2016 has been a fast paced and amazing year. I visited hundreds of new trails, documented winter storms, tropical storms and the historic Hurricane Matthew, documented the violent protests in Charlotte, filmed many new time-lapse videos, and chased a ton of tornado warned storms. Most of my year was focused documenting and photographing North Carolina in different ways, but I also traveled throughout Virginia and South Carolina.
The images that I chose for this blog are some of my personal favorite captures of 2016, narrowed down from over a 100 new high quality images. Click on the image to check out the caption! Scroll to the bottom to see my video compilation of scenes from 2016.
For more of my images, check out my Instagram account @ExploringNC.
Long exposure of a shelf cloud overtaking Pilot Mountain, in NC. This severe warned storm packed a punch with fast wind, lightning, and hail. Single 4 second exposure @ F/9. From early May 2016.
North Carolina lightning during late April severe storms. A lot of lightning and it finally feels like storm season! Near Sanford, NC 4/29/16 Three image stack, captured over ten minutes.
Blue Ridge Mountain sunset. 1/25/16
Evening colors and water pathways at the Croatan National Forest from early May 2016. The Croatan National Forest is an amazing piece of preserved land, located close to Atlantic Beach. The salt marshes are alive with wildlife, and paths with long boardwalks make for a unique experience. The trails yesterday led me past crab colonies, oyster beds, waterfowl, and a large Eastern Glass Lizard. To fully appreciate the beauty of NC, a visit to one of these inner coastal land preserves is a must.
Rainbow at Looking Glass Falls, 2016. in North Carolina.
Dream-like clouds above Pilot Mountain, late October 2016.
Ice swirls at Linville Falls, NC. 1/25/16
Flooding at Lake Surf on October 9, 2016, following Hurricane Matthew.
Springtime at Dry Falls, viewed from the bottom of the Cullasaja Gorge in NC, from mid May 2016.
Snowy ridges of Linville Gorge, NC. The area reported 12 inches of snow… amazing to see! 1/25/16
Autumn leaf swirls and sunset light at Lower Cascade Falls, part of Hanging Rock State Park in NC. A five second long exposure captured early November 2016.
Pilot Mountain under the Milky Way, early November 2016.
Wooden fences, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Milky Way overhead. From the Blue Ridge Mountains north of Boone, NC. Single 30 second exposure, light-painted with my headlamp.
Riot squad team assembles near the beginning of the protest. Captured just before the protest became violent following the death of protestor Justin Carr. Uptown Charlotte, NC 9/21/16
Peak sunset colors at Lake Brandt in Greensboro, NC.
Swirls and stars of the Yadkin River from within the Uwharrie Wilderness in North Carolina. Light painting for the foreground and a 3 image focus stack for sharpness.
A vibrant sunset along the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Boone, NC. 2016
Standing below hundreds of billions of stars in southern Virginia, 2016.
Rainbow in the valley and severe thunderstorm beside Cook’s Wall, part of Hanging Rock State Park in NC. This image was captured when the storm became severe warned, with damaging wind being the primary threat. The storm went on to produce wind damage in Walnut Cove and a few other areas, and I was able to follow the storm for its entire life cycle!
Horses rub noses while taking a break from playing during the heavy snow in Boone. 2016.
Morning magic at Botany Bay. The skeleton trees along parts of the SC coast are other-worldly and and make for great subjects of long exposures.
Epic sunset at Hanging Rock State park in NC.
Base of a storm over a cow pasture and old barn, in southern NC.
Stars and clouds from Tropical Depression Bonnie, at the Bodie Island lighthouse in the Outer Banks. Early June 2016.
Early morning as a wild NC Black Bear crosses the road, while looking over to acknowledge my presence. From a couple days ago at the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. 2016
View of the Milky Way above an old barn and the cliffs of Hanging Rock, in NC. The history of this area is lengthy and incredible, due to the mountain serving as one of the earliest land markers of the East Coast. I can only imagine the people who have seen the Milky Way here before me. 2016
Fiery sunset at a field full of wildflowers in Rocky Mount, VA, looking at Cahas Mountain.
Sunset colors and double rainbow in front of Tropical Depression Bonnie, from the Outer Banks in early June 2016. After a full day of heavy rain and flooding, it was great to see the sun come out for about 30 minutes to produce this amazing view.
Sunset lit boardwalk along the Pamlico Sound at the Outer Banks. I stumbled upon this scene last minute and immediately fell in love with the detail and color of the boardwalk. 2016
Perseid meteor shower, Milky Way, and an old farmstead in northern NC. 2016
Rhododendrons and storm clouds along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Boone, NC.
Exploring NC 