Author Archives: GAR

Photo of the Week – Jay Wild

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Here You’re Very Likely to Meet a Pixie

Waterfall on US 221 Below Grandfather Mtn

Waterfall on US 221 Below Grandfather Mtn

There are images that grab at you and demand attention. Then there are those that issue an invitation to come in, sit a spell and share some hot jasmine tea. The air is cool and clear, the breeze light, the sunlight dappled, the flowing water softly sings and the rocks speak of eternity. One can taste this spot.
Over the top? Perhaps. But it’s one of the reasons we’re all photographers, hoping to capture such a mote speck of the planet in a way that excites the imagination and creates emotions that, however briefly, remove us from the politics and daily bombings shouted by the media and newspapers.
The scene is located off Hwy 221 at the foot of Grandfather, at the line dividing Caldwell and Watauga Counties. The stream is perhaps Green Mountain Creek. Jay’s camera was a Canon 7d fitted with an EFS-17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens with the focal length set to 17mm. The shutter was a very slow 30 seconds with an apeture of f/22 and an ISO of 100. He used a polarizing filter to damper the light reflections from the wet, sloped rock at the top of the falls. At such a slow shutter, obviously a tripod was necessary.

Photos of the Week – Betty Rembert

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Two Katydids in One Day

Betty Rembert - Scudder's Bush Katydid Nymph

Betty Rembert – Scudder’s Bush Katydid Nymph


Betty has been active in the ACC since its beginning some four years ago but not as a photographer. A year and a half ago she could resist no longer and picked up a camera to give it a try. Rarely has a day passed since when she didn’t head out for a shoot, concentrating on landscape and local scenes. Lately she has discovered the joy of macro work and the fascinating creatures that can be found everywhere. The two images below were captured in her small garden just a few feet from home. It was a cloudy day, perfect for this type of shot, with even a very light rain falling for the first image. She believes this colorful creature to be a Scudder’s Bush Katydid in an earlier nymph stage(experts out there are free to confirm or deny this). The rain enhanced the colors to a ceramic glow and the perfectly round, reflecting water drops add a prehistoric feel. The head reminds one of a horse on a merry-go-round.
The image below is the same katydid but at a later, mature stage.
Betty Rembert - Scudder's Bush Nymph KatydidBoth images are well framed, with sharp focus where it matters. The surrounding blossoms, leaves and soft backgrounds do not detract from the main subject.
Both were captured using a tripod with a Canon 5D and a 100mm macro lens. Left click each image for a closer, more detailed look.