Autumn in the Smokies - A Hackberry Farm Nature Photography Workshops field report

Russell Graves
Nov 2
3 min read

It's quiet here along the Middle Fork of the Little River. The water babbles over the moss-covered rocks, creating a relaxing sound that reverberates a bit off the mountains. No one speaks as each guest is into their own camera, trying to catch the fleeting beauty of Autumn in the Smokies.

While it's been a bit dry here lately, the rivers and creeks still run strong and provide ample opportunity to capture memorable images. Here in the river bottom, the sun is still a ways from setting, but it's low enough for the mountains to cast the river in soft, even light. At the top of the trees, however, the sun still shines and illuminates the tree tops high on the mountains. The result is a golden glow that reflects from the trees above onto the water below.

Autumn in the Smokies - A Hackberry Farm Nature Photography Workshops field report

It's a serene, absolutely beautiful scene that epitomizes one of the most incredible parks in the entire system.

We've witnessed scenes like this all week at the Autumn in the Smokies nature photography workshop. While the woods are beautiful any time of the year, you just can't beat being in these hardwood forests in the fall. It's a sensorial delight.

To be in the woods when nature is on the verge of slipping into winter's slumber is special. While the guests photograph the composition that starts in their mind's eye and is later revealed on digital medium, I relax in the stillness. The smell of the Autumn damp, the sound of the running water, the sight of the trees in their Autumn finest, and the feel of the calm southern breeze on your face is something you must experience. It's worth the effort.

While the trees change in the season, so does the wildlife. In the valleys of North Carolina, elk are winding down their rut. A big bull still roams the Oconoluftee Valley while the cows graze to fatten after a long breeding season. On the periphery, two young bulls spar in a mock fight that prepares them for when it's their time to challenge the dominant bull for the breeding rights.

These elk follow the same pattern each evening: they spend their nights tucked away in harems in the woods. By day, however, the bulls push them into the open meadows and keep them grouped up to easily defend his harem from interloping bulls. It's a drama that plays out each fall, but as soon as it begins, it wanes as the days grow shorter. Right now, as we watch, things are calm, and the natural order of the elk is in place for yet another year.

If you try, it's not hard to feel the spirit of the Cherokee and the pioneering settlers deep in the mountains. High atop Kuwohi, the fog fills the valleys below as we wait for the sun to rise over the range. Mountain layers atop mountains in a timeless and iconic scene for the area. As the sun crests the peaks, light begins to fill in the hollers down below. The autumn colors shine.

We've been exploring all we can on this remarkable excursion all week. Water, mountains, autumn color, cabins, and wildlife are all on the agenda. Each image taken helps tell a story of the area.

It's a story worth telling.

As the week wanes, we turn our attention to wildlife. We've seen bears up in the woods, but none close enough to photograph. On the last morning, we venture into an area where I know bears are common. On the way in, we see a few, but they are deep in the brush and don't lend themselves well to good photography. We venture past.

We photograph more fall scenes for about an hour before it's time to go. On the way out, the bears presented themselves. In the open and grand setting, the black bears we saw earlier give us a great parting gift: they stand in the open at the requisite distance for us all to get a good photograph.

The Smokies give abundantly again.