I had a field trip with my photography class on Saturday in Greenbelt Park and the old downtown section of Maryville Tennessee. This was the first thing I shot as I waited on my students to show up. It was raining at the time which added the extra moisture. LynnFreeny.com
I always have my camera ready. Here I am in a traffic jam on I-40 in Knoxville and I see this wonderful light reflecting off this truck. After taking several shots I finally read the words. Great advertising concept!! LynnFreeny.com
I love small towns for the slow pace and ability to wonder around without a lot of trouble. This image was shot in the downtown Maryville. The warm light gave interesting reflections in the store front window. LynnFreeny.com
It seems like the closer you get to objects in nature the more beautiful and fascinating they are. This spider web was shot on Roan Mountain during the spring. Shooting was tough because the wind kept blowing the web causing the image to be fuzzy. With patients and using a large f-stop I was able to capture the small drops of dew along with blooming flowers in the background. The shallow depth of field produced but this large f-stop helped isolate the web. LynnFreeny.com
When I saw this mill stone all I could think of was this is very Irish. In the middle is clover which is surrounded by glorious green. This was taken in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where green is the main color of summer. LynnFreeny.com
I took my photography class to Greenbelt Park in Maryville Tennessee last night. This duck came walking up expecting some food but all we had were cameras and lens. As he walked away I quickly shot several images. The sun was just at the right angle to cause dramatic shadows and a silhouette of the bird. The f-stop was wide open at 2.8 producing a very shallow depth of field.
This is how I feel as I am getting close to home after a long hard day of work. The image was taken through a curved car windshield which caused the trees to blur. I call it a happy accident or I could say "I meant to do that" but it would not be true. Don't be afraid to do something off the wall. The worst thing that could happen is that you might learn something. LynnFreeny.com
I am always looking at reflections and when I see an interesting one I have to photograph it. This reflection was on a black car just as the sun was going down. LynnFreeny.com
Sometimes you have to take a photograph at some of the most usual times. When I see a scene like this with no place to pull over I set my camera on auto focus point shoot and hope for the best. LynnFreeny.com 
The time of day is so important in photography. In this image being there as the sun was going down was key. Even if I had no-see-ums crawling and biting me along with the mosquitoes circling around my head. This was at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge where insects seem to rule but the wildlife is abundant.LynnFreeny.com
I always have my camera with. This image is a example why. I am driving down an interstate in Tennessee in a blinding down pour just trying to see the road with photography being the last thing on my mind. Suddenly the rain stops and the clouds part. To my amazement the warm colors of the sunset were reflecting off the wet road.LynnFreeny.com
My favorite place to be with a camera is Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This image was taken at sunrise with a thick covering of fog. When you have Cades Cove in the fog at sunrise it is hard to miss. LynnFreeny.com
This image is another lesson in "perfect light". Early in the morning the sun is warming the scene of the trees and fog. The budding tree on the right helps balance with the bright part of the sky on the left. Putting the red tree in the center would visually cut the composition in half. LynnFreeny.com
The term "perfect light" is the best way to describe evening light. The sun is much lower in the sky which does two things, changes the color temperature and diffuses the light. The sun at high noon is a small dot in the sky causing the sun to be a small light source. On a cloudy day or when the sun is low in the sky the sun becomes a large diffused light source.LynnFreeny.com
Black and white photography captures tones making it a perfect way to record shadows. The shadows in this image are very elongated. This shot was taken in the evening when the main light source , the sun, is positioned low in the sky causing this effect. The grass adds a texture that contrast against the smoothness of the dark shadows.LynnFreeny.com
This image is mainly one big reflection interrupted only by this small wild duck swimming. Even though the duck is the smallest element in the composition it has the most impact. The strong horizontal motion of the duck along with the sharp edges of its feathers is the main reason why. LynnFreeny.com
Many times it is the small details that are the most interesting subjects in nature photography. Rain drops are small but can make a powerful image. 95% of photography is looking. This image was shot with a 200mm lens with extension tubes. LynnFreeny.com
Some people think when it gets dark it is time to put your camera away. At night some of the most boring subjects become magical. This image was taken after a "Boomsday" fireworks display on the Tennessee River in Knoxville Tennessee. The exposure was around 30 seconds which caused a river full of boat traffic to disappear leaving only there lights. The camera was on a tripod because of the long exposure. LynnFreeny.com
My favorite place to photograph white-tailed deer is Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Using a 200mm lens is always long enough for the deer in this area. Early in the morning or in the evening is the best time to shoot this subject because the light is better at these times. Also the number of deer is greater at this time of day. In this image the doe are wandering through tall sage grass with the sun shining toward the camera. This camera position helps to silhouette the animals. A little space in front of the animals helps the viewer anticipate the forward movement of the animals.LynnFreeny.com
I am still posting shadow images. This shadow was from a tree with a street light being the main source of light. The sheen from the pavement is caused by a light rain coming down at the time of the exposure. Night photography is very interesting but when you add rain it gets even more dynamic. LynnFreeny.com
Shadows are one of my favorite subjects. This shadow helps to lengthen the composition. Keep your eyes open for shadows they can add a special element to your images.LynnFreeny.com
I am set up with my tripod and 6x7 camera in the back of my pickup truck for this image. I have two reasons for using my truck to shoot from. The main reason I am set up this way is because it helps me get a high vantage point keeping the landscape from looking too flat. The other reason is because Ansel Adams used the roof of his Cadillac to photograph from. If it worked for him it should work for me. When taking pictures it is always good to shoot above or below eye level. Everybody sees the world from eye level making this view boring at times.LynnFreeny.com
This subject is all about textures and tones making it a prefect black and white subject. I wanted to keep the composition dynamic and simplified. With a 28mm wide angle lens I moved in close enough to cause a perspective distortion with the strong horizontal lines of the cabin.LynnFreeny.com
The time of day is one of the most important elements to consider when shooting outdoors. My favorite time is morning and evening. In this image of the silhouetted ducks the reflection of the sunset is one of the most interesting parts of the subject. LynnFreeny.com
I am always telling my students to work a subject. What I mean by that is to find a good subject then start looking at all the different angles. In this case the most interesting thing was the thin green moss that had grown on the shady side of this old barn. By using a wide angle lens I was able to capture the elongated shape of the barn.LynnFreeny.com
I was taking an evening walk on Greenbelt Park in Maryville Tennessee when I noticed this unusual reflection on a water fountain. A street light had come on as daylight was fading. This very orange light mirrored off the stainless steel surface creating a beautiful contrast from the cool light of evening.LynnFreeny.com
It was the spring of 1997 and I like many others saw this amazingly bright comet in the sky called Hale-Bopp. I went up on Foothills Parkway just in time to catch the last part of the setting sun and this beautiful but almost scary object in the sky. The comet seems to be coming down on the city lights of Maryville and Alcoa. LynnFreeny.com
Detail in the wood grain was what got me interested in this door. By using my 4X5 view camera I was able to capture the many shades of gray along with the lines in the wood grain. By isolating a small portion of the door I was able to simplify the composition. Remember when composing a photograph include only what is interesting.LynnFreeny.com
My favorite time to shoot is evening and morning because the quality of light can be extraordinary. In this image of a block glass window what caught my attention was the warm light of a sunset shinning through. The repeated square shapes help to give an interesting rhythm to the composition. LynnFreeny.com
Shadows can be one of the most dynamic elements in a photograph. The angle of the sun has to be just right to capture a shadow like the one in this image. Because the bottles allow some light to go through them, their shadows have color. LynnFreeny.com
I found this 1943 carved valentine in the mountains of West Virgina. This heart was chiseled out on a rocky cliff near Morgantown. Wow! It has been there for 65 years. True love endures. LynnFreeny.com
I love driving the back roads. Why? This image is one of the reasons why. I found this subject on a country road in East Tennessee. I started shooting the green Cadillac when the owner came out of his house to see what I was up to. I said to him "what an interesting car!" He opened up and said with pride he had been working on this car for about a year and was planning on driving it in a few months. By the use of Adobe Photoshop I desaturated the original color image from my 6x 7 transparency. LynnFreeny.com
Photographing businesses can be boring sometimes. The answer to this problem could be as simple as shooting the business at night. In this image of a small Inn in Camden, Maine I was able to capture the quaintness of this mom and pop place after dark. I did not need to worry about muggers here but some of the mosquitoes I saw could have carried me and my camera away. The tripod was a must because my exposure was about 2 seconds.LynnFreeny.com
Most of the time when you are taking a landscape photograph you are holding the camera level. In this image the camera was actually pointed up toward the sky in order to include the tree and the cliff. This is Alum Cave Buffs in the Great Smoky Mountains. It is not really a cave but a cliff with a large over hang. LynnFreeny.com
As I was driving on the back roads of New Mexico I found this beautiful adobe church. I decided to simplify the composition by showing only the top of the church letting a adobe wall dominate the foreground. The placement of the top of the church demonstrates the use of the rule of thirds. LynnFreeny.com
Sometimes in still photography in order to capture the way the moment felt you have to show motion. By using a long exposure, 1/2 a second , I was able to convey the high energy of the music that was being played along with the movement of the musician. In photography breaking the rules can open you to more creative images. In this case shooting a long exposure without a tripod of a moving subject was breaking the rules. LynnFreeny.com 
While most people get on their cell phones while driving home after work, I am using my camera. Don't worry I only shoot when I am setting still or when someone else is driving. In this image I caught a reflection of the setting sun at a red light. Remember I alway have my camera ready for recording interesting things I see in everyday life. LynnFreeny.com
Several cold nights along a body of water in the mountains cause some wonderfully beautiful layers of ice to form. This was shot early in the morning in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at a temperature hovering around zero. The repeated curving lines in the ice help add a rhythm to the photograph.LynnFreeny.com
I am alway thinking of different angles and ways of looking at things. I think eye level is boring for most photographs. Why? Because most people spend the majority of their lives viewing the world eye level. That is why I enjoy aerial views of subjects. It is about as far away from eye level as you can get. This is a view of the Great Smoky Mountains surrounding Chilhowee Lake in the early morning hours giving a surreal color pallet along with fog. LynnFreeny.com
Reflections are one of those elements that most people ignore. As a photographer, reflections are great for adding interest to your images. In this image I pulled up in a parking space and I noticed this great reflection. Keep in mind when shooting reflection it is best to use a f-stop of 16 or 22 to get as much depth of field as possible. Why? Because your field of focus can go from close up to infinity. LynnFreeny.com
I was up on Cadillac Mountain in Maine waiting for the sun to raise when I noticed some interesting ice patterns on the ground. The temperature was close to zero with a very strong wind that was hard to ignore(serious wind chill). Because of the melting and refreezing , layers of ice formed around these small pieces of grass. What normally would have been a small puddle of water was now beautiful patterns of ice thanks to the freezing weather. LynnFreeny.com
I went to swim practice tonight to capture some images for my files. Swimming is my favorite sport to photograph. Why? Because there is fast movement, reflections from the water and unexpected stop action results, swimming is great fun to shoot. There are a few things to keep in mind when covering swimming with your camera. A 80 to 200mm telephoto zoom helps you get close without getting wet. Using a shutter speed of 1/250 or faster will help you stop the action.In this image my shutter speed was 1/250 with the zoom lens set at 200mm. LynnFreeny.com
When cold air mixes with warm air at sunset the sky becomes a beautiful array of colors and shapes. This also means a possibility of very strong storms. In this image of the mixing of warm and cold air I found out later their was a tornado warning. Be careful!LynnFreeny.com
Cades Cove is one of my favorite places. When it snows in the Cove it becomes a wonderful place to photograph. This is a Cantilevered Barn found mostly in the East Tennessee area.LynnFreeny.com 
Snow in the Great Smoky Mountains makes winter temperatures more bearable. Snow can change a colorless landscape into a winter wonderland. By using a large format camera I was able to capture as much detail as possible.LynnFreeny.com
I like to use a 50mm 1.4 lens for portraits because of its large lens opening . In this image I am shooting at f-stop 1.4 which creates a very shallow depth of field. LynnFreeny.com
Shadows can be one the most interesting elements when included in a photograph. Many times people do not seem to see shadows. Evidence of this shows up in paintings done by amateurs. Without shadows objects look flat. In this image the bikes are somewhat boring but because of the shadow I was blown away by the subject. LynnFreeny.com
The icy river in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a wonderful subject for photography. By using a tripod with a large format camera was able to capture detail and motion. A long exposure of 1 second helped show the movement of the water. The large format helped with the fine detail.LynnFreeny.com
In the winter waterfalls freeze and melt and refreeze. This natural cycle can repeat itself many times to form some of the most beautiful but natural ice forms. I like to think of them as a kind of abstract sculpture. In this image in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park the deep blue winter sky reflects off the ice.LynnFreeny.com
It has to be very cold for several days to cause a waterfall to freeze. This image is a closeup of a frozen waterfall. As I was looking for interesting details in the ice, I noticed as I moved at different angles the colorful reflections varied in intensity. I spent 30 minutes just searching for that angle that would reflect the most color from the surrounding environment. LynnFreeny.com
