Minimize Campfire Impacts

6) Respect Wildlife

7) Be Considerate of Others Visitors

LNT.org goes into more detail about the meaning of each principle, and following these seven simple principles will help you not only enjoy your trip but also make sure that future generations will also be able to visit these amazing locations.

As more and more people get outside and social media continues to grow, LNT has had to adapt to the new digital age. LNT has come up with some new guidelines to consider before posting an image to social media, and some of them are very controversial. The four new guidelines are as follow:

1) Tag Thoughtfully

2) Be Mindful of What Your Images Portray

3) Give Back to the Places You Love

4) Encourage and Inspire LNT in Social Media Posts

Sunset at Falling Spring FallsSunset at Falling Spring Falls

7 Essential Tips for Photographing the Milky Way

7 Essential Tips for Photographing the Milky Way

1) Finding Dark Skies

2) Moon Phase

3) Finding the Milky Way

4) Gear

5) 500 Rule

6) Focusing in the Dark

7) Composition

Even though the Milky Way will be the main element in your image, it shouldn’t be the only element in your image. Remember to add interesting elements to help tell the story of your location. For more photography composition techniques, click here.

Photographing Appalachian Mountains: Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook

Photographing Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook

Location: Blue Ridge Parkway

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Landscape, Nature, Sunset

Popularity: Low

Mile Maker: 44.9 on The Blue Ridge Parkway

With an outstanding southwest view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Chimney Rock Mountain Overlook is a great spot to enjoy a beautiful sunset while driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

7 Essential Spring Landscape Photography Tips

7 Essential Spring Landscape Photography Tips

Below are seven essential spring photography tips which will help you take your spring images to the next level and will help you make unique one of a kind images.

1) Rain Gear

2) Boots

3) Waterfalls

Falling Spring FallsFalling Spring Falls

4) Use Flowers in Foreground

Spring flowers help add some wonderful colors to the landscape. During the spring, wildflowers add to the beauty of the landscape by making wonderful foreground interests that can help take your image to the next level.

5) Flowers

6) Look for Fog

7) Add Wildlife to Your Landscapes

Pursuit Series: Hunter Mountain, New York

Pursuit Series: Hunter Mountain, New York

June 29-July 1, 2018

Pursuit Series: Bear Valley, California

Pursuit Series: Bear Valley, CA

August 10-12, 2018

6 Reasons Why You Should Use a Telephoto Lens for Landscape Photography

6 Reasons Why You Should Use a Telephoto Lens for Landscape Photography

1) Perspective

Sunrise at Bear LakeSunrise at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park.

2) K.I.S.S.

3) Composition

4) Blue Boring Skies

5) No Foreground Interest

Photographing Shenandoah NP: Little Stony Man

Photographing Little Stony Man

Location: Shenandoah National Park: Central District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Sunset, Landscape

Popularity: High

To learn more landscape photography tips click here.

To find more locations to Photograph in Shenandoah National Park click here.

Photographing Shenandoah NP: Spitler Knoll Overlook

Spitler Knoll Overlook

Location: Shenandoah National Park: Central District

Best time of year to photograph: Year Around

Subject Focus: Sunset, Landscape

Popularity: High

Click Here for tips on how to Photograph Black Rock Summit