The Smoke in Smokies Coffee Mug

What a better way to show how Smoke got into the name 'Great Smoky Mountains'. Actually, this view has more to due with the low rain clouds covering the peaks of the mountains. On a sunny day, it appears as a whitish-blue haze that blurs the ridges and peaks. According to the Smoky Mountain website, "the haze is the optical result of a natural photochemical process. The native Cherokee people traditionally called the Great Smoky Mountains 'Shaconage', which translates to 'place of the blue smoke'."

This is a view from Cades Cove on the Tennessee side.

I love the outdoors and just watching nature and its interactions. One of my favorite things to photograph is wildlife. My goal is to capture a cute behavior, an endearing moment, an interesting facial expression or wildlife in action. A very close second is beautiful scenery. When I was young, I remember looking at a painted scene on my grandmothers wall and daydreaming that I was in that place. So, I naturally look for scenes that encourage one to pause for a moment, relax and breathe. It could be something very simple, a 'stop and smell the roses' moment that most people would overlook on an average day. My desire is for my photographs to evoke a feeling of calm, provide a distraction from stress, dream and maybe even laugh. I trust...