Cliffside Light

Seeking out new compositions along the Blue Ridge Parkway can be a challenge, some days you are spoiled for choice, on others you must be discerning in your judgement. This day was of the former, everywhere I looked the light sang, the fall leaves shook, and the colors came to life. It was while I was headed to what was to be my sunset location that I spied something remarkable, the Devil’s Courthouse awash with light, those cold granite cliffs appearing to glow. It’s rare I see the courthouse more than just a landmark, but the light, the colors, and the simple cloud just behind, tempting any photographer to give it a try.

The Devils Courthouse is a landmark, a photo everyone does given half a chance here in the Smokies, even I have tried this shot a few times, but usually under bad lighting conditions, or out of pure frustration. Never something you want to do as a photographer, giving into frustration and shooting an image without a clear focus in mind. Patience is what lands you good shots, and yes, despite my protests, sometimes even luck. Could this shot be better? Of course, but for now I am satisfied.

The edit of this photo was as straight forward as it gets, a deepening of the sky, some very slight color corrections and a dehaze. Adding a radial filter over the mountain face, and allowing the contrast of the scene tell the rest of the story, letting the weathered old face speak for itself. All things that we can stop and appreciate. Oddly the feature that annoyed me the most with this shot was the cloud. It seems out of place, and yet there it was.

Until Next Time!

Aperture: f7.1
ISO: 100
SS: 1/30th
Focal: 23mm

Fujinon 16-55mm