South USA

Ageless - Charleston, SC - USA

The Angel Oak Tree in Charleston, SC is as majestic, awe-inspiring, and unforgettable as they come. As such, it's quite crowded with people, and has been photographed who knows how many thousands, or millions of times. Knowing this, my goal was to admire, appreciate, and photograph it from as many angles as possible, and convey it's beauty in a way that was distinct from the thousands of others. I spent no less than an hour enjoying this marvel of nature, capturing from each spot that spoke to me. It's stats are staggering. It stands 66.5 ft (20 m) tall, measures 28 ft (8.5 m) in circumference, and produces shade that covers 17,200 square feet (1,600 m2). From tip to tip Its longest branch distance is 187 ft. It's often stated to be around 400-500 years old, but there is considerable debate about the age. Some contend that it is 1,500 years old. I've seen the greatest Oak in the West, in my old hometown of Temecula, CA - which is said to be 1,000-2,000 years old, and I personally find it hard to believe Angel Oak is younger than 1,000. Regardless of this debate, the wisdom & magnificence it exudes, the reverence it commands, is ageless.

St. Ann & Royal - French Quarter - New Orleans, Louisiana - USA

At dusk, in the middle of the street at the intersection of St. Ann & Royal in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It's always a bit exciting, and not uncommon for me to stand in the street, working quickly before the next wave of traffic comes. When a scene speaks to me, such as this, exemplifying the French Quarter with rod iron balconies, fleur-de-lis flags, downtown skyline, and quintessential French Quarter accents, I must follow that voice!

Peering Under the Pier - Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - USA

Focused on the symmetry, and contrasts in the wood, with this view underneath the pier in Myrtle. I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful backdrop of perfect blue sky and reflective blue water. Interestingly, and coincidentally, the horizon line aligns nearly perfectly with the water lines in the wood from higher tides. The small, gently crashing waves provided me an extra sense of peace as I was peering under the pier.

Excitement in Edisto - Edisto Beach, SC

Few things excite me more than the powerful, majestic sound of crashing ocean waves. These beauties were accompanied by a bright blue sky, plentiful clouds, and this expansive stretch of reflective sand, thanks to the powerfully crashing and retracting waves. More than enough reason for me to be excited, and filled with wonder, on this cool, crisp evening at Edisto Beach State Park.

Solitude - Myrtle Beach, SC

As a tourist hot spot, Myrtle Beach has a very distinct collection of resorts & hotels, new and old, lining it's entire beach. I was strolling along the shore, mid morning, in solitude, observing my surroundings. Took notice of this very distinct feature, and it's reflecting back to me in the sand. These seagulls, also in solitude, added context to the image, as I was focused on capturing the lovely color assortment, and wavy lines provided by this reflection.

Picture Perfect - Cherohola Skyway, North Carolina - USA

A perfectly picturesque dusting of snow along the Cherohala Skyway, winding across, and along the Tennesee-North Carolina border in the Smokey Mountains. Decided to explore this national scenic byway on a December day. The threat of snow was minimal, so I was a bit surprised, and even a bit anxious when it began to fall at the higher elevations. Thankfully, it stopped, and the anxiety turned to pure excitement, as it turned out to be just enough to provide this fantastic, lovely scenery along the drive, including this picture perfect vista.

Rush - Smokey Mountains National Park, Tennessee - USA

This powerfully cascading river in the Smokey Mountains National Park gave me quite a rush. A rush of excitement, of energy, and connectedness to Mother Nature. Found on a random trail off the side of the road, I was in my own private Heaven in this spot. Wanting to capture the essence of the excitement and the rush this scene provided me, I turned the camera to provide this perspective, with the cascading water as the focal point.

Solace - Creole Nature Trail, Louisiana - USA

The simplicity & beauty of nature is where I find my solace, my inspiration, and my sanity. The lotus moves and speaks to my soul, representing tranquility, perseverance, non-attachment, and most importantly, the beauty that can arise from the muddy dark waters. This was found along the Creole nature trail, All American road, in SW Louisiana. It's a wonderland of wetland and marshy goodness, with gators galore. The lotus happened to be in bloom while passing through, and exploring a nature preserve. I happily spent a good portion of my day admiring and capturing these inspirational beauties.

Invitation - Smokey Mountains Nat'l Park, Tennessee - USA

A full spectrum of forest green found on the Laurel Falls trail in the Smokey Mountains National Park. Walking back from the falls, this scene captured my attention and awe, on an otherwise ordinary forest trail. Looking up, as I often do, I observed the afternoon sun illuminating the forest, providing this lovely palette of greens. I also noticed, as the crowd rushed by, people were either occupied in conversation, or fixated on their destination, and I seemed to be the only one in the moment, taking note of this magnificent and subtle beauty, provided to us all by mother nature, inviting us to take a moment, slow down, and admire it.

Blue Mountain Majesty - North Carolina, USA

If you love mountains as much as I do, and especially if you love blue as much as I do, it doesn't get any better than the Blue Ridge Parkway. A 469 mile stretch through the Smokey Mountains in Virginia, and North Carolina. Along this stretch, are endless and breathtaking expanses, and vistas. Famed, and aptly named for the gorgeous blue ridges. This was taken near Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the Eastern U.S. I was lucky, on this day trip to Mt. Mitchell, to be treated to a fairly nice sunset, which allowed me to capture these gorgeous blue ridges in all of their majesty. I'm often asked if these are the REAL colors, and yes they absolutely are real, as the eye sees it, and as I usually aim for in my final product. Only minor enhancement to increase the vividness of the scene.