November 2012
Artist’s Statement
Like many Southern photographers during the fall season, I and two of my best photography friends headed out for a four-day weekend to capture the vibrant colors of nature in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After several days of shooting waterfalls, scenic landscapes and wildlife, we decided to head to Clingmans Dome, which is the highest point in the park, located in the state of Tennessee.
Driving on a late afternoon up the road leading to Clingmans Dome, the landscape suddenly turned into a winter wonderland. This spruce-fir forest was dusted in snow; the location where this image was taken suddenly became the perfect spot for capturing the mood and aesthetic of that magical evening, of the park’s first snow of the season. For me, this image reminds me of iconic landscapes that suggest the holiday season.
Biography
When Clay is asked how he got into photography, he answers with three words, “passion and balance.” This has been the driving force since Clay took a photo workshop back in 2009 and, through self-discovery, learned his passion in capturing the world through the lens of a camera. To provide the viewer the ability to actually “see” the world as opposed to simply “looking” at it is the objective and purpose of his artistic work.
Clay enjoys photographing the Atlanta metro area and local events, which includes people, nature, architecture, landscapes, rural areas, and other themes. His favorite form of photography is nature and travel, which has taken him to locations in the following U.S. National Parks: Bryce Canyon, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Smoky Mountains, Yosemite, and Zion. As an Atlanta resident for nearly 20 years, Clay lives in Midtown and prefers the eclectic, modern, and urban lifestyle.
