It has become rather difficult to do much artistic landscape work in the Smokies during icy and snowy weather events because the Park’s roads are often closed. It’s probably more a matter of maintenance costs than anything, although safety is certainly a large factor. Either way, it is an occasion for excitement when I find myself on the inside and there is snow or frost on the trees. Such was the case a couple of Februarys ago as I came up Newfound Gap Road above Chimneytops Trailhead and entered a fairyland of lacy white growing out of the green lushness of rhododendron and mountain laurel. A line of leafless birches made for an interesting foreground in an abstracted forest. A focal length of 66mm allowed me to isolate a small section of the larger whole and create an intimate landscape of frosty hardwoods. An aperture of f/16 allowed for depth-of-field; and a shutter speed of 0.8 seconds at ISO 100 gave me an overall medium exposure. A day of frost in the Smokies is a fine day indeed.
Beautiful Don! It looks like a white fairyland.
Oh this is so beautiful. It does look like something in a fairly tale, and something you would see in a dream. Very well done Don.
Hey Jessyca and Ron. Thank you both for joining me for this Image. I am especially gratified by both of your responses, and I’d like to say why. First, thank you both for your very kind comments. I appreciate them a lot. I have observed over the years during which I have been sharing Images that when I offer something that tends to be more abstract, or moving in the direction of abstraction, there are fewer comments than when I offer a more concrete piece of work such as some variety of landscape or macro. There seems to be something about a more formless piece that people find difficult to express in words – of course, there is always the possibility that they simply don’t care at all for the image offered. Another observation I have made over the years is that folks whose vocations are in the field of psychology: psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and other mental health professionals, tend to find abstract expression to be the art-form to which they are more strongly attracted. I posed this question to a friend who is a psychologist and an artist, and he opined that perhaps the answer might be found in the idea that abstractions are something not directly found in nature, and therefore our emotional responses to them come not so much from the objects themselves, but from within us. And since many folks are uncomfortable saying how they truly feel about something, they choose in the face of abstraction to remain silent. I found that to be a fascinating idea. If either of you have any thoughts about this I’d love to hear them; but in any case, I appreciate what you have said and that you were touched by the image. Be well.