Setting Sun from Big Arete on Pilot Mountain
One of my favorite climbs at Pilot Mountain, Smooth Sailing (a nice 5.10a) tops out on a cliff that juts out over the valley, providing 200-degree views of the rolling hills below the mountain. I had the pleasure of removing our anchors and sitting alone with a few circling birds as the sun set behind the clouds.
Setting Sun from Big Arete, Pilot Mountain State Park, NC (21″x56″)
Fog over Lowlands from Pilot Mountain Summit
A few weeks ago, we camped near the base of Pilot Mountain and got up early the next morning to start climbing. When we arrived at the summit, we were greeted with a spectacular view of fog filling the low-lying areas between hills, with the fog almost looking like a meandering river or lake.
Morning Fog in Valleys from Pilot Mountain Summit, Pilot Mountain State Park, NC (10″x22″)
Mountains to East from Sandia Crest
Early autumn clouds over the mountain range to the east of Sandia Crest.
Mountains to East of Sandia Crest (B&W#1), Sandia-Manzano Mountains, NM (12″x22″)
Panorama of Clouds from Sandia Crest
Early autumn clouds over Albuquerque from Sandia Crest.
Clouds over Albuquerque from Sandia Crest (B&W Panorama #1),
Sandia-Manzano Mountains, NM (15″x61″)
Clouds over Albuquerque from Sandia Crest
Early autumn clouds over Albuquerque, as viewed from Sandia Peak.
Clouds over Albuquerque from Sandia Crest (B&W#1), Sandia-Manzano Mountains, NM (15″x22.5″)
Summersville/Gauley River Falls, Part 2
Two more cropped square photographs of the falls near Summersville Lake, taken on a recent climbing trip to the New River Gorge area in West Virginia.
Lake Summserville Falls (#1, Color, Square Crop), Summersville, WV (15″x15″)
Lake Summserville Falls (#2, B&W, Square Crop), Summersville, WV (15″x15″)
Summersville/Gauley River Falls, Part 1
On a recent climbing trip to the New River Gorge area in West Virginia, we hiked past a set of falls on our way to the cliffs along the shore of Lake Summersville. I stopped and set up my camera to make a few long-exposure photographs of the falls on our walk back to the car. Note the old wooden ladder that used to be used to access the area, and the new stairs next to it (much less scary to descend!).
Lake Summserville Falls (#1, Color, Full Frame), Summersville, WV (15″x22.5″)
Panorama of Rain Clouds over Sopris after Sunset, in Color
A full panorama of the clouds and fading light over Mt Sopris after sunset. Black and white version posted last week.
Mt Sopris and Rain Clouds after Sunset (Panorama Color #1), Carbondale, CO (19″x40″)
Panorama of Rain Clouds over Sopris after Sunset
A full panorama of the clouds and fading light over Mt Sopris after sunset. Color version next week.
Mt Sopris and Rain Clouds after Sunset (B&W #1), Carbondale, CO (19″x40″)
Panorama of Stillwater Reservoir, CO
Low water in the Stillwater Reservoir on the edge of the Flat Top Wilderness Area in Colorado. Note the driftwood stranded on the reservoir wall/bank/berm.
Stillwater Reservoir (Color Panorama #4), Routt National Forest, CO (20″x71″)
Rain Clouds over Stillwater Reservoir, CO
Dark storm clouds gather along the ridges above the Stillwater Reservoir on the edge of the Flat Top Wilderness Area in Colorado. A spectacular area to hike around.
Rain Clouds over Stillwater Reservoir (B&W #2), Routt National Forest, CO (14″x22″)
Rain Clouds over Mt Sopris after Sunset
I stuck around Carbondale for a few minutes around sunset to photograph the fading light over Mt Sopris- this mountain rarely disappoints, especially if there are any kind of storm clouds in the area.
Mt Sopris and Rain Clouds after Sunset (B&W #1), Carbondale, CO (15″x22.5″)
Mammatus Clouds over Mt Sopris
I try to take at least a brief trip back to western Colorado every year. While in the area, I usually make an effort to make a few photographs of Mt Sopris, the 12,965 ft mountain near Carbondale/Aspen/Redstone (see annual photographs of the mountain on this website). I was lucky this year to see what, in my experience, is a relatively rare scene of mammatus clouds over the mountain. I included both a black and white and color version of the scene.
Mammatus Clouds over Sopris (#2, B&W), Carbondale, CO (15″x22.5″)
Mammatus Clouds over Sopris (#2, Color), Carbondale, CO (15″x22.5″)
Panorama of Approaching Storm
A series of full panoramas of an approach storm over Albuquerque, New Mexico. I included both color and black and white versions – each seems to have its own focus and strengths.
Approaching Storm over Albuquerque (B&W Panorama #3, 2022), Albuquerque, NM (22″x86″)
Approaching Storm over Albuquerque (Color Panorama #3, 2022), Albuquerque, NM (22″x86″)
Storm Clouds from NM 556
Storm clouds over the Sandia Mountains, shot from NM 556 in the North Valley outside Albuquerque. Two crops- one of them removes the tree in the foreground on the left. Can’t decide which I like more, so I shared both panoramas.
Storm Clouds over Sandias from NM 556 (Color #1, 2022), Albuquerque, New Mexico (20″x54″)
Storm Clouds over Sandias from NM 556 (BW #2, 2022), Albuquerque, New Mexico (20″x40″)
Late spring rain clouds over Sandia Wilderness
Panorama of spring rain clouds over the Sandia foothills and Wilderness area near Elena Gallegos outside Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Rain Clouds over Elena Gallegos (Panorama #1, Color), outside Albuquerque, NM (20″x50″)
Approaching Storm
I was briefly in New Mexico for a couple of days for work, and I was lucky enough to overlap with a much-needed series of rainy, cool days. Here is one photograph I took of approaching storm clouds over Albuquerque. I purposefully made the focus 95% the sky, with very little hint of ground in the frame.
Approaching Storm (BW #1, 2022), Albuquerque, New Mexico (12″x22″)
Falls and Logs on the Wind River
Cascades on the Wind River flow under logs outside Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
Wind River Falls and Logs (#2, Vertical), Rocky Mountain National Park, CO (15″x22.5″)
Falls on the Wind River outside Estes Park, CO
The Wind River cascades over rocks and under logs outside Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
Wind River Falls, Logs, and Rocks (#1, Vertical), Rocky Mountain National Park, CO (15″x22.5″)
Moore Cove Falls from Left Side
Another long-exposure photograph of Moore Cove Falls, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mt Pisgah, this time made from below and to the left of the falls. I decided to post both the color and black and white versions- which one do you like more?
Moore Cove Falls from Left (#1, Color), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (15″22.5″)
Moore Cove Falls from Left (#2, B&W), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (15″22.5″)
Moore Cove Falls from Right Side
Another long-exposure photograph of Moore Cove Falls, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mt Pisgah, this time made from below and to the right of the falls.
Moore Cove Falls from Right (#1, Vertical), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (15″22.5″)
Moore Cove Falls
Moore Cove Falls, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mt Pisgah.
Moore Cove Falls (#1, Vertical), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (15″22.5″)
Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields
Another photograph of the Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields, also made with a 10-stop ND filter. This time I decided to get closer to the bottom of the falls to try to capture the whole series of cascades in one (non-panoramic) image.
Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (15″22.5″)
Panorama of Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields
After taking a brief hike up to Devil’s Courthouse, we drove to Graveyard Fields and walked to the Upper Falls- lovely scenery, and a beautiful set of falls at the end of the hike. With a 10-stop ND filter, I made a series of 5-second exposures of the falls as they cascade over the rocks and around the corner.
Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields (Panorama #1), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (18″x45″)
Luke Parsons Photography 