This small creek at the base of the Byron Herbert Reece trail on Blood Mountain lies just off a small parking area for hikers and is often overlooked by those seeking adventure up the mountain on the Appalachian Trail. I found it while waiting for a fellow large format photographer to arrive and we both captured it at the end or our hike about half way up the mountain. Both of us have revisited this site multiple times to try to capture the grandeur when the water is flowing fully through the rocks.

During the summer months getting to the bottom of the gap requires a bit of bush whacking though the dense growth on the left. Then you must wade or try to straddle larger stones to get to the middle of the raging water while not getting swept in. Not only is it difficult to find the right spot to shoot from while the water is flowing rapidly around you, I was plagued with technical problems my first couple of visits. This image represents my third attempt after a heavy rain using an older lens with softness in the corners. I will visit again and try to make it all the way to the top of Blood Mountain.

Sometimes the challenges makes the photograph more dear to the photographer