By Gary Moore

The Grand Teton National Park in northwestern Wyoming lies just south of the more famous Yellowstone Park. It contains the Teton mountains, a spectacular range with snow covered Peaks that dramatically rise above the Jackson Hole Valley. There is a chain of natural, clear water lakes along the east flank of the peaks and beyond the lakes the Snake River flows through grassy plains that host herds of bison and antelope. Any vacation to Yellowstone definitely should include some time in the Tetons. This combination of a majestic

mountain range, beautiful lakes, wildlife and in the spring, an abundance of wildflowers make the Tetons a photographer’s paradise.

The newer cell phones and small “point and shoot” camera are capable of some amazing photographs and may be all you need to capture the beauty of the Park, but remember whether you are using a cell phone or a professional quality camera and lens, it is the person behind the lens holding the camera that creates the really good photos. Continue reading →

by Roland Pearson

The first black and white photograph was taken by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826.  During the 19^th Century, photographs were almost exclusively black and white or sepia tone.  Color photographs, which were originally produced by hand tinting black and white photographs, did not become common until the 1930’s (100 years later).  The advent of digital imaging with its low cost and ease of use, helped cement color as the dominant photographic form today.  Black and white images, however, continue to be produced, particularly by advanced hobbyist and art photographers.

My love of Black and white photography was inspired by the work of legendary photographers like Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Edward Weston, Dorothea Lange, Alfred Stieglitz and Richard Avedon.  I n Later on, I had the opportunity to view some of Ansel Adams original photographs on display at New York at galleries and in the offices of the Sierra Club in Washington DC.  Ansel Adam’s work can be viewed at anseladams.com. Continue reading →

by Geok Hwa Kee Ventrice

Growing up in a transnational Chinese community in Southeast Asia, I was fond of community fairs, events or festivals even though individuality was lost to uniformity in a culture where every single detail was carefully choreographed.  I was elated when I found out that cyclical events are held in Cookeville in tandem with seasonal changes.  They would give me an opportunity to witness individuality in play in a context.

Putnam County Fair was my first fair photography and the Blues & Brews Festival was my second attempt to photograph a festival.  As a naïve stranger and an inspiring photographer, I would like to tell the story of an event through the emotional and personal, so I could share it with families and friends back home.   Continue reading →

by Donnie King

I have several hobbies, but probably the most fulfilling of those hobbies is photography.  I have been “taking” pictures for a long time. Over the years, photography has greatly changed.  I am no longer “taking” pictures; now I am “making” pictures.  Making pictures involves the initial process of obtaining the image as well as the “post processing” to take the photo to its finished form.  For my post processing work on my images, I use Lightroom 4 and Photomatix Pro 4.2 software. Continue reading →

 by Tom Morack

My wife and I moved to Tennessee almost three years ago. I have always wanted to see The Great Smoky Mountain National Park but just recently had the chance. Along with two friends from The Cookeville Camera Club, we finally made the trip this past early May. What a magnificent experience. The weather was perfect. It’s amazing to think that entrance to the Park is free. For someone who has never been, there is no excuse not to visit. It is an experience one will never forget.  Continue reading →

by Richard Thompson

Costa Rica is an amazing little country located just 10 degrees north of the equator. It is home to almost 6% of the world’s biodiversity, all contained on .03 % of the world’s land mass. The county is only about the size of West Virginia.

This tropical gem provides many opportunities for photographers. In addition to the wildlife, sunsets , and deserted beaches that I so enjoy shooting , it’s deep water port has an abundance of whale and dolphin, it has 6 active volcanos, and is known for some of the best surfing worldwide. Continue reading →

By Cynthia Lyons

One stopover on the annual migration of the Sandhill Cranes has become an annual pilgrimage for many nature and wildlife

photographers.  This once nearly extinct bird, with numbers as low as 50 total birds in the 1920’s, has rebounded to an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 birds, thanks in part to dedicated refuges such as the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge (HWR) in Meigs County, Tennessee.  This excellent habitat for the Sandhill Cranes and other birds is a perfect stopover on their annual migration from the Canadian tundra to their traditional wintering grounds in Georgia and Florida.  Sandhills are big, beautiful cranes with a unique call, known as bugling or trumpeting.  You can find more information on Sandhill Cranes, and hear their calls at http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/sandhill-crane and  https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/sandhill_crane/sounds.

Continue reading →