Great Smoky Mountains and the Tremont Institute

The Tremont Institute offers a variety of programs right in the Great Smoly Mountain National Park. Their "mission is to deliver experiential learning for youth, educators, and adults through programs that promote self-discovery, critical thinking, and effective teaching and leadership."

I've been there now three times for the photography workshops. They offer a "Springtime in the Smokies" workshop (generally a weekend around mid-April) and an "Autumn Brilliance" workshop near the end of October - beginning of November. Next year's dates are already set, April 11, 2025 - April 14, 2025 and October 31, 2025 - November 3, 2025, respectively. The workshops are a great chance to get away from it all, learn something about photography and have a good time with other like minded photographers.

This past year they added a Writers Conference which sounds really interesting. A 2025 conference has its dates set too. Check out their page to see if any of their programs are of interest to you.

In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite photos I took during this November's "Autumn Brilliance" workshop.


Spruce Flats Waterfall

Rushing Water and Rock

The Swirl

Ruins

Brilliance in the Fog

The "Best" Camera - "Sad" & "Old and Tired Sad"

During my wanderings in October, a couple times I found myself just walking around the town while my friend got some work done. I didn't carry my "real" camera w/backpack and lenses on those walks, but I did see things I'd like to photograph. In those situations, I pulled out my "best" camera, the one I had with me, my old iPhone, Here is one such photo as color and then black & white.


"Sad"- Frostburg, MD

"Old and Tired, Sad"- Frostburg, MD

"In Ruins"

A friend of mine wrote a book.
"In Ruins", you can find it here: In Ruins

On my walk today through Valley View I came across these Virginia Creeper vines climbing up the side of an old barn. The scene reminded me of her cover art for her book.

In Ruins

Union Cemetery

Finally stopped by Union Cemetery on Branch Hill Guinea Pike. I haven't really been able to find much about it, the display there says it was last used in the late 1800's. I've driven by it a lot and always think, "when the weather is just so it could be nice to photograph." This morning was clear, crisp and cold with the leaves still on the ground. It might also be a good subject in the spring, in fog or snow too. Here are the resulting photos....maybe a few too many for the blog, but oh well.

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Union Cemetery - Clermont County, Ohio

Old Jewish Cemeteries, Prague & Sarajevo

The Prague photos are from a bit more than 10 years ago and the Sarajevo photos a bit over 9 years ago. Apparently people need reminders :(. You can see the scars of the civil war in some of the Sarajevo stones.

Old Jewish Cemetery - Prague

Old Jewish Cemetery - Prague

Old Jewish Cemetery - Prague

Old Jewish Cemetery - Sarajevo

Old Jewish Cemetery - Sarajevo

Old Jewish Cemetery - Sarajevo

The Petrified Part of the Forest

As I blogged earlier, the beginning of June I did a three day epic & iconic road trip to Southern California, via 40 with my daughter. Our only real tourist thing was the road through Petrified Forest National Park. Here are just a few of the photos from the Petrified Forest portion of that drive.

Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

Petrified Forest National Park, AZ

It Seems Like a Long Time Ago

Key West April 2013, one of the many trips and groups of photos I've never really gone through. Well here are a bunch from that trip now, including the famous sunsets. Better late than never ;) I have some from the Everglades on that same trip, maybe I should sort through them.

Sunset - Key West, Florida

Anchor and Rope - Key West, Florida

Sunset - Key West, Florida

Seagull as Sentinel - Key West, Florida

Canon as Sentinel - Fort Taylor Key West, Florida

Sunset - Key West, Florida

Sunset - Key West, Florida

Angel - Key West, Florida

Reflection - Key West, Florida

Sunset - Key West, Florida

Moonrise - Key West, Florida

Angel #2 - Key West, Florida

Rollright Stones

Although I've been there two or three times, I don't believe I've ever posted photos of the Rollright Stones. Much much smaller than the Avebury Circle, and the stones are mere pebbles compared to Stonehenge, the Rollrights are still interesting. We've stopped by on occasion along the way to other attractions in the Cotswolds. The Rollrights are very rough stones with lots of lichens on them. Every time I've visited, only a couple other people were there. Here are some photos from when we stopped by a couple months ago.

The Rollright Stones - Oxfordshire, England

This One is Winking at Me

The King Stone - Oxfordshire, England

King Arthur's Castle?

A few views of the rock and ruins that are Tintagel Castle in Cornwall. The "birthplace" of King Arthur. The coast here was black and slate, vice the white chalk cliffs in Dorset that I walked a couple days earlier.

The Ruins of Tintagel Castle

The Ruins of Tintagel Castle

The Ruins of Tintagel Castle