After the CEF Conference, I headed south to Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina, to do some scouting in preparation for the CAPTURE North Carolina workshop which will be held October 8-11 this year. I set up camp in the Black Balsam area, at the base of Sam Knob.

This is right in the middle of the area that CAPTURE North Carolina will be held. I re-visited several spots I had visited last year and checked out many new potential shooting locations. This shot is from Devil’s Courthouse overlook. I had been to the parking area before, but I hadn’t made the half-mile hike to the more impressive views from the top of the trial! The trick to pictures like this is to wait until after sunset (which brings you into the Blue Hour) and use a shutter speed of several minutes.

During one of the days of scouting, I checked out 8 different waterfalls to determine which ones would be best for taking a group of photographers out to. While big, tall and volumous waterfalls are impressive, it never ceases to amaze me how the most picturesque waterfalls are the ones that get the least amount of attention . . . from a photographers perspective. This gem wasn’t on any of the waterfall maps I was using. If you’re in the area, you can find it on the trail to Wildcat Falls.

I also visited every single overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the area where the workshop will be held. Several dozen of them. I recorded degrees of scenic beauty, angles of light, extent of visibility and other factors that play into a spot worth coming back to. This shot was at one of the overlooks that didn’t have much of a view at all. When you’re doing landscape photography, if you don’t find what you’re looking for, look for something else!

I want you to be able to start adding these kind of photos to your portfolio. Join us for CAPTURE North Carolina from October 8-11! Can’t wait till then? CAPTURE California is June 25-28. Or find a workshop closest to you by visiting the Workshops Page.