Waterfall Pictures

Wow, now is the time in Tennessee, to take photographs of waterfalls. Due to the rainfall we have been experiencing in the last few weeks the waterfalls are just roaring.

I have been out to two state parks this week and the water is just rushing over the falls. This is wonderful since all summer long the falls were pretty much dried up.

Now is the time to get out there and take some waterfall pics

Hummers Will Be Leaving Soon

The hummingbirds are filling up on nectar and bugs and all the good stuff a hummer can get. They are getting ready for the migration from the north to the south. These tiny birds have got to put on some weight to make the journey south before the frost is on the ground.

I hate to see them go, they have been such great subjects to photograph and soon they will be gone for several months. I hope they remember me and my deck next season.

Snowflakes

Have you ever tried to photograph a snowflake crystal? It is not always easy. I have become fascinated by the beauty of a snow crystal. I saw some gorgeous photos on the web and I want to be able to capture some photos like them.

Now all I need to do is wait for snowfall. It is only August so I have plenty of time to read up on the best approach.

Bombarded by Hummingbirds

I now have so many hummingbirds at my feeder they are fighting each other. There are midair collisions at the feeder every 3 minutes.

They move so fast I can't get a good photo!

This is very entertaining to watch but I fear one of the little creatures is going to be severely injured. I assume they are all fattening up for the migration coming up in the fall but whatever the reason, I now have more hummingbirds than I can handle.

Always remember to watch what you wish for...

Hummingbirds Everywhere

Well we now have a big red flower growing on our deck. I had planted these gladiolas months ago and they are just now blooming. I can't believe they turned out to be red. I had no idea what color they would be when I planted them.

The hummingbirds love them. We now have hummingbirds on the back deck every 20 minutes. I never realized what little pigs hummingbirds were. These little guys just suck all the nectar out of these new blooms like crazy.

Too bad I didn't have these flowers around weeks ago. We are getting some really great photos of the little guys. My husband set up the tripod and we got the hummingbirds buried in the blooms.

I Found My Hummingbird

I have determined the reason I could not find my hummingbirds. I was not getting up early enough to see them.

I got up 3 days in a row just as the sun was coming up and all 3 days as I sat looking out the window at my kitchen table I saw my hummingbird!

I guess all this time I just wasn't early enough to see them.

Where Are My Hummingbirds?

I just can not get a hummingbird to come to my flowers this year. I planted some red flowers that were guaranteed to attract hummingbirds months ago. The flowers have thrived, they look great, but not one hummingbird has been seen!

Last year we had numerous hummingbirds flying about the red flowers and the hanging feeder we had on the deck. I don't know what is wrong this year, I wish someone could tell how to get them back again, I want to take more pictures.

Bird Photos

I have been practicing my bird photography. My husband loves to take pictures of the birds on our back deck. I often have a hard time getting him to eat breakfast as he is so engrossed in taking bird photos.

I like taking bird photos but I find them to be a challenge. Even though we have several bird feeders on the deck to keep the birds occupied they still fly off when you get ready to take their picture. Every time I pick up the camera they fly away.

Once in awhile I place a tripod in the window and leave the camera sitting there waiting for an opportunity to capture a unique bird. The birds seem to become accustomed to the camera in the window and ignore it. This approach seems to help but I really don't like leaving my camera in the window where it could be knocked over.

I really need to find better way to sneak up on the birds so they don't see me.

Flower Photos

I really enjoy taking pictures of flowers. I have not decided which flower I enjoy the most but I enjoy roses a great deal.

There are several good places nearby that have a great variety of roses. I can get a wide selection to choose from and this makes it easier to get a real good shot.

To me a red rose seems to be the most difficult rose to capture. It is difficult to get the definition and the correct color. My red roses often come out to dark and they appear surreal. When I do get a good shot of a red rose I know I have had a great day.

Smoky Mountains Visit

We just took a great short trip over to the Smokies this week. There is nothing I love more than a trip to the park.

The spring flowers were gorgeous and the weather was nice and cool. We got some pictures of the wildflowers along one of the various "quiet walks".
Have you ever noticed as you walk into the woods how everything else just slips away? There is peace and quiet and you just kind of slip into another dimension, no problems, no worries just you and nature. There is simply nothing better for the soul.

After we walked for about an hour or two in the woods I was ready to come back to reality feeling refreshed and ready to deal with life all over again. Plus, I got some great photos to take home and look over.

When you need a little quiet time, head out to the Smoky Mountains and take the time to venture into the woods, you will be surprised at how much better you feel when you leave.

Great Hiking and Photo Ops

You just never know what you can find when you are not really looking for anything.
We stumbled upon a beautiful area for hiking less than 3 miles from our backyard. We were out checking out a place a neighbor told us about and found a new destination for hiking and taking great nature shots.

There is a rushing stream that you can hear as soon as you enter the protected area, way before you can see any water. The stream is cascading over huge bolders and river rocks at a tremedous rate of speed but then there are protected areas behind huge boulders (2 or more stories tall) that are perfectly tranquil and the water is crystal clear. Gorgeous spot to take photos.

The trail is wide but very rocky and it leads to a waterfall about 1.5 miles up the trail. We were unable to make the journey today as it was about 7 pm and too late to make the trip before sundown. But you can bet I will return as soon as possible to investigate the waterfall and take all the photos I want.

I just can't believe we have not found this little paradise before now. When I need a little alone time, a place to relax and contemplate life, this is where you are going to find me.

City Scapes

I spent the afternoon waiting for the sun to set just so I could catch a nice cityscape. I really love the images of cities as the lights are just coming on and darkness is just beginning.

The weather was cool and breezy, but not cool enough for a sweater. Perfect! Just hanging out waiting for the perfect moment to take that shot. I had the old tripod stationed just right and the camera charged and ready as I waited for the right light.

The evening was perfect and I think I got a couple of great shots. But even if I didn't I had a wonderful time trying.

Spring Flowers

There are some gorgeous spring flowers in bloom, blues and bright yellow everywhere. We took a little hike near a stream and I was amazed at the beautiful wildflowers I saw. Of course all the new blooms have the butterflies zipping all over everwhere!
I got busy with my camera shooting every flower I could spot. It is amazing how time flies when you are concentrating on the flowers and shooting pictures. We started out about 3pm and the next thing we knew it was after 6pm and time to head home.

I captured as many blooms as I could and took them home to look at the results. It is a lot more fun shooting the pictures than looking at them on the computer. I did post a couple to my website so I could share the beauty.

Watching the Birds

It is Spring, the birds are just so happy. I step outside and all I can hear are the birds singing in the trees.
We have an Eastern Blue Bird nesting in our bird house just outside the front door. She is tending to her nest and we can watch her from the window.
The only problem is we can not sit on the front porch in the evening now. If we sit there she will chirp at us and stare until we leave. I sat there for over 20 minutes last evening waiting on her to go to her nest, she refused to go to the nest but she would not go away either.
Guess who gave in an left the porch.
I can't wait to see the babies when the leave the nest.

Great Waterfall Abrams Falls

Well, I just returned from another great waterfall adventure. We went to Cades Cove, in the Smoky Mountains National Park, and hiked the entire 5 mile round trip trail to Abram Falls.

Yes, it was worth the uphill climb that took 4 hours. Along the way there is so much to keep your interest that you really don't have time to realize how hard you are working. The trail is considered a moderate trail, about half uphill and half downhill. The trail is very well defined so you can not get lost and as I mentioned there is a lot of nice opportunities to take photos.
This is the falls at the end of the 2.5 mile trek. It is a beautilful place to relax before heading back down the trail to the car.
The trek back somehow seems much longer than the trek to the falls. We brought a small snack for energy and lots of water. Without the water you will not make the long trip, so if you plan to go don't forget the water.

Waterfall Bald River Falls

I had a great trip to Bald River Falls. I took my grandson on a little expedition to see his first real waterfall upclose. He brought along his little point and shoot Kodak disposable camera and we had a blast.
I think his pictures were better than mine, and I know he had more fun taking his pictures than I did.
Bald River Falls is a great trip for anyone wanting to take pictures of a waterfall.

Getting Started

I am new to the world of blogging, but it seems like a fun way to get to talk about my passion. My passion is photography, taking pictures is so much fun and it is almost all I want to do. Now that I take digital images I don't feel so guilty about taking so many pictures. I can always delete the ones I don't like and I am not killing any trees in the process.

I hope to talk about the fun and adventures I have taking my images and share my images and adventures with others.