Thomas Ridge, Clouds, from Appalachian Trail June 2010

Last June, we hiked to LeConte Lodge along the Appalachian and Boulevard Trails, staying overnight, and returning via the Alum Cave Trail.  I'd sworn I would never again do the Boulevard Trail after hiking it round trip in October2007.  I was outvoted, thankfully, as it resulted in views of the Thomas Ridge (which I have photographed before) on the North Carolina site of the Smokies that were spectacular.

This photo was taken where the Sweat Heifer Creek Trail meets the Appalachian Trail, about 1.7 miles (according to the sign) up the Appalachian Trail from the trail head at Newfound Gap.  There is an open area at the start of the Sweat Heifer Creek trail that permits sweeping views of the North Carolina side of the Smokies.

Late Spring in the Smokies is a great time for the billowy cumulus congestus clouds that make for great black and white landscape photographs.  This was taken in color and converted, with additional contrast and black and white filter adjustments to bring out the details in the clouds and ridge.

Thomas Ridge, Cumulus Congestus Clouds

Spring the Smokies is a wonderful time. (Of course, any day, no matter the season, is wonderful in the Smokies.) Spring, however, brings rain and beautiful clouds, before the haze of late spring and summer obscures the peaks and valleys. Seeing cumulus congestus clouds in and around the Smokies isn't exactly rare or unusual but seeing them when the view of the mountains is still sharp doesn't happen terribly often.

One day in May 2008, after school let out for the summer, my daughter and I set out on an afternoon hike to a waterfall. After a half mile of hiking, I realized the clouds were too beautiful so we turned around and drove to Newfound Gap, taking pictures along the way. The weather had not yet turned hot (it now has) and the clouds floated above the peaks without obsuring them. These were the kind of days that got me through law school. (Some now call them "mental health" days.)

Picking one image from this day was most difficult. I have another image of this view I especially enjoy. It, however, was taken with a "longer" lens (60 mm v 51 mm for the one above). While the clouds are more brilliant in the other image I picked this one because in the other, the magesty of the mountains does not seem as prominent.

I took this with my Nikon D200 digital camera and converted the color image to black and white. I carefully manipulated the contrast of the color image and then, in the conversion to black and white, added a complete red "filter" to add drama. I will shamelessly admit I edited out the overlook parking lot.