Here we go 2018

So I'm taking a quick moment from packing and it hit me...I'm about to head out for another 5-6 months across country to follow the Greater Sage-Grouse.  For some reason this seems so surreal verses the first time. - Honestly I drove myself there and back and I still couldn't believe I was out in Utah working on wildlife - But regardless it is about to happen with a whole other road trip planned.  This time I'm doing the lower part of the US and my boyfriend is coming with me :) Before I start I figured I'd share some of my favorite photos from the last times! 

Enjoy and happy adventures to all! 

Some photos from my trip to the North (Maine) 

I still cannot believe we drove from South Carolina all the way to Maine and back in 2 weeks <3 I cannot wait until the next adventures! 

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Mount Mansfield was an absolutely amazing view to see!  Definitely convinced me to want to add the Long Trail to the list of trails to trek :)

Pictures got a little spaced as I started using my film camera more :)

Very delayed in getting these pictures out but here they are, finally (digital ones anyway)!

So we decided to start day two to go to McAfee Knob in Virginia.  A very iconic location and a nice hike to start our day :) We planned to start very early but the weather was overcast so we decided to head out around 6:30.  Headlamps ready we set off to make the hike.   Honestly I didn't take too many pictures of the McAfee Knob hike but we at least got the iconic shot on the ledge :) After the McAfee Knob hike we drive up the Blue Ridge Parkway and went to Shenandoah National Park and camped for the night.  Its a tiny National Park but I have to admit I was very impressed how nice it was for how small it was! Also we got to see a Mamma Bear and her 3 cubs on the parkway and it was amazing and my first bear encounter :D Our day three was finishing the drive through Shenandoah National Park and heading straight to the Long Trail Inn in Vermont :)

A little behind on writing this but finally sitting down with some internet so I figured I'd get to sharing some photos!

The first stop on Michael's and I road trip to Maine was near the Grayson Highlands.  I had wanted to go for months now for stars and ponies so we thought it would be the perfect first stop.  We camped there Saturday night and Sunday morning got up bright and early to start our hike to Mt Rodgers, roughly 10 miles round trip.  It was so cold that morning and our first thoughts were that the weather was going to be like that for the entire trip!  In reality that has been the coldest place we've been to so far, weird since we've been going more north ever since. It was a overcast foggy morning but as the hike continued on the sun cleared the skies to show some amazing landscape.  At 5,729 feet of elevation we got to see a higher elevated forest, which we do not have in South Carolina (being that our highest peak is 3500 feet).  Plus it was my first real hike on the Appalachian Trail and it couldn't have been more perfect (since no other section has the wild ponies :P...to the best of my knowledge). After that we hopped in the car and started making our way upwards to McAfee Knob, which was only 3-4 hours of driving so we enjoyed Damascus VA for a little while.  I highly recommend visiting the Damascus Brewery if you ever head up that way.

P.S. For this trip I decided to bring both my film and my digital camera so in some places I focused mostly on my film...so it'll be a while before I have those to share :P

Happy Adventures and enjoy the photos :)

I love getting my film back and it's not damaged 😂. The price to pay for using all expired film but still it's also what makes it so exciting! Beautiful writing spider in my lantanas 😊 Pentax SP II Kodak 400

Taken on my Pentax SP II using expired Kodak Max 400. My home away from home for 4 years. I visited Swan Lake everyday to visit and care for the 3 domestic waterfowl. After so long I ended up also have some deer, wild waterfowl, song birds, and crows who also came every time I was there. I will never ever forget my time there and I miss them all everyday. Thanks to all of them I truly strengthened my love and urge to fight and protect our environment and all that is in it ❤️

New on the blog link in bio, the Great American Eclipse 2017 😄✊🏻 My gosh getting to witness this amazing event was absolutely breath taking! I'm ready for 2024 😊

https://www.emiesphotography.com/blog/2017/8/24/great-american-eclipse-2017

New blog post!

www.emiesphotography.com/blog

I got to see an amazingly beautiful wedding two weekends ago and since I wasn't the photographer I decided to just shoot for fun with film. Sadly the first roll of expired film I used wasn't good and when rushing to put the second roll...I never actually threaded it in. So the fun and not so fun of film is up 😝

CAMERA: Pentax SP II

LENS: Takumar 28

FILM: Kodak Max 400 expired (2009?)

So I decided that I wanted to pick my film camera back up and get back to the 'basics' of film.  But more I kind of wanted the thrill of not knowing what my photos will look like.  So I got my first roll of this year developed and the photos came out better than expected!  Using my Pentax Spotmatic (SP II) and some Kodak 400 expired film (I believe they were use by 2009).

I'm slowly but surely working on scanning all of my negatives to bring back all those old memories :)

Huge shout out to thedarkroom.com for developing and scanning these photos for me.  The scan quality is gorgeous and they have taken such good care of my negatives!

Enjoy the photos!

I’m still in awe that I drove roughly 2000 miles cross-country to make it back to good old SC from Utah.  To start my trip I went directly to the Tetons (as I had to see them one last time) and then made my way to South Dakota and then down through parts of Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and finally South Carolina.  

For this trip I have to admit I was so ready to be home and didn’t really make too many stops.  Thankfully I didn’t because the day I was going to leave Nashville my starter decided to die…in the Firestone parking lot so count me lucky! I did get to see Mount Rushmore (which was interesting and basically accidental as I didn’t realize it was only 30 minutes from where I camped).  I stopped by Wall Drug, SD which is a well known stop spot while driving around SD.  I passed by the Badlands National Park but never stopped as it was around 2pm and hot.  I went briefly through Nebraska and then continued to descend down the states.  I also stopped at the wildlife refuge that I visited in Missouri the first time around.  It was interesting to go back when everything was green!

Now I’m slowly but surely unpacking and out looking for the next adventure to come!  The eclipse is less than 1.5 weeks away and I cannot wait to see it :)

Happy Adventures and enjoy my photos!

Y'all I like me some bumble bees 😊 safe and sound back in SC and it's kinda weird that my life in Utah is done...for now. One to the next adventure! #wildernessculture #wildsofUtah #everydayisearthday #sigma70300 #sigmaphoto #sigmalens #theoutbound #yellowstonepledge #ilovephotography #ilovenature #wildlife #nature #neature #sonya7rii #a7rii #getoutstayout #Utah #UtahNature #Bumblebee #savethebees #naturephotography #naturehappy #lifeofadventure #macrophotography (at Randolph, Utah)

Camped at Yellowstone with one of my best friends over the weekend. Finally brought out my camera to snag a few star photos 😊 #natgeo #neature #nature #naturehappy #nationalpark #natgeotravel #nationalgeographic #yellowstonepledge #Yellowstone #nightsky #stars #wilderness #wanderlust #wildlifetech #wildernessculture #everydayisearthday #rokinon24 #theoutbound #thegreatoutdoors #findyourpark #ilovenature #starynight #nightsky #nightscape #adventurethatislife #lifeofadventure #isthisevenreal #vsco #vsconature #vscotravel #wyomingsky (at Yellowstone National Park)

Sony a7rII // Sigma 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 // 07.05.2017 Utah It's the little things in life that are so important 😊 

Sony a7rII // Sigma 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 // 07.08.2017 Teton - Bridger Wilderness Being 3 hours from the Tetons is absolutely mind blowing and amazing! I went again this weekend and finally hammock camped for the first time 😊. I then decided to spend my Saturday hiking around my camp grounds and there is so many miles of trails there! And with some amazing views of the Tetons ❤️

Sony a7rII // Sigma 50-500mm f4-6.3 // 06.24.2017 Grand Teton National Park So while exploring around for a campsite I saw this osprey on her nest. Of course I stopped for a photo and the face she gave me I think is priceless 😄

Sony a7rII // Sigma 50-500mm f4-6.3 // 06.24.2017 Grand Teton National Park I am so excited to have gotten to see the Tetons in the summer again 😄 I'm going back in two weeks for sure!