Date Taken: 07/30/2016
Location: East Fork Overlook, Milepost 418.3

Camera: Nikon D7100
Lens: Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8
Focal Length: 24mm
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/80
Aperture: f/11
Filters: 2-stop Tiffen GND
Exposure: AP
How I Got This Shot: Shot handheld while traversing East Fork Overlook, just north of Graveyard Fields and Black Balsam off the Blue Ridge Parkway, for some nice compositions; the ever-changing cloud cover was yielding some nice dappled light over the mountains, and I was trying my best to capture the beauty of this light vs shade battle with my go-to Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 lens (currently the widest lens in my arsenal) on my D7100 Nikon. The awesome, yet sometimes frustrating thing about this beautiful landscape, is that the weather changes with such incredible frequency. When observing a desired scene, you really cannot wait for second chances – the camera, and you, has to be ready for the moment and know when to click the shutter. Becoming familiar with your camera and lens(es), and what settings are ideal for certain situations, is a vital tool for any serious photographer looking to capture the shot they want. Once adjusting camera settings becomes second-nature, you can focus more intently on compositions to capture that “perfect” shot once the moment presents itself. Thank you for looking, and happy shooting!

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Date Taken: 05/18/2016
Location: Cowee Mountains Overlook, Milepost 430.7

Camera: Nikon D7100
Lens: Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8
Focal Length: 28mm
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/10
Aperture: f/14
Filters: 2-stop Tiffen GND
Exposure: Manual
How I Got This Shot: Probably the most photographed overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway I daresay, so it is challenging to find different compositions here. I like to go closer in for shots at this location, using the Spruce Fir trees and the valley in the foreground to anchor the image and allow the viewer to travel through the image into the endless ridges in the distance.

The light was rather harsh in the sky, but became soft and beautiful over the ridges. I had to slightly underexpose this image so as to not blow out the sky, but be careful so as to not lose too much detail in my foreground, especially with all the beautiful colors radiating on this day.

I typically shoot in Aperture Priority at first, in order to get an idea of where I need to dial in my exposure, then subsequently move to Manual Mode for the rest of the shoot.

Since I went for a closer crop for this composition, I brought my aperture down to f/14 in order to keep everything in focus, and feel I was able to attain enough detail in the foreground to match the detail in the sky and mountain ridges.

Thank you very much for looking, I truly appreciate the opportunity to display my work!

Sincerely,

Johan Hakansson Photography

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The post Spring at Cowee Mountains Overlook, Milepost 430.7 appeared first on Blue Ridge Parkway - Photo of the Day | Galleries.