July flew by! I'm not mad about it - since summer is just not my favorite time of the year. I'm not so great at handling heat or bugs, and we have plenty of both of those things here during the summer. Now that we are into August, I am feeling excited about the arrival of FALL 🍁. This year is likely to be busy for me - with a big trip out west to the Horizons conference, then a few ongoing projects I need to work on for the remainder of the fall in the Appalachian mountains. I also have an opportunity to work with an incredible photographer whose work I have admired for many years, so there's that! I can't wait.
I've been steadily working on an upfit of my trusty little Honda Element, and have added some really impressive cabinetry to the interior, making it a true micro-camper with some pretty serious functionality. Next, I'm adding a rack and storage up top, so I can haul more stuff and spend more time out shooting, and better headlights so I can see better in the dark. Drop me a line if you are interested in learning more about my little Element micro camper - maybe I will do a blog post if enough people are interested.
I have a handful of updates to share with you in this edition of Field Notes.
- The plot twist alluded to above is… drum rollllllll… ✨I've joined forces with my friend Nye Simmons, Smokies photographer extraordinaire, to offer a FIREFLY PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP in 2026 ✨
- I'll also be teaching at a CONFERENCE next year! I had an amazing time instructing at Out of the Great Smoky Mountains this past spring, and now I'm thrilled to be an instructor for Out of Grand Teton next fall! You'll find that announcement below, too.
- I was asked to write an article for Nature Visions Magazine. This is a wonderful publication from Nature Photographers Network's Jennifer Renwick and David Kingham, with Cody Schultz as the editor. I'm proud to see my work here! It is a subscription-based magazine, and I highly recommend it. Let me know your thoughts on “The Mountains We Choose” - a meditation on how I am inspired by George Masa, an immigrant photographer working in and around the Smokies who was instrumental in the formation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
- A new Read the Smokies vlog is out now. Click the link to find out more about A Search for Safe Passage by Frances Figart.
MORE BELOW ON EACH OF THESE TOPICS
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