Date Taken: 10/11/2019
Location: Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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Date Taken: 08/10/2016
Location: Thunder Struck Ridge Overlook, Milepost 454.4 on the Parkway

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Sigma 24-70 f 2.8
Focal Length: 36mm
ISO: 125
Shutter: 0.04 seconds
Aperture: f/16
Filters: Graduated Neutral Density
Exposure: Aperture Priority
How I Got This Shot: I had been driving by this location on the way to Waterrock Knob for a while and had tried some shots there before. On this day, I decided to go for this location for the Golden Hour shot instead of the usual Knob shot. I did have to be patient because of the rain and breezes that kept coming in every few minutes. I knew that if the wind would let up at the right time, with the clouds in the sky and the wildflowers in the foreground could give me great results. I think my patience paid off. I always shoot landscapes with a tripod and shutter release cable.

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Date Taken: 07/10/2016
Location: Balsam Mountain Overlook close to the picnic area at the end of the road, off of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Sigma 24-70 f 2.8
Focal Length: 24mm
ISO: 640
Shutter: 7.4 seconds
Aperture: 2.8
Filters: None
Exposure: Manuel
How I Got This Shot: I had been to this overlook before, but tonight I was there to specifically try for nighttime sky shots. Usually when I shoot the night skies I look away from where the sun had set, but tonight I wanted to see what I could get if instead I shot where the sun had set. So, after shooting the actual sunset and watching others who were there leave to go back to their campsites or hotels, I started shooting the night sky about an hour or more after sunset. What I was able to capture was the colors that still exist in the sky after the sun has gone down, but our eyes cannot really see them. By using a higher ISO and a wide open aperture, I was able to capture the residual light reflecting in the clouds long after the sun had set and still show the stars in the night sky. I thought that since the Blue Ridge Mountains were so far down at the bottom of the shot I would use the surrounding trees to frame the shot and give a nice perspective. Because of the long exposure, of course a tripod and shutter release cable was used. I counted the seconds off in my head to get various exposures. This shot is best viewed full frame if possible. Thanks and I hope you enjoy.

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