I have not photographed much since middle of 2022. However in December 2023 my wife and I bought a mountain house in the community of Big Canoe Georgia. Just going there on the weekends and exploring the mountains, lakes, trails, and creeks has inspired me to get out and shoot again. There is also a space for my darkroom in a climate controlled section of the basement so I can print year round once I get things set up.

The mountain has many scenic vistas and there is much flora and wildlife year round. I may even break out my digital camera again to photograph the eagles, owls, and woodpeckers. Ferns and Laurel offer endless opportunities for compositions. There are at least 6 different waterfalls as well as many cascades along the creeks. High up on the mountains there are scenic distant views. I only wish we had discovered Big Canoe sooner.

Additionally – Photoshop has a cool new feature in their Beta release. Generative Fill is an AI based plugin that allows you to add to or alter images with a comment. In the case of this posts attached image I took the photo of my backyard and the AI added the black bear. With a little adjustment to opacity and adding some text I ended up with an entirely different image that conveys the mood of Big Canoe. I am in no way leaving my black and white film practice but the creativity of using AI will allow expansion of my ideas in the future.

Do what inspires you!