What do you do after an arctic blast moves through and it's only 9 degrees outside? That's right, you hike to a waterfall! Ok, maybe I'm a little crazy, but when the elements get extreme it provides for some interesting sights and photographic opportunities. I'll admit though that when I stepped outside I had second, and possibly third and fourth thoughts about it! I'm fortunate to live just 30 minutes away from Lake Catherine State Park where you can hike to Falls Creek Falls. I visited this spot after a nice freeze last year and the icicles were awesome! Some of them were 6' long! It was even...

I love the scenery where I live in Hot Springs, Arkansas; but I have to admit, I'm mesmerized by North and North West Arkansas. There are some amazing views up there and tons of waterfalls. One of the most popular places to visit if you're a waterfall enthusiast is Falling Water Falls. It's an easy waterfall to find as it is right along a dirt road so no hiking is necessary. The view you receive can vary greatly depending on the time you visit. I decided to head there when temperatures were in the teens and wow it was worth it!

One reason I love landscape photography is that it forces me to get outdoors more often. There is something special about getting away from a computer, phone, and the hectic pace of normal life. You can breathe... Oh, and even when it's COLD! On my drive to Hickory Nut Mountain, my thermometer hit a low of 5 degrees! Brrrrrrr! When I arrived at the Lake Ouachita vista overlook, it was a balmy 7. So, why would I venture out in such cold weather? I heard there was a spring-fed creek with some cascades and a small waterfall. I wanted to catch some ice and icicles if possible. 

Frigid temperatures aren't always fun to hike in, but they can reward you with some rare and beautiful scenery! I decided to trek out to Lake Catherine State Park this morning to see if there were any icicles at the waterfall. I was greeted by a beautiful but brief splash of color as I began my hike. The color literally only lasted for about 10 minutes and then a thick overcast sky set in for the rest of the day.

We had an ice storm recently in Hot Springs.  The mountains in particular looked amazing with all the glistening ice on the trees.  I decided to head up into the surrounding mountains to see if I could capture some of the magic. This was the first shoot with my new Nikon D800.  First, I tried going up to West Mountain.  They had the road closed off though.  I guess some trees were down over the road.  So, I headed towards Hot Springs Mountain.  Score!  It was open!  I was a bit worried though as the ice had all melted at the base of the mountain.  Thankfully, the higher you went, the more...