The Rising Mist

In August of 2000 I had the opportunity to to take a wonderful trip to New Hampshire and Maine with my dear friends the Trippeers where we hiked a week on the Appalachian Trail (The AT Trail) and then spent another week in Acadia, Maine. There are many a story from that trip--some never to be told again ;) The hike ended up being a bit more challenging than we had planned--OK, the AT train in New Hampshire is INSANE!!! Straight up and down mountains without switchbacks. We were often bouldering as much as we were hiking. The trip was still wonderful and as we started out we crossed this covered bridge. I loved the light on the mist is the morning as we began out trek.

Butter or Parquet?!?!

Here is a bit of fun with patterns! When visiting Munich, Germany I swung by the Residenz Munchen which is palace of the old Bavarian monarchs. There were many a goopy decoration as one would expect in a palace but I was especially struck by the parquet floors throughout the palace. Each room was done in a different pattern of inlaid wood. Some were a bit busy for my taste if I were to try to live with them, but the craftsmaship was impressive to say the least.

Fun with Exposure Settings Take 2

Hello all! Here are 2 more from my recent visit to the smokies. Once again changing up the exposure settings to play with the water effects. This one is a bit more traditional but still interesting :)

Fun with Exposure Settings

I had the chance to go up to the Great Smokey National Park in early October for my fall break with my parents and my fiancee. We had a wonderful time being leaf watchers and I am sure some of those picts will make their way here (I am just not getting around to editing them!). These two shots are essentially identical, take of the same subject just a few seconds apart. This is the Cades Cove primitive Baptist Church, organized June 16, 1827. As we were getting ready to leave I noticed that if you stood in just the right part of the parking lot and hoped that no one ran over you, the sun was right at the top of the bell tower/steeple. I snapped a couple shots playing with exposures and f-stops to come up with these two. I like the contrast between them--I hope you do too!

Cawdor Castle...the best of the rest

OK, these picts didn't end up popping like i had hoped. Not sure why but they just didn't carry the same impact as some of the other I have posted. I was using my e-mail system to post as whereas that should make no difference, I am going to try to post. No idea why that might matter, but if nothing else I will avaoid the annoying e-mail disclaimer that Emory has started to add (without our knowing mind you) to all of our outgoing mail.

Ppfffttt!

Hanover, Germany in June of 2005--I found this sculpture just outside of city hall--I think it sums up many a political battle very nicely :)

Awww....

So, for those of you that haven't heard yet, I'm a gettin' married!!!! Yup, that's right...pigs are flying everywhere! We do not have a definite date yet, but Courtney and I will be married sometime next year. Yea!!!! This picture was taken by me just after the proposal :)