Well no I didn’t really get to go to Switzerland. Maybe someday.
The camera club had the first overnight field trip I ever remember to Little Switzerland.
I didn’t take this one (I’m in it). It was taken by Tom Trochim.
Back while we were building the house and working dawn till past dark- I told Judy, a fellow friend and member that if she’d handle the details I’d share a room.
The main thing I wanted to see was Emerald Villiage mine and waterfall (also called Bon Ami Falls). After seeing a photo in Backroads of North Carolina, I wanted to see and shoot it myself. Judy was game so that’s the first place we found before checking in. I’ve never heard or used Bon-Ami but I think I’m in the minority.
We drove around and found things of interest to shoot.
We went to Duggers Falls, Linville Falls and Toms Creek Falls. Out of the three. I’ve been to Linville Falls before and I was glad because the trees are now blocking a big part of the view from the overlook. I did take a photo kind of inside the rock at Linville where I see a face in the rock with the water running behind it. I took a few videos but they need work.
We didn’t do the viaduct sunrise with the group. That morning is when I took the ones from right outside our room. The next morning Judy and I got up and drove just down the road to Table Rock Overlook that we had seen the day before. I had hopes of the sun coming up right behind table rock but typical for me I was off a degree or two.
We had lunch in Spruce Pine and ran into some of the other members.
I shot this train but it was so saturated straight out of the camera- that I decided to play with it.
Two more from Spruce Pine.
Then we met back up with the club and Penland School of Crafts.
Next time I don’t want to wait until the day before to start looking at maps and stuff to do. A little miscommunication had Judy and I, with a misguided GPS on two lane winding roads, very low on fuel, trying to hurry up and get to Roan Mountain when we left Penland. We missed Elk falls and hanging with some of the other members 😦
It was a fun time with but I learned a few things for my next photo trip.
1- I need to take LESS photos! I had over 800 for what turned out to be really 300. I had my camera set for jpg + raw for lots of the photos, so that’s double. I did the high contrast shots in jpg, raw AND 5 step bracketing. In processing, I preferred editing the RAW to combining the bracketing shots.
2-I need to check my camera settings, then check them again. I changed my white balance then forgot to put it back. Good thing some of those were in RAW. I had my camera that can shoot 4k video on the lowest setting possible 640×480 mp4 and one of my waterfall videos is crooked. It looked straight as I leaned out on the rock but now I have to figure out what program to use to straighten it. Might be quicker to go back.
3- I’ve ordered a faster, larger SD card since my older 8 gig just wasn’t getting the job done. When I’m near home I use my wi-fi cards but then again I don’t let them fill up before taking photos off and I hardly shoot video. I also want to be prepared for the upcoming solar eclipse for some time lapse shots. I did take my laptop but forgot the extra thing that will read the faster SD card speeds than my laptop w.o it. Since there was no wi-fi in the room and I forgot the adapter- my laptop was pointless.
I liked that the club Mike, Warren & Ginny especially, planned it out as a show up if you’re interested kind of thing. One thing didn’t interest me and one didn’t interest Judy. It was fine to join if we wanted to, or we could do or own thing. The Big Lynn Lodge has an awesome view (see top photo, and the 2 above, from just outside our room). The breakfast and dinner included were top notch, as was Hoyt, the owner. Note to self I want to get a dinner bell!
I loved driving on 226 “The Diamondback” with the windows open and the radio on. What a fun 190 curves in 12 miles! I want to drive on Tail of Dragon too.
I’m going to want to go back and see Roan Moutain and Elk falls. Now sometime between work, life and family I need to get ready for CCoH next outing and for the print competition. I never print so I’ve got to pick my shots and get some ordered and mounted.
Now sometime between work, life and family I need to get ready for CCoH next outing and for the print competition. I never print so I’ve got to pick my shots and get some ordered and mounted. Since this field trip, Mike had another all-day-er to Bryson City. I think those pictures are still on my SD card. There are just not enough hours in the day.
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