Since arriving in the high country of North Carolina early last October, I have been hiking several trails and exploring the nearby region with my camera. In doing so I have naturally encountered many of the same landscapes and sights while looking for new and interesting subjects. Early on I realized even though the scenery didn’t change, my outlook had to if my creativity was to stay fresh.

In the wisdom of Marcel Proust, “The real voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes”. So I took that wisdom to heart and began looking with “new eyes”. Seeing that way is not limited to subjects chosen, but how I choose to shoot it.

I ventured out at different times of day to capture the varying conditions of light. I waited for changing weather conditions that would affect the details of the picture. I looked for varying compositions and points-of-view that might not have been obvious before. Not all the images were “successful” but in short, I experienced the same places with a renewed energy and creative vision, resulting in a perspective that was refreshing, exhilarating and rewarding.