Walking Around the Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church (Great Smoky Mountains National Park) by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: An image captured while walking around and taking in view of the Primitive Baptist Church in the Cades Cove area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The view is in a grassy area outside the church with a view looking to the northeast. My thought in composing this image had been to pull back on the focal length so that I could include some of the nearby surrounding for this church. They were actually two reasons for that. One was to have the trees and skies to help frame the setting; I felt that important for the image. The other was more practical, as I intended to use the Perspective tool in DxO PhotoLab 7 to straighten out the angles, which I knew would take away some of the area around the church as part of that process.

Simpson's Num-Ti-Jah Lodge by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: One day, I hope to have a chance to spend an evening or two at this lodge, but in the meantime I had to take this chance to savor the view of the lodge and front entrance. Mount Jimmy Simpson is the back drop off in the distance.

Walking Up to the L'Ecole n. 41 Winery by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A winery one is never likely to forget with the school look to the front entrance. That's what I decided to capture with this image, lining it up as if for a published or landscape type setting. I later used DxO Perspective to finish that image. All one has to do now is enjoy the stroll to the entrance and enjoy some good wines...

A Cabernet Sauvignon to Celebrate Them All! by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: While walking around and taking in the views nearby the entrance to tasting room at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. The view is looking to the northwest at a display of a famed bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Two books are behind the story of me wanting to visit this winery over the past probably 15 years. The first was “The Accidental Connoisseur” where I first read about Napa Valley and then “Judgement of Paris” by George Taber, where I read in depth about the history and people of this area. I knew I’d have to visit and enjoy this wine one year. A few years ago a trip idea came to mind that would also involve Lassen Volcanic National Park. October 2024 was that year! Dreams do come true :-) I later worked with control points in DxO PhotoLab 8 and then made some adjustments to bring out the contrast, saturation and brightness I wanted. I also used the Perspective tool in PhotoLab 8 to straighten out the angles present for the final image.