It had been way too long since I was able to get out for walk amongst nature with my camera in hand. Three months maybe? This is my stress reliever, my way of getting away to .... breath. I wanted a place that was new, interesting, and photographic. Pedestal Rocks fit the bill. This was a place that intrigued me and the weather didn't matter much for photography. The skies were far too clear for decent light and even though we just had 1 to 2 inches of rain, it had been too dry for too long for any waterfalls to be decent. I wasn't able to get there early enough for the "golden light," but I think...

Last year I went to Mt. Magazine to do some waterfall hunting. I stopped by Hardy Falls first. I'm glad I took photos then because when I went back this year, the best view was totally blocked by downed trees! I also visited a little-known place called Wildman Twin Falls. This was the one I was most excited about because it features two 43 foot waterfalls side-by-side! It was named by waterfall explorer extraordinaire, Tim Ernst. He named the falls after a friend of his who passed away in 2011, Carl "Wildman" Ownbey. According to Tim, "he could out-hike anyone, even on into his late 70s. He backpacked...

Being in Arkansas usually means that you'll take many, many trips to Branson, MO. It's close, family-friendly, and there is quite a bit to do. We were wanting to do something a bit different this time, however. I found this place only 30 minutes away called Dogwood Canyon. It's a bit pricey, but what a neat place!

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. 

It isn't widely known, but there are a couple of nice waterfalls just north of Jessieville. Since I'm in Hot Springs, that's less than an hour away. My buddy Cody Simpson joined me as we hiked seeking some nice scenery. This turned into a very enjoyable short trip with an interesting surprise toward the end!

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.

  I had some time to shoot a few macros today.  The challenge today though was low light and a bit of wind... not good for macro photography!  I decided to crank up my ISO to speed up the shutter and avoid motion blur.  I went as high as 5000 ISO!  I'm still amazed at the low noise levels of the D600.

I decided to test out my new Nikon D600 with some macro photography.  I don't have an actual macro lens so instead I use Kenko extension tubes.  For these shots I stacked the 36mm and 20mm and shot with my Sigma 70-200 F2.8.  This was my first time to use the 70-200 for macros.  I love it!  Firs the zoom lets me shoot macro without being right on top of the subject which is quite nice.  Also, the D600 allows me to shoot a high ISO to speed up the shutter so I don't get motion blur without much noise.