 
Hey Everyone! I hope today finds you healthy and safe. Most every year I usually get myself something camera or photography related. But this year I decided to add something to my exploring adventures that didn't have anything to do with photography. I wanted to expand my exploring not just to land travels but to water travels also. I have been doing a lot of research and decided to get a canoe. I didn't want to get a boat that was on a trailer I had to haul around because it would be too much trouble. I wanted something that I could load and unload off of my truck by myself. Now, I needed something that was lightweight, because I'm not getting any younger. I also needed something that could handle me! LOL I'm not getting any smaller. The canoe was a perfect choice. But which one? The search started, and let me tell you, there is a lot more to canoes than you think. First is the size. I wanted something large enough to carry Forrest and me comfortably and that could haul our things. But I also wanted something small enough so I could carry it by myself. So that meant a solo canoe. I found out that a new one ran from $700 to thousands of dollars and that they can be made out of all kinds of materials, like Kevlar, Carbon Fiber, thick plastic, Royalx, and all kinds of materials. Usually the lighter the canoe, the more expensive and fragile. I also found that the hull shape also made a difference. The flatter the hull, the more stable the canoe, and the more rounded the hull, the less stable the canoe. Rounder, more curvy hulls are for rapids and not for long cruising, which I hope to do. Then there is the length of the boat. The longer the canoe, the truer it is in the water (it will stay in a straight line longer), and the shorter the canoe, the less true. So my research for the perfect boat began, and I decided that I wanted a boat that I could handle, lightweight with a flat bottom. I decided that I wanted to buy a used one, so I started looking on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and places on the internet that specialize in finding
used canoes and kayaks. I searched for a few months and found a few, but they got bought up before I could get a hold of them. It seems that larger and heavier canoes are easy to find and fairly cheap. But solo ones are hard to come by. A friend of mine has an Old Town 12-foot pack canoe made out of Royalx material. It weighs 35 lbs, and Royalx is almost indestructible. And of course, they don't make Royalx anymore. These are very hard to come by and go used for over $1,000. Brand new they only cost around $500, and you could get them at REI. But now supply and demand make them a very valued boat. Now, I have been saving for quite a while and have looked for quite a while for a boat and finally got tired of waiting for that perfect used boat to show up, so I decided to go new. I had it narrowed down to three boats: an Old Town Discovery 119 (119 is 11feet 9 inches), The Old Town Next, and the Esquif Adirondack. They ranged in length from 11-13 feet and weighed from 37 lbs to almost 70 lbs. They were all good boats, but the choice was easy after I saw them. It was the Esquif Adirondack canoe that is 12 foot long, weighs 37 lbs, and can carry over 500 lbs in cargo. So me and a buddy of mine went to Virginia to a paddle company, Appomattox River Company, and got my boat. So let me tell you a little about my new Exploring Vessel.
The Esquif Adirondack boat is made in Canada. Now, if you don't know, in Canada the canoe is what the
horse was to us in discovery out west. We went out west in wagon trains and on horseback, and they went on canoes through the rivers and lakes of our northern neighbor. Now, if you remember, earlier I said that they don't make Royalx anymore, the material that is light and almost indestructible. When they quit manufacturing the material, Esquif decided to make their own material that is very similar to or even better than Royalx, and it is called T-Formex. They even sell this material to other companies that used to make Royalx boats. So anyway, the hull of my new boat is made from T-Formex, which is lightweight and durable. The boat is 12-feet long and almost an exact copy of the the Old Town Pack canoe that I spoke of earlier that they don't make anymore. The Esquif pretty much replaced the void of the Old Town Pack when Old Town quit making the Pack canoe because of the lack of Royalx. The Esquif is a very basic canoe, and I have already made some adjustments to it. I added some bungee cord in the back, or stern, of the boat to hold cargo in place when I go on canoe camping trips. I put in a new seat that goes over the existing seat to give me some back support. I installed an accessory rack so I could install things like a Go-Pro camera mount or a rod holder or paddle holder. I plan on doing a few other things to customize the boat for me. I'm sure there will be more blogs to come on the modifications and adventures I make with
this new acquisition.
Now that I have talked about the boat, let me tell you what I plan on doing with it. As you know, I am primarily a landscape photographer, backpacker, and hiker. I love to explore and see new places and take photographs along the way to share with you. My project this year is to explore the national forests of North Carolina, and that also includes the lakes and rivers that run through them. This year my main goal with the boat is to get used to it, learn all of the ins and outs of paddling, and also do a little exploring. In the next year or so, I may be doing a project on the rivers of North Carolina. I am looking forward to having many adventures with the new canoe and can't wait to share them with you. Until next time, please stay safe and healthy, and get outside, explore, and shoot!
 AT Sign
Hey Everyone! I hope today finds you healthy and safe. Today's topic is "Trip Planning." I love to take trips to photograph, camp, hike, or whatever. But I'm not one of those people that can just get up one morning and go. I need to have a plan, know where I'm going, and how I'm going to get there. What will I do when I get there? What will I see? I like to research all of this before I go and try to answer all of the questions I may have.
This year my photo project is to explore all of the National Forests in North Carolina. I plan on doing them one by one, starting with Croatan
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National Forest first because it's the most buggy. I plan on doing most of my exploring in cooler weather to keep the bugs and snake activity to a minimum. So that is the first decision I made. When. My next decision to make is where in Croatan will I go? To figure this one out, I will use many resources. The first one I will use is maps. I use digital and actual maps to find out where things are. Things like trails, creeks, rivers, lakes, and campsites. Using maps lets me figure out how far things are. As I'm doing this, I'm making out lists, writing down the specific places
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that I find on the maps. Then I start the research.
Using my computer, I start to research the places that I have identified on the maps by using just a simple search on Google. It may or may not
bring up stuff, and I can drill down further on stuff that it brings up. If it's a photo trip (and most are), I'll go to one of my photo sharing sites like Instagram, Flickr, or 500PX and see what other people have seen at the places I've found. Maybe I'll try to take the same kinds of photos, or maybe I'll look just to see what others have taken so I don't do the same. Either way, I check. If it's going to be an overnight trip, I look for a place to camp. I try to look at places that I have not been to before. The type of camping accommodation is how I decide on what type of camping I do. If it's a really good campground, I might bring my teardrop camper. But then that opens up a whole other can of worms because I have to get reservations to these campgrounds, many times months in advance because they are so popular. Will I be backpacking into the woods? What are the trails like? What is the mileage that I will be expected to hike? Where is the parking area for my truck? Do I need to get permission to park? These are
 flickr
all questions that I have to answer using my computer while planning my trip.
Just before I leave, after I have come up with a game plan, I need to check a few more things. First, a week or so out I start looking at the weather. Using weather apps on my phone, I look in advance to see what the weather is going to be like. I don't want to be out backpacking and a hurricane comes that I didn't expect. But I also want to look at how hot or cold it will be. This will help me figure out what kind of clothes to bring with me. I don't want to be overdressed or underdressed for the weather.
Planning on what to bring with me is one of the last things I do. I make a packing list based on what I found
out with all of the research. Will I be backpacking, camping out of my truck, taking my teardrop, or staying in a hotel? This and the weather will determine what I bring. If I'm backpacking, minimal is the word of the day. This is for cameras as well. When you're backpacking, ounces equal pounds, and pounds equal pain when you have it on your back. You have to pack accordingly. If I'm going to be camping in my truck or camper, I can bring almost anything. But I'm a list guy and have a list of all the things that I will take with me, from raincoat to camera kit and everything in between.
As you can see, this can be a very involved process, and my process might not be right for you. But if you're like me, you will need a process. So come up with your own. Start planning a trip today! So until next week, stay safe and healthy, and get outside and shoot!
Hey Everyone! I hope today finds you healthy and safe. Today I want to talk about Exploring. I think exploring is embedded into us as humans. From the beginning of the written word, tales of exploring have been told. From traveling the oceans to "head west young man" to "one step for man, one giant leap for mankind" when we went to the moon. But now all we seem to do is explore the TV set or on the internet looking for the next best thing. I am no stranger to TV exploring and am trying to get out of it. But it isn't easy. Today we get used to being in our routine with our nose to the grindstone to make that buck. This year in my photo project I have pledged my year into exploring the national forests in North Carolina. A year might not be long enough. I love to explore and see new things. When I see new things, my creative juices start to flow and I can really take some good photographs. But you don't have to take long exotic trips to explore. I'm sure with a little research and a relatively short drive, you can be somewhere that you have never been before.
Exploring new things doesn't necessarily mean looking for forests or hilltops that I like to go to. It could be a new town or place you haven't been to before and learning about the history of it. Or it could be taking a walk and seeing the new stuff all around you. If you're into history, there are usually plenty of historical things you can see in any city.
 Antietam National Cemetery
Learn the culture of the town and why it became a town. Maybe there is historic battlegrounds or settlements around the town. Maybe, if you're a foodie and love food, you could try out local restaurants in the towns you're visiting. It could be a BBQ joint or diner that serves fantastic food that you would have never found if it wasn't for exploring. I call these little day trips, exploring your backyard seeing what's in a day's drive from where you live. For example, from where I live, in a day's drive I can see the mountains, the ocean, civil war battlefields, revolutionary war battlefields, slave plantations, cotton fields, rivers, lakes, wildlife preserves, national forests, national parks, state parks, museums, cities, and small towns. And that's just what I could think of off the top of my head. So when someone says that they have nothing to do or nowhere to go around them, they haven't looked. Last year, during the virus and all of the shutdowns I still managed to visit all of the state parks in North Carolina. So it's possible. I'm a planner, so I like to look up where I'm going to see what I can find on the web, like major attractions, places to eat, local history, and what kinds of photos other people have taken while they were there. This can all be done with Google searches.
 Cass Scenic Railroad State Park WV
Exploring far-off places can be fun too, but to be honest I haven't done as much of this as I would like to. I haven't done a lot of traveling two or more states away from mine, mostly because of time constraints and having to have a real job to pay for everything. I just don't have the vacation time that I would need to explore the way I want to. But I do have friends that have that kind of time, and they plan trips to other countries and across our nation to do some exploring. If you have the time, this would be a way to go also. I know I would if I had the time. You can usually find a plane ticket on sale, especially if you book it in advance. I once went to Washington DC and took a train,
 Edenton Tea Pot
and it was pretty awesome to explore the city on foot and by the mass transit system. It really took me out of my comfort zone which was awesome! But if you can't do any of the long-distance travel, don't stop exploring! Explore your backyard like I do and take day trips or overnighters to explore the wonders of the world. Don't just watch it on TV. It's only a car ride away.
So until next week, please stay safe and get outside and explore around you!
Hey Everyone! I hope today finds you healthy and safe. The holidays have passed, and I hope Santa brought you something for your stocking. We as photographers have all kinds of gadgets and accessories to go with our camera kit. And sometimes that takes more space than the camera and lenses do. I am all about being a quick and nimble photographer. To do that, you need to get rid of all the excess, even though I love all the gadgets. But sometimes I'm messing with all the gadgets and don't take the time it takes to see what I'm photographing, and I get too technical. I sometimes long for the days when I first started taking photos and used one camera body and one lens. All of my time was taken up with looking and exploring for that next shot. I shoot a mirrorless crop sensor camera, so my kit is pretty small. But with all the extra stuff I can get bogged down. But here lately, the last year or so, when I'm out walking around, I like to take just one camera and one lens or so and even a prime lens (without zooming capabilities) and just shoot like I used to. It's really fun and frees me up because I don't have all that stuff to think about using. I just have a camera and a spare battery. How liberating! When I'm out walking or hiking, I either have my Canon point and shoot or my Sony with one lens on and just go. It's lightweight, I can carry in a fanny pack or a small backpack, and I'm not loaded down with all kinds of equipment. Now if I'm going to a certain place that I'm going to stop and shoot (like a waterfall), then I will bring all of my stuff (my main camera bag) with me.
This is how I do it. For my day-to-day travels like to work or running around town, I usually have my Canon G7xMII with me. It's a point and
 Bell & Howell /CannonHere is the new addition to my film cameras . 1961 Canon Canonet 19.
shoot that can be shot in manual and has RAW capabilities and a large range focally from 24-100 (full frame equivalent) and can usually shoot everything I need. I keep it in a small pack that can become a fanny pack or an over-the-shoulder bag. I'll be doing a blog about my camera bags at a later date. (Stay tuned in.) I do take my main camera Sony A6500 and just one lens attached. My favorite lenses to attach are my 24mm Rokinon (36mm full frame equivalent) and a Sony 35mm that gives me a 52mm full frame equivalent. I love just walking around with the point of view with one of these lenses. Now if this is too restrictive for you and you have a newer smartphone, especially one that has multiple lenses on it, take it with you and use it for different focal lengths you may need. A smartphone does great on wide-angle shots and panos. You'll still be quick and nimble and have all the lenses you will need. I have an older phone, but I still take it and use it when I need to. I have a shoulder bag that I call my purse that I use when I'm out with this setup (again a blog is coming on bags).
Being light and nimble with your photography will make you enjoy the experience better. If you're like me, getting older and bigger, not lugging around lots of stuff all the time is great. There are still times I like to take all my stuff with me, and I have a great pack to use with it (blog later LOL) that fits great and doesn't pull on you to make you uncomfortable. Saves your back. Photography is supposed to be fun and not a workout carrying stuff that you don't need. There is a time for all of that photography stuff you have, but it's not "all the time." So just take what you need in the smallest bag you can so you can be quick and nimble. I see people going to shoot taking everything they own packed into a bag that is heavy and bulky. So try going small and minimalist, and you will be able to travel farther quicker, clear your head of all the technical things, and just shoot.
So until next week, stay safe and healthy and get out and shoot!
Hey Everyone! Hope everyone is healthy and safe today. I have finally done it. I have made the decision of what my project for 2021 will be. Last year, if you're following me, you know that I was going to visit, photograph, hike, and sometimes camp at all of the state parks in North Carolina. There were 34 of them, and with the shutdowns due to the virus, it made this project more difficult than I thought it would be. But with some good luck and planning, I got the project completed and created an end-of-year book that showed off my accomplishment. I also had two other projects. Post to Instagram every day and post a blog once a week. Both were challenging, but I completed those also. I plan to keep those two projects going through 2021.
This year I plan on (drum roll please) visiting and exploring all of the national forests in North Carolina.
There are four national forests in North Carolina, covering over 1.25 million acres of land: Croatan National Forest in the eastern part of the state, Uwharrie National Forest located in the central part of the state, and Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests located in the mountains of the state. Now you may say that there are only four forests to visit. That is true, but they are so big that to "explore" them it will take many trips to each forest to get the full experience of it. That's the main theme of
this project is to "explore." Last year was more of a let's complete this checklist, but this one is more fluid, not set in stone. I will take as many trips as needed to feel like I have truly explored the forest that I'm in. I'm going to do one at a time. I will camp, hike, backpack, and photograph. This will be more of the experience from that of last year which was more of a checklist feeling. I plan on taking my fishing rods, maybe even get a canoe and paddle lakes and ponds, rivers and streams. Documenting the trips will also be a big part of it. I will make a couple of videos, but photography of course will be the main medium that I will use to document this project. My
camera set up will not change. I have my kit pretty much dialed in. My trusty Sony A6500 will be my main camera body. I believe that it has many years left in it. My lens selection will be the ones that I have been using. Also, my little Canon G7XmII will also be with me, especially on the backpacking trips. It's small size and versatility make it a great backpacking camera. For video, my GoPro setup will be the same with a GoPro 7 being my main camera.
I will be doing a lot of camping with this project, which is something that I wanted to incorporate. Hammock camping will be my first choice and hopefully a lot of free camping. In most national forests, dispersed camping is free, although there are established campgrounds that I will also be visiting that charge a minimum fee. I hope to have backpacking be a big part of this project also, which means I have to get back into shape! UGGH! There are many trails to hike and explore, especially in the mountains. My truck, Ole' Betsy, will be my mode of transportation and my camping and exploring vehicle. And of course Forrest, the Wonder Dog, will accompany me when possible.
So there, I have said it out loud. My project for 2021 will be exploring the national forests of North Carolina. So until next week, get outside and keep shooting!
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