Around here in Appalachia, we call it stick season, the quiet window between autumn color and snow. Whatever you call it, the principle holds. The landscape finally reveals its structure.

As a naturalist and photographer, I’ve learned how Smoky Mountain forest ecology can teach us to see, understand, and photograph the land more truthfully.

Each year, I refresh my memory on how to photograph stunning fall foliage with these 6 essential fall photography tips.

Being out alone in nature can feel both peaceful and uneasy. In this Q&A, I share my solo nature photography safety habits and tools for building confidence outdoors.

The step-by-step guide on how to photograph fireflies and lightning bugs sharing how to prepare, the camera settings to use, and the editing.

Learn what Lightroom’s metadata warning means, how to save metadata to disk, and when to use XMP sidecar files to protect your edits and keywords.

Use this guide to learn how to protect and back up your photos and Lightroom catalog with a simple, reliable photo backup system.

I’m still riding the wave of inspiration from LIVE! 2025—it was a flood of creative energy and photography lessons! Each year, I challenge myself to teach something new and do my best to share a mix of practical knowledge and motivational stories. No matter how my own presentations shift from year to year, one thing […]