Clouds Moving over Blue Ridge Mtns from Pisgah Inn
Morning fog and clouds move over the ridge tops along the Blue Ridge Mountains. Exposure time: 61 seconds.
Moving Clouds over Ridges from Pisgah Inn, Pisgah Forest, NC (10″x22″)
Panoramic View of Blue Ridge Mtns from Pisgah Inn
Early spring view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the Pisgah Inn. No fancy sunset or spectacular clouds, just ridges stacked on ridges rolling away into the distance.
Ridges Fading into Distance from Pisgah Inn, Pisgah Forest, NC (20″x78″)
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″)
Spring Storm Clouds from Devil’s Courthouse
Rain clouds approaching us at Devil’s Courthouse. The dark cloud in the distance over the ridge on the right moved over us and delivered some nice spring rain and thunder as we were hiking near Graveyard Fields about an hour later.
Spring Clouds from Devil’s Courhouse (Single Frame #1), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (12″x21″)
Panoramic View from Devil’s Courthouse
Last weekend, I took a trip out to the Blue Ridge Parkway- I stopped by the Devil’s Courthouse as some dramatic spring storm clouds were rolling in. The trees at ~4,000-5,000 feet were just about to leaf out, but not quite, so it still looked a bit like late winter on the Parkway.
Spring Clouds from Devil’s Courhouse (Panorama #1), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (17″x54″)
Falls at Graveyard Fields, BRP, NC
Last autumn, I made a few ‘single-frame’ photographs of the falls around the Graveyard Fields area along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but was generally not happy with these images. I recently came across several panoramic images I had been too busy to work on – much better images in my opinion.
Second Falls at Graveyard Fields (Panorama #1), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (19″x50″)
Long Exposure: Clouds from Craggy Pinnacle
Long-exposure photograph of clouds passing over the ridge line northeast of Craggy Pinnacle Summit along the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC.
Clouds from Craggy Pinnacle Summit (B&W, 121s exposure), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (15″x22″)
Panoramas of Ridges from Craggy Pinnacle
Panoramas of shadows on the ridges along the Blue Ridge Parkway, shot from Craggy Pinnacle Summit, NC.
Ridges and Shadows from Craggy Pinnacle Summit (B&W), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (20″x67″)
Cloud over Ridges and Shadows from Craggy Pinnacle Summit (B&W), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (20″x54″)
Panorama of Clouds from Craggy Pinnacle
Panorama of light and shadow on the mountains and clouds over the Blue Ridge Parkway, shot from Craggy Pinnacle Summit, NC.
Clouds and Mountains from Craggy Pinnacle Summit (B&W), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (21″x65″)
View of Clouds from Craggy Pinnacle Summit
View looking northeast from Craggy Pinnacle Summit along the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC. I’m a sucker for clouds spilling over a ridge.
Clouds from Craggy Pinnacle Summit (B&W), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (13″x23″)
Blue Ridge Parkway Overlook (B&W), Oct 2021
Black and white version of a 136s exposure of the view over the fence near the Graybeard Mountain View Overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC.
Graybeard Mtn View Overlook, Fence, and Clouds (B&W, 136s exp.), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (13″x21)
Blue Ridge Parkway Overlook, Oct 2021
View over the fence near the Graybeard Mountain View Overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC. One exposure is 136 seconds, the other 301 seconds- shot with a 15-stop ND filter.
Graybeard Mtn View Overlook, Fence, and Clouds (136s exposure), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (13″x21)
Graybeard Mtn View Overlook, Fence, and Clouds (301s exposure), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (13″x21)
Catawba Falls from below
Catawba Falls from pools below the cascades.
Catawba Falls from below, near Old Fort, NC (15″x18″)
Catawba Falls Panorama
Vertical panorama of Catawba Falls from the side of the cascades.
Catawba Falls from side (panorama), near Old Fort, NC (15.5″x22″)
Catawba Falls
Views of Catawba Falls from the side of the cascades in the middle of the falls.
Catawba Falls from side, near Old Fort, NC (15″x23″)
Surf City Fishing Pier at Sunset
Four-minute exposure of clouds above the Surf City fishing pier. I tilted the camera up, and I was using a wide-angle lens, so the edges of the pier appear to tilt towards the center of the frame (or the pier is just really old and needs repair).
Surf City Fishing Pier at Sunset (long exposure), Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x21″)
Seaview Fishing Pier after Sunset
Clouds moving over the Seaview Fishing Pier after sunset- the top image is ~2 minute exposure time, and the bottom image is ~3 minute exposure time.
Seaview Fishing Pier and Lights after Sunset (long exposure), Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x21″)
Seaview Fishing Pier at Sunset (long exposure), Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x21″)
Under Surf City Fishing Pier
30-second exposure of waves under the Surf City fishing pier. I can’t decide if I like the color version or the black and white version more- the color version seems to emphasize the mid-ground elements, whereas the black and white version draws the eye in with the patterns formed by the legs of the pier.
Under the Surf City Fishing Pier (Color), Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x21″)
Under the Surf City Fishing Pier (B&W), Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x21″)
Rain Clouds over Seaview Fishing Pier
After making a series of long-exposure photographs focused on the movement in the clouds and water, I decided to make a panorama that highlights the texture in the clouds and the streaks of rain over the ocean. I chose a half-second exposure time to get some blur in the water and people walking by on the beach to better emphasize the clouds and pier.
Rain Clouds over Ocean near Seaview Fishing Pier, Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x42″)
Seaview Fishing Pier before Sunset
Two-minute exposure of clouds moving in over the Seaview Fishing Pier just before sunset.
Seaview Fishing Pier before Sunset (long exposure), Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x21″)
Seaview Fishing Pier at Sunset
Two photographs I made recently from below the Seaview Fishing Pier, North Topsail Island: one is a relatively short (~1/8s) exposure, the other a longer (61s) exposure. I think I like the more minimalist look of the longer exposure to ‘flatten’ or ‘fog’ the water, which eliminates the texture in the waves and clouds and helps to emphasize the repeating pattern in the pier.
Seaview Fishing Pier and Waves (short exposure), Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x21″)
Seaview Fishing Pier and Waves (long exposure), Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x21″)
Topsail Island and Morning Clouds
I recently took a trip to the Topsail Beach, a barrier island along the North Carolina coast. The first morning, I brought along my camera to explore the differences in focus and texture in the clouds, water, and sand using various exposure times.
Topsail Island Clouds (short exposure: 1/80s), Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x21″)
Topsail Island Clouds (long exposure: 2 minutes), Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x21″)
Topsail Island Clouds (long exposure: 4 minutes), Topsail Island, North Carolina (12″x21″)
Falls near Mortimer Campground, NC (Color)
Color version of the falls upstream from Mortimer Campground (black and white last week). I go back and forth about which I like more. There’s a bit more depth in the color I think.
Falls above Mortimer Campground (Color), near Collettsville, NC (15″x15″)
Luke Parsons Photography 