Hiking to Find Inspiration
I recently returned from a much needed vacation, with some hiking that helped me find inspiration and relaxation. It’s been two years since we’ve had a full week vacation and I was desperate for some time outdoors. We opted to spend some time at The Great Smoky Mountains National Park - my first time visiting this park (which is surprising, considering it’s not far from home!).
As they say, you can’t control the weather and this was definitely true on vacation…it was rainy, overcast, wet every. day. We did get a few moments of sunshine, thankfully, but mostly it was just a damp and rainy trip. And you know what, that’s ok!
We enjoyed a few hikes (two were small) - the longest and my favorite was the Alum Cave trail. It was serene and magical, like a rainforest without the giant spiders. Much of the trail was along the creek and provided a beautiful soundtrack…it was meditative. We opted to end the front side of our hike at Alum Cave Bluffs, before turning around. We weren’t packed and prepared to continue forward to Le Conte, so perhaps we can do that next time! We had some good luck on this hike - it was not crowded (until the end), and we avoided the rain except for the last 5 minutes!
Spending time in nature, with nature, admiring nature, can have positive effects on the mind and body. Throughout the hike, I was smiling, relaxed, genuinely happy and refreshed. For photography, I had three cameras with me…my iPhone, a Sony compact camera (RX100vi) and my hefty Canon with a 24-70mm lens (equipped with a polarizing filter). That added plenty of weight to my backpack already, with a 2L water reservoir and hiking poles…and a fleece just in case it got chilly. Sooooo…I didn’t carry my tripod with me. And that’s ok. The excursion was more focused on hiking than it was intentional photography. Though, I have to say, with every turn there were perfect opportunities for long exposure photography with the water and yes…I do regret that a little bit. Next time, right?
Ok, so three cameras. Guess what? They all took incredible photos. I’m glad I carried my canon with me, for sure. It’s easier for me to control the highlights with that than my other two options. However - the photos above are a mix of my sources. I use post-processing to best align the colors and contrast with what I remember it as in-person.
Following the hike, I also felt inspired, creative, motivated, refreshed, and ready to jump back into photographing the great outdoors.
Interested in having these photos in your home? Some of these images are available for sale in my online Gallery!
