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Backyard Bears

It’s not unusual to spot a bear in and around Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains. But this fall, in the year of the Pandemic, a family of bears seemed to adopt us at our hilltop perch overlooking Mt. LeConte. A mamma and her three cubs. They were entertaining and winsome, to be sure, but they also constrained our freedom in a year that was already deeply constrained.

So, naturally I pulled out my camera—in this case my iPhone—and took some video, which you can view below. But I also got to contemplating the possible meaning of this highly unusual bear activity during this highly unusual year. I decided to do some research, and found some possible meanings.

The spirit of the bear is a strong source of support in times of difficulty. It provides courage and a stable foundation to face challenges. When the bear shows up as a spirit guide in your life, it’s perhaps time to stand for your beliefs or your truth.

Black Bear symbolism is about introspection. In particular, the Bear meaning is letting you know that it is time to go inward and explore the notion of your very existence, like hibernation. Therefore, with this spirit animal, you must delve deep into your heart to find the significance of your path and journey.

The bear is emblematic of grounding forces and strength. This animal has been worshiped throughout time as a powerful totem, inspiring the courage to stand up against adversity. As a spirit animal in touch with the earth and the cycles of nature, it is a powerful guide to support physical and emotional healing.

I hope you enjoy the video, featuring our Smoky Mountain black bear family!

Ode to Mount LeConte

Ode to Mount LeConte

Mt. LeConte in April
Mt. LeConte in April | Pictures © William Britten use with permission only

Mt. LeConte is the third-highest Smoky Mountains peak, but to me it represents the skyline of the Smokies. As you approach from the north, Mt. Leconte is a Smoky Mountains landmark seen from 50 miles away, or further on a clear day. As you travel around the Gatlinburg area, there is LeConte, above you in the sky, showing you different views.

What is known as the Mt. LeConte massif is actually 5 peaks, with four of them over 6000 feet. West Point (6,344 ft), High Top (6,593 ft), Cliff Tops (6,555 ft), Myrtle Point (6,200 ft) and Balsam Point (5,840ft) comprise the majestic Smoky Mountains view that we all know and love. The topo map below from 1949 shows the details of the area. Click on the image to see a larger version.

1949 Topo Map of Mt. LeConte
1949 Topo Map of Mt. LeConte

The north side of the mountain rises a full mile from its base to the summit, making it the tallest mountain in Tennessee by that measurement. Storms that plow into this massive barrier dump immense amounts of rainfall into the watershed, fostering the diversity of plant-life for which the Smokies are famous, such as the amazing green rocks along the Roaring Fork.

Smoky Mountains in January
Smoky Mountains in January | Pictures © William Britten use with permission only

The photo above was taken from high on Shields Mountain, about 10 miles north of the Smoky Mountains.  And the photo below was taken from the Campbell Overlook on the Newfound Gap road, looking up to an early snow on Balsam Point.

The mile-high mountain also creates a weather phenomenon called “mountain wave winds.” Those of us living on the north side of the slope are familiar with the howling, near-hurricane-force winds that are generated when a storm front passes over Mt. LeConte from the south.

Mt. LeConte in Octobe
Mt. LeConte in October | Pictures © William Britten use with permission only

The William Britten Gallery of Smoky Mountains pictures is open and ready to welcome you on your next visit to the Smokies. Please stop in and say hello and browse all of my photos.

Smoky Mountains History: Winter in the Smokies

Smoky Mountains History: Winter in the Smokies

Frozen Rainbow Falls 1958 © University of Tennessee Libraries
Frozen Rainbow Falls 1958 © University of Tennessee Libraries

The incredible photo above was taken by Dutch Roth during a hike to Rainbow Falls on February 16th, 1958. The photo below, also by Dutch Roth, was taken on the old Indian Gap Highway on February 22, 1947. Exactly 64 years ago today!

Both photos used with permision of the Great Smoky Mountains Regional Collection, University of Tennessee Libraries.

Skiing on Indian Gap, 1947 © University of Tennessee Libraries
Skiing on Indian Gap, 1947 © University of Tennessee Libraries
Best Early Spring Wildflowers

Best Early Spring Wildflowers

Bloodroot blooming in the Smokies
Bloodroot blooming in the Smokies © William Britten use with permission only

This time of year in our Smoky Mountains we are all itching to say good-bye to winter and welcome springtime and the wildflower season. These are my candidates for the best early spring wildflowers that may be found in March after some warm days and a bit of rainfall. Follow the links below for more information. Click on any of the pictures to start a slide show.

First is Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) which gets its name from the reddish sap of the root which was used by settlers for dye. The picture above shows the delicate bloom of this wildflower. Look for Bloodroot near the Porters Creek trailhead or the Cove Hardwood Trail.

Below is a picture of Spring Beauty (Claytonia caroliniana), which is fairly common and might be seen as early as late February.  Try the looking along the Chestnut Top trail.

Spring Beauty (Claytonia caroliniana)
Spring Beauty (Claytonia caroliniana) © William Britten use with permission only

Another petite charmer of the bare March woodlands is Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba). This tiny white, pink, or lavender bloom can be found in early March when no other wildflowers are to be found. A sure bet to find it is the Cove Hardwoods Trail.

Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba)
Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica acutiloba) © William Britten use with permission only

 

Next up is Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) which is actually a dwarf shrub. I have seen this near the top of the hill on the Chestnut Trop Trail, and it is also reported to be found along the Abrams Falls Trail.

Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens)
Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) © William Britten use with permission only

The picture below is Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), which might be my favorite early spring wildflower.  It’s always a treat to find this one, or it’s cousin Squirrel Corn. The trick is to look for the distinctive shaped leaves and then poke around for the blooms.  The Cove Hardwood Trail is another sure bet for this one.

Dutchmans Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
Dutchmans Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) © William Britten use with permission only

Those are my picks for the Smoky Mountains best early spring wildflowers. As always, if you get a chance please stop in at the William Britten Gallery on Glades Rd in Gatlinburg. All of my Smoky Mountains pictures are on display there. If you are a Facebook user, you can get my daily Smoky Mountains news and photos by becoming a fan of the William Britten Photography Facebook Page.

Snowy Smoky Mountain Panorama

Snowy Smoky Mountain Panorama

Snowy Smoky Mountains © William Britten use with permission only
Snowy Smoky Mountains © William Britten use with permission only

This time of year can be absolutely breathtaking in the Gatlinburg area. Both of these images show a winter panorama of the Smoky Mountains with Mt. LeConte center stage. They were taken from a ridge way out on Upper Middle Creek Rd. about 10 miles or so from the Smokies. A long telephoto lens was used.

Please stop in for a hot cup of coffee or tea and to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

Snowy Smoky Mountains © William Britten use with permission only
Snowy Smoky Mountains © William Britten use with permission only
Photo Stitching

Photo Stitching

Smoky Mountains panorama in autumn
Smoky Mountains panorama in autumn © William Britten use with permission only

The image above was taken from the footbridge that leads to the Ramsay Cascades trail in the Greenbrier section of the Smoky Mountains. This wide panorama was created from five vertical panels joined together with a photostitch technique. And each vertical panel was created by combining four different exposures. So, the entire image that you see above is a photostitch of 20 exposures!  Click on the image above to see a larger version.

Visitors in my gallery often comment on how much easier digital photography is, compared to the old film days.  I would say that the way that professional photographers utilize digital cameras is much more complex than it was with film!

Almost every image that I work with is taken with 4 or 5 exposures, taken at different settings.  This is often referred to as “bracketing” but to me it is simply a collection of exposures made for various parts of the scene. For example, in the image above, the whites of the water needed a specific exposure setting, while the shadows in the rocks and woods required a very different setting.  Digital allows me to take many exposures of the same scene, and combine them later to give each area of the picture its own perfect exposure. At first this seemed cumbersome, but now it is an established habit when I am out working.

I often turn my camera to the vertical position and sweep across a scene, taking 3, 4, or 5 separate vertical panels, each with 4 or 5 exposures as described above. It takes some concentration to do this quickly and accurately, so that the scene does not change too much as you work your way across.  After each panel is finished by combining the multiple exposure settings, the entire panorama is photostitched together using software. Photoshop has a built in “photomerge” for this, or I also use a program called PTGui.  When a scene is changing, as it is with the flowing water above, the panoramic software has a challenge to blend the water from panel to panel to make it all blend into one image.  Wow! This is a lot of work. And digital was supposed to be so easy!

One final comment: to get a good panorama that will photostitch together well requires that your tripod stay level while you rotate across the scene. I use a special tripod head attachment from Really Right Stuff to enable this. I also use a special bracket from the same source that allows me to position the “nodal point” of the lens directly above the tripod center. In this way the camera body rotates around the lens, creating perfect panoramas.

Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

Creating a Best-Selling Photograph

Creating a Best-Selling Photograph

Smoky Mountains autumn woods
Smoky Mountains autumn woods © William Britten use with permission only

Many photography books advise you to carefully compose a scene in your mind, and then carry out that vision with your equipment. However, I don’t do it that way! When I go out looking for stunning Smoky Mountains photos and hope to find a candidate to add to my Gallery, I’m usually gathering hundreds of photographic pieces for later evaluation. Surrounded by beauty such as you see on this page, it’s quite overwhelming. There are photos every way you turn! My strategy is to get into the moment, really feel it, not think it. Let the camera roam around and find what it likes.

Sometimes it will be weeks later before I get around to sorting and evaluating. The two photos here are good examples of how I work to create a best-selling photograph from all the pieces that were gathered before. The image below is quite nice. Gorgeous autumn leaves on a foggy day, with a road in the scene. But it doesn’t rise to the level that is required to really touch the patrons of my Gallery enough to want it hanging in their home.

The image above is just a short rotation to the left of the one below. The road has disappeared, and the woods have become isolated and prominent. Without the road and the short grass as reference points, the scene has become grander, and more mysterious. There are layers of color and contrast which are enhanced by the fog. There is so much going on in foreground and distance that your mind gets caught up examining the scene, and while doing that you begin to feel the emotions that come along with those details.

I’m always drawn to images that have layers of detail near and far. With my printing techniques, these images often take on a three-dimensional quality.  The image above is a candidate, and will be printed in a few sizes to see how customers react. Sometimes the mood of an image strikes a universal chord in people, and they respond.

If you’re visiting the Smokies, please stop in to see this image and my complete display of Smoky Mountains photos at the William Britten Gallery along the historic Arts and Crafts Trail along Glades Rd. in Gatlinburg.

Alternate version
Alternate version © William Britten use with permission only
Bud Ogle Place in Winter

Bud Ogle Place in Winter

Bud Ogle Cabin in Winter © William Britten use with permission only
Bud Ogle Cabin in Winter © William Britten use with permission only

After a snowfall followed by frigid temperatures, I was out at the Ogle Place along the Roaring Fork in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On this morning I was trying to keep feeling in my fingers with the temperature around 9 degrees!

Photographing scenes like the ones above and below presents a challenge of extreme lighting conditions. The sun had begun to light up the snow, producing very bright highlights, but the shadow areas on the porch were still very dark. The range of light is simply too much for the camera to record.  So, a couple of strategies were used for these pictures.  First, about 4 exposures were taken–some over exposed and some underexposed–and blended together. Second, I converted the image to black and white, and blended that in with the color version.  Since these images have little color anyway, this technique serves to add some texture to the snow, keeping it from going to solid white.

The iconic Ogle Cabin nearly burned during the fires of November 2016. The fire came right up to the back porch, which would be to the left in the photo below.

If you’re in Gatlinburg, please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery on glades Road.

Bud Ogle Cabin in Winter © William Britten use with permission only
Bud Ogle Cabin in Winter © William Britten use with permission only
Bud Ogle Cabin in Winter © William Britten use with permission only
Bud Ogle Cabin in Winter © William Britten use with permission only
Favorite Trails: Grotto Falls

Favorite Trails: Grotto Falls

Trail to Grotto Falls © William Britten use with permission only
Trail to Grotto Falls © William Britten use with permission only

The route to Grotto Falls is one of the sweetest Smoky Mountains waterfalls hikes.  Not much more than a mile in length, this hike has a gem at the end, with many opportunities for photos.  As the sign above indicates, it’s a part of the Trillium Gap Trail which goes on up to Mt. LeConte.  The hike starts from a parking area along the Roaring Fork Motor Trail (stoplight number 8 in Gatlinburg).

Behind the waterfall
Behind the waterfall © William Britten use with permission only

I hiked up to the waterfall in late November, just before the Roaring Fork Motor loop closed for the winter. Grotto Falls is especially nifty because the trail goes behind the falls, as seen in the photos above and below. And an added bonus, the llama pack train that carries supplies to LeConte Lodge can be seen on the trail every Monday, Wednesday and Friday … leaving at dawn and returning sometime between 3:00 and 5:00.

Llamas on the trail
Llamas on the trail © William Britten use with permission only

Please stop in and visit me out on the Arts and Crafts Loop along Glades Road to see the complete display of photos of Smoky Mountains scenes at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

Miles Away on Monday: Viva La Hot Tub!

Miles Away on Monday: Viva La Hot Tub!

Viva La Hot Tub © William Britten use with permission only
Viva La Hot Tub © William Britten use with permission only

We might be right on the edge of December, but it’s not too late for a dip in the old hot tub!  The air has a chilly nippy feel, but the water in the tub is steaming up my camera lens!

No need to daydream … come on down to the Smokies. Gatlinburg has the million holiday lights turned on, and almost a million hot tubs. It’s a great time of year for a visit.

If you do come, please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

Footbridge to Heaven

Footbridge to Heaven

Greenbrier Footbridge © William Britten use with permission only
Greenbrier Footbridge © William Britten use with permission only

This footbridge is one of the special places in the Greenbrier section of the Great Smoky Mountains. It crosses the Ramsay Prong of the Little Pigeon River at the beginning of the trail that leads up to the Ramsay Cascades waterfall, and from there on up to the Appalachian Trail. Standing on this footbridge affords a beautiful view either upstream or down. A great place to just stand and be still, listen to the endless sound of the water flowing down out of the mountains.  A few days ago I posted an image taken from this bridge.

Greenbrier Footbridge in Winter © William Britten use with permission only
Greenbrier Footbridge in Winter © William Britten use with permission only

Above is a view from the same vantage point in winter. Even on a day like this, look at all the footprints of hikers on their way up the trail!  The silence and solitude on this day were breathtaking. So was the frigid air.

And the photo below, there I am on the footbridge, looking tired after the grueling marathon of October in the Smokies.

Greenbrier Footbridge with Bill © William Britten use with permission only
Greenbrier Footbridge with Bill © William Britten use with permission only

Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

Spiritual Sunday: Sunrise Solitude

Spiritual Sunday: Sunrise Solitude

Sunrise solitude
Sunrise solitude © William Britten use with permission only

This is one of those special times. The Rosy Fingers of Dawn seeping into the sky above the Smoky Mountains.  The cabins coming to life, greeting the day with their own lights. You can just stand here for a while and watch the moments unfold, with the light changing by the second until finally a blast of sun’s rays shoots over the mountain tops. These moments are nearly indescribable in their awesome simplicity.

There’s nothing finer than to be out with my camera, hoping to capture a bit of the Smokies’ spiritual grandeur.  Stop in for a visit at the William Britten Gallery along the historic Arts and Crafts Trail on Glades Rd. in Gatlinburg. My complete display of Smoky Mountains photos might offer a Smokies Moment for you to take home with you.

Favorite Trails: Lynn Camp Prong

Favorite Trails: Lynn Camp Prong

Lynn Camp Prong © William Britten use with permission only
Lynn Camp Prong © William Britten use with permission only

Lynn Camp gets its name from a logging camp of the Little River Lumber Company in the 1920s. The old railroad trace provides a wide, flat path that is popular for horseback riding.

I love to walk along the old railroad grade beside the Lynn Camp Prong in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It’s especially attractive in autumn, but any season is worth the trip.  From Gatlinburg, take the Little River Road towards Cades Cove. Just past the Townsend Y, turn left into the Tremont area. Keep going straight, the road will turn to gravel and end with a parking area for the trail.  Cross over the footbridge and take the trail to the left.

Several of my favorite images were taken along the Lynn Camp, including Smoky Mountain Monet and Smoky Mountain Magic.

Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

End of Summer

End of Summer

Two buck deer in Cades Cove
Two buck deer in Cades Cove © William Britten use with permission only

It seems like every year as we move from August to September, all the signs suddenly point to the end of summer.  In these Smoky Mountains photos of buck deer in Cades Cove, you can almost feel what they feel.  The easy days are slipping away … the days of fattening up on lush grass as they graze in the moonlight of a warm night. Soon the grass will be brown, the leaves gone, the wind cold. The two young ones above may not remember what’s to come, but the old guy below does.

But then again … soon it will be mating season! There is that silver lining at least.

Smoky Mountains photos of buck deer in Cades Cove
Smoky Mountains photos of buck deer in Cades Cove © William Britten use with permission only

No matter what the time of year, please consider a visit to the William Britten Gallery to see my complete display of Smoky Mountains photos. I’m located along the historic Arts and Crafts Trail on Glades Rd. in Gatlinburg, TN.

Cades Cove: the Tipton Place

Cades Cove: the Tipton Place

Tipton Place © William Britten use with permission only
Tipton Place © William Britten use with permission only

William “Fighting Billy” Tipton was Revolutionary War veteran and the first of the Tipton clan to acquire land in the Smoky Mountains. This was in the 1820s under Tennessee’s Land Grant program.

Colonel Hamp Tipton, a veteran of the Civil War, built the two story cabin above in the early 1870s. Miss Lucy and Miss Lizzy were Hamp’s daughters and worked as schoolteachers in the Cove.

The Tipton Place is one of the best examples of the settlers homesteads along the Cades Cove loop road in the Smokies. There’s a stand of old-fashioned bee gums in the back yard, and across the road is a double-pen corn crib and a fine example of a cantilever barn.

Tipton Place © William Britten use with permission only
Tipton Place © William Britten use with permission only
Bee gums © William Britten use with permission only
Bee gums © William Britten use with permission only

The barn pictured below is actually a replica of the original.

Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mtns Photos at the William Britten Gallery along the historic Arts and Crafts Trail on Glades Road in Gatlinburg, TN.

Cantilever barn © William Britten use with permission only
Cantilever barn © William Britten use with permission only
The Road to Serenity

The Road to Serenity

Smoky Mountains photography: miles away
Smoky Mountains photography: miles away © William Britten use with permission only

Welcome to Friday. A weekend! Gratitude for another day. The simple beauty of dawn drifting towards the fullness of the day, weather becoming whatever it will. The road beckons, cares and worries in the rearview mirror. Miles away.

Leave it all behind
Leave it all behind © William Britten use with permission only

There are many opportunities in the Smoky Mountains to let the road carry you away. Even some of the very popular driving areas like Cades Cove or the Roaring Fork can be deserted and ethereal in the very early morning mist. You can turn off the air conditioner, roll down the windows, and just be one with the softness of the moment. You’ll probably see some wildlife enjoying the quiet of their morning too.

Head east out of Gatlinburg on Route 321. After three or four miles, look for the right turn at the Greenbrier entrance of the National Park. Just follow the road, you can’t get lost. Get out whenever you want, sit by the creek a moment. Or keep on driving past Greenbrier, on over to Cosby. Turn right at the stop sign, toward Cosby campground. But go on by the campground and just wander for miles, way over to the Cataloochee Valley, watching the trees roll by. The road gets a little rough, but not for long. Keep on going for a real experience.

Serenity Road
Serenity Road © William Britten use with permission only

Perhaps your road of wandering will lead you to the Arts and Crafts Loop along Glades Road outside Gatlinburg. If so, please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountains Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Morning Mist Village.

Morning Mist Village

Morning Mist Village

Morning Mist Village
Morning Mist Village

Along Glades Road, in the heart of Gatlinburg’s historic Arts and Crafts Loop, you will find Morning Mist Village.  Take a break from your Smoky Mountain exploring, and head out Rt. 321 at stoplight number 3 in Gatlinburg. Just past Food City, and then McDonalds, turn left onto Glades Rd.  Morning Mist Village is about a mile down the road on the left.

And best of all, Morning Mist Village is where you will find me.  Look for the Morning Mist Cafe, and I’ll be tucked in beside their outdoor courtyard. Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

William Britten GAllery
William Britten GAllery
Smoky Mountain Butterflies

Smoky Mountain Butterflies

Butterfly and Mountain Mint © William Britten use with permission only
Butterfly and Mountain Mint © William Britten use with permission only

If you drive into some of the less traveled areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, such as Greenbrier or Tremont, eventually the road turns to gravel, and in summer you will start to see large quantities of butterflies. So many that sometimes it’s hard to keep from running them over.

The swallowtail above is feasting on a Mountain Mint. And the butterfly below kept landing on my camera lens. I finally told him that he wouldn’t get his picture taken if he didn’t get in front of the camera, so he obligingly landed on a leaf and posed quietly.

Smoky Mountain Butterfly © William Britten use with permission only
Smoky Mountain Butterfly © William Britten use with permission only

The photo below is another species feeding on Mountain Mint.

Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

Butterfly and Mountain Mint © William Britten use with permission only
Butterfly and Mountain Mint © William Britten use with permission only
Smoky Mountains Wildflowers: Bee Balm

Smoky Mountains Wildflowers: Bee Balm

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) © William Britten use with permission only
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) © William Britten use with permission only

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) is a member of the mint family, and as the name implies, holds lots of attraction for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. There is also a purple bee-balm found in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The examples above and below were found along the Clingman’s Dome Road, where this wildflower is plentiful.

Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) © William Britten use with permission only
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) © William Britten use with permission only
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) © William Britten use with permission only
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) © William Britten use with permission only
Newfound Gap Loop

Newfound Gap Loop

Newfound Gap Loop © William Britten use with permission only
Newfound Gap Loop © William Britten use with permission only

Philosophical Friday again. This time it’s the classic situation that sometimes to go forward you’ve got to go backwards. The road up to Newfound Gap offers just such a case in point. The road climbs until it reaches a place on the mountain that is too steep for a road grade. What to do?  Loop around in the ultimate hairpin turn to gain enough rise to continue on.

Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

Newfound Gap Loop © William Britten use with permission only
Newfound Gap Loop © William Britten use with permission only
Bear Essentials

Bear Essentials

Log cabin lighting © William Britten use with permission only

I take a lot of photographs log cabins for resort rental companies. And I’ve seen every cute little thing related to bears in these cabins. Many of them are a tacky dis on the proud and mighty black bear. But I like the one pictured above.  The cheerful bear holding out the acorn lamp to guide the way into the cabin at night. Not bad.

Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

best sellers – smoky mountains photos

Smoky Mountains Wildflowers: Turks Cap Lily

Smoky Mountains Wildflowers: Turks Cap Lily

Turk's Cap Lily © William Britten use with permission only
Turk's Cap Lily © William Britten use with permission only

Turk’s Cap Lily (Lilium superbum) is  a large wildflower that grows to 3 to 8 feet tall. It blooms July to September, and loves the roadside at higher elevations. Look for it along the Clingman’s Dome Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep

The Woods are Lovely, Dark and Deep

Dark Woods in the Smoky Mountains
Dark Woods in the Smoky Mountains © William Britten use with permission only

Celebrating a fine Smoky Mountain day with a few thoughts gleaned from poet Wendell Berry:

I come into the peace of wild things … for a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free. We pray, not for new earth or heaven, but to be quiet in heart, and in eye, clear. What we need is here.

Deep in the Smoky Mountains Woods
Deep in the Smoky Mountains Woods © William Britten use with permission only

I part the out-thrusting branches and come in beneath the blessed and the blessing trees. Though I am silent, there is singing around me. Though I am dark, there is vision around me.

Planting trees early in spring, we make a place for birds to sing in time to come. How do we know? They are singing here now. There is no other guarantee that singing will ever be.

Light at the end of the trail
Light at the end of the trail © William Britten use with permission only
Miles Away on Monday: Clouds Floating By

Miles Away on Monday: Clouds Floating By

Rockers with a View © William Britten use with permission only

It’s  a blue-sky morning, clouds floating by. The Smoky Mountains are shimmering in the distance. Two cheerful rockers wait for you on the deck. Take a few moments, sit down, take it all in.

It’s a good day for a hike or a good day to wander the shops on Glades Rd. Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountain Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN

great smoky mountains prints

Artfair Time: Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair!

Artfair Time: Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair!

Set-up today for the July 2017 version of the Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair at the Gatlinburg Convention Center. Running from July 14th through the 23rd, look for me at the bottom of the escalator just as you enter.

We start setting up for the fair with a blank slate … just a bunch of boxes and empty display panels.  By the end of the set-up we’re waiting for customers in a temporary art gallery.

The William Britten Gallery will be open during the fair, so please stop in and see us at either or both locations.  The Convention Center is located at stoplight number 8 on the parkway in Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair Setup
Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair Setup
Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair Booth
Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair Booth
Mysterious Mountain Memories

Mysterious Mountain Memories

Smoky Mountains Midnight Dawn
Smoky Mountains Midnight Dawn © William Britten use with permission only

In the middle of a hot summer, I can get restless, and feeling a bit confined within the boundaries of “normal” images. I start to think “outside the camera.”  For example, a few weeks ago I wrote a post about camera movement during long exposures to create photographic Impressionism.

Today’s Smoky Mountains photos have a bit of the surreal, a dash of a midnight memory or dream with a dollop of daylight’s bright colors. It’s like filling in the blanks of your memory along the border between the dream and the wakeful daytime. Of course the Light and the Dark are the two realms we know, and to mix them together can stir up feelings.

What do the images suggest to you or make you feel?

Sunlight chases the night
Sunlight chases the night © William Britten use with permission only

The photos on this page were taken in the area of the Smoky Mountains known as the Roaring Fork. This is a beautiful area, and somewhat mysterious under any conditions, especially with those green boulders strewn down the stream bed. These pictures are more experiments with long exposures. It’s early in the morning along the dark creeks, and the day is not nearly as bright as the photos make it seem.  The exposure times are in the area of 30 seconds, which adds another dash of the surreal with the extreme flow of the whitewater.

When your dreams finally clear, please consider a stop at the William Britten Gallery along the historic Arts and Crafts Trail on Glades Rd. in Gatlinburg.  My complete display of Smoky Mountains Photos might tempt you with a special memory to take home with you.

Roaring Fork Memories
Roaring Fork Memories © William Britten use with permission only
Along the Roaring Fork: Bud Ogle Farm

Along the Roaring Fork: Bud Ogle Farm

Smoky Mountains Landmark
Smoky Mountains Landmark © William Britten use with permission only

The Ogle family goes way back in the Gatlinburg area. In fact, Noah Ogle’s great-grandparents, William  (1756–1803) and his wife Martha Huskey (1756–1826), made a life here in the early 1800s. Noah (aka Bud) and Cindy Ogle settled on this 400 acre homestead in 1879 and lived here until Noah’s death in 1913.

Bud Ogle Cabin © William Britten use with permission only
Bud Ogle Cabin © William Britten use with permission only

The Smoky Mountains forest has reclaimed most of the cleared land now, so it’s hard to imagine a family making a subsistence living here. All that is left now is the log cabin and barn. The cabin is “saddle-bag” style, with two cabins joined by a common chimney. The barn is the last remaining four-pen barn in the Smokies, consisting of four 11-square-foot livestock pens, covered by a split-shingled roof.

Just behind the cabin is a nature trail that meanders through a hemlock forest beside LeConte Creek to an old tub mill with wooden flume.

Bud Ogle Barn © William Britten use with permission only
Bud Ogle Barn © William Britten use with permission only

To visit the Ogle Farm, turn at stoplight number 8 in Gatlinburg and go up the hill, entering the Smoky Mountain National Park via the Cherokee Orchard Road entrance. The old farmstead is an attractive location for photos anytime of year. I love to come up here after a snowfall, as compositions with the old log cabin and barnwood in a snowy setting make for especially attractive photos.

The Ogle cabin is one of my Featured Photos. Please stop in and visit me to see the complete display of Smoky Mountains Photography at the William Britten Gallery in Gatlinburg, TN.

Bud Ogle Cabin © William Britten use with permission only
Bud Ogle Cabin © William Britten use with permission only

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