©Meandering Passage - Earl Moore Photography
An Appalachian Trail hiker enjoys lunch on top of Big Bald Mountain, Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, North Carolina

A good photograph is knowing where to stand.” ~~ Ansel Adams

Mr. Adams may have been speaking of finding the best perspective for any given scene but I’ll interpret his statement loosely, if you don’t find a good photo where you’re currently at relocate to a location which inspires you.

Big Bald Mountain, Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, North Carolina
Big Bald Mountain, Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, North Carolina

My inspiration this past United States Memorial Day weekend came from the North Carolina Mountains, 30 miles north of Asheville, NC, at Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, NC, along  the North Carolina/Tennessee state borders.  From the top of Big Bald Mountain, along the Appalachian Trail, you can look west into Tennessee or east into North Carolina.

©Meandering Passage - Earl Moore Photography
Mountain Cabin, Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, North Carolina

Bonnie and I were guests at a friends mountain cabin. His “get-away” home is uniquely composed of two historic log cabins moved and combined into one house with an outstanding view.

©Meandering Passage - Earl Moore Photography
The covered deck and views beyond, Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, North Carolina

One of the modifications made when the cabins were joined was the addition of wonder windows allowing the outside in and the inside out — providing a wonderful relaxed environment.

©Meandering Passage - Earl Moore Photography
Light from within, Mountain Cabin, Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, North Carolina

I was often out with my camera walking during the early mornings and late evenings hoping to catch some wonderful early or late light.

©Meandering Passage - Earl Moore Photography
Inspiring Light, Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, North Carolina

It was a bit chilly sitting on the front deck waiting for the sunrise to develop on one of the particularly promising days but I didn’t dare leave long enough to grab a jacket.

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Sunrise, Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, North Carolina

Didn’t see much wildlife except for birds but there was a lot of animal noise echoing around the hills in the early evening hours.

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Two birds, evening flight, Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, North Carolina

One thing that made this weekend special — it was our dog Maggie’s first away vacation.  We didn’t know for sure how she would travel but she was a real trooper and was my companion for all my photographic ventures — no matter how late, how early or how cold it was.

©Meandering Passage - Earl Moore Photography
Maggie on the Appalachian Trail, Big Bald Mountain, Wolf Laurel, Mars Hill, North Carolina

She was also the first to reach the top of Big Bald Mountain…and the least out of breath! :-)

13 Comments

  1. LOL. Least out of breath. Awesome photos and looks like a wonderful place to live. Make sure you keep them as friends.

  2. You are correct that there are many “places to stand” in the mountains, and it looks like you found a few that are off the usual photography path. It also looks like it’s a good year for the rhododendron. I need to get up there and check it out myself.

    I’m with Monte, maybe you could introduce us! ;)

    • The rhododendron’s were beautiful. We stayed above 4700ft where some of the trees were still budding, along with the resulting pollen which kicked in my allergies. I hadn’t expected it to be an issue.

  3. What a beautiful place to spend a few days. Ansel Adams’s quote is, as are many of his quotes, a masterpiece of understatement. Great set of images, and a very handsome looking dog.

  4. “if you don’t find a good photo where you’re currently at relocate to a location which inspires you.”

    Amen to that sentiment, Earl. I struggle constantly to find some sort of “inspiration” here in Webster, NY, but usually fail dismally. I’m always reading stuff where people say that if you’re a “real” photographer you can be creative anywhere. There’s always a picture in front of you they say. Well, maybe for them. Not for me. My “inspiration” is about 2,500 miles west of here.

    Very nice images, by the way. I love the one with the “god-rays” coming in from the left. Were you inside Smoky Mountains NP, or just on the edge of it?

    • I often struggle at finding anything locally to photograph that’s new and inspiring as well, Paul. Maybe I’m just not a “real” photographer…if so, I can live with that! :-)

      I had no doubts of where your most inspiring location would be.

      Thanks. It’s northeast of the Smoky Mountains NP, in the Cherokee National Forest, I believe. I’ve seen references to Big Bald Mountain being in both NC and TN so I guess it depends where exactly one stands but the part of the mountain top we were on had an official NC marker in place.

  5. That’s a gorgeous set of photographs Earl. And a gorgeous landscape by the looks of it. If I had a “get-away” like that I think I would have to rename it “home” :)

  6. Very nice Earl – wow, what a place to stay at. It must have been nice to go exploring with Maggie. I am sure she loved the getaway as well. Hopefully she didn’t pick up any ticks, I have been reading this is a going to be a bad year for them.

    • Yeah, it was a great time, Mark. Even with monthly flee and tick treatments and visual inspections immediately after each walk we still later find the occasional tick…luckily I think the treatments keep them moving and they haven’t been attached. One would think such a cold winter would make them less of a problem, not more?

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