'Seen Through a Different Light'

'Seen Through a Different Light'

A Change of Direction

I appreciate your interest in my photography.

I decided to discontinue my blog and replace it with a combination of a Facebook Fan page and my new Ezine (Newsletter) titled Just Think Outside.

Here are the links - I would be honored if you decide to follow either or both.

Thank you,
Jeffrey

Enter your email address to sign up for my Just Think Outside





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Shaped by Time

Jeffrey Stoner
Fine Art Photography

This Fall I spent a week in northern Arizona and southern Utah photographing the buttes and mesas of Monument Valley and the canyons near Page Arizona.


These images were taken in Lower Antelope Canyon, near Page Arizona, which is within the Navajo Nation and is called Hasdeztwazi which means "spiral rock arches". The sandstone and corkscrew formations that make up the canyon are actually petrified sand dunes formed when this part of northern Arizona was an ocean.


I entered the canyon through a hole in the desert floor and descended a ladder/staircase into a slot formed long ago by flash-floods. It felt surreal leaving the bright flat surface of the desert and entering the dark narrow slot canyon below.


Once my eyes became acclimated to the dark I began to make my way through the canyon. The path twisted and turned and at times was no more than shoulder width. I never knew what to expect as I rounded each bend other than it would be astonishing. Unusual rock formations, colors from plum to yellow and alcoves lit from within were all around me.


As I made my way through the canyon I descended a series of metal ladders anchored into the walls that ranged from 3’ to 25’ long. At the end of the canyon there is a metal staircase that leads back to the surface.


Instead of exiting, I turned around and made my way back through the canyon. Going the opposite direction gave me a whole new perspective and the opportunity to be astonished all over again.


This canyon is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
















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New Ventures

Jeffrey Stoner
Fine Art Photography

Despite the negative news regarding the economy, two new galleries are opening in August and one in September in Southwest Virginia and east Tennessee. These gallery owners are excited about the arts and the artists they represent, believe they will be a part of the economic growth of their region, and are looking forward to opening their doors after months of preparation.














The Blowfish Emporium, 529 State Street, Bristol Virginia opened August 17th and will be holding a grand opening reception on Thursday evening September 10th. The gallery features regional artists and space for art classes in a newly rehabilitated building. Owner Bethany Wilson refinished original wood floors, exposed the interior brick walls and kept intact the 1939 storefront made of maroon colored Carrara glass. I took several new images in Bristol for the gallery including color and infrared black and white shots of the train station and a new shot of the Bristol welcome sign for a 6”x8” tile.














Martha Washington Inn of Abingdon VA is opening The Gallery managed by Polly Mallory. The gallery will open in early September with a grand opening reception on Friday evening September 25th. Polly will be featuring regional artists in a great gallery located near the Inn’s dining room. I am taking images of the Martha Washington Inn and grounds that will be for sale in the gallery, including this new infrared black and white.



Southern Fried Gallery will be opening August 27th in Townsend TN in the Trillium Cove shopping village with a grand opening on Friday September 4th. Trillium Cove is a quaint shopping village located just outside the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. This is the entrance closest to Cades Cove and the gallery will be featuring many of my Cades Cove images.


I appreciate being asked to have my photography in these galleries and am excited to be a part of these new ventures.





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10 Points of View – August 4th thru 27th

Jeffrey Stoner
Fine Art Photography


Fred Martin invited nine of his friends to share their points of view in a photography exhibition at the Downtown Kingsport Association. Fred’s only requirements were the photography had to be of exhibition quality and be available for purchase.

Each photographer’s own unique view of the world can be seen in the multiple images they contributed. Images of Egyptian ruins, eagles on the lookout, grizzly bears at rest, Alaskan sunsets, North Carolina sunrises and sites along the Blue Ridge Parkway are on display. The photographers in the exhibition are:

B. J. Baker
Bruce Cole
Diana Johnson-Martin
Fred Martin
Angie Perry
Frank Renault
Myra Renault
Richard Siggins
Jeffrey Stoner
Cindy Williams

I invite you to see these 10 Points of View.

The Downtown Kingsport Association is located at 140 West Main Street in Kingsport TN and is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8AM – 5PM.



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The Definition of Excitement - Fireworks

Jeffrey Stoner
Fine Art Photography


When I was seven years old we moved from the city of Harrisburg PA to the country. Growing up in the country was a wonderful experience but there were a few things the city offered that couldn’t be replaced. Our church was less than 50 yards away from home, I walked two blocks to school, Saturday matinees at the theater were three blocks away, and on the 4th of July we only had to walk six blocks to Reservoir Hill to see the fireworks.

Late in the day on the 4th we would gather a blanket and drinks and walk to Reservoir Park. We would then try to find a spot as close to the top of the hill as we could and begin what seemed an endless wait for the sun to set.

As dusk approached my excitement built. Finally the moment arrived and the first rocket would be launched into the sky, followed by a burst of color and a thunderous explosion. I would be in awe as the sky filled with the colors of the rainbow and the sounds of the explosions. And then my excitement would build again as I waited for the multiple bursts and explosions of the finale. After the last explosion, and for just a little while, everyone would be still and there wouldn’t be a sound. As we gathered our blanket and headed for home in the warmth of the July night, I would savor the experience with each step we took.

I still love fireworks. I love that first rocket launching into the sky, the sound of the explosions, the amazing mix of colors and the oohs and ahhs from the crowd during the finale. I also love photographing fireworks and even had a solo photography show at Harrisburg PA’s City Government Center titled Fireworks sponsored by The Art Association of Harrisburg.

What I find especially fun about fireworks photography is the unknown. You never know how many rockets will be launched at one time, how high they will go, or what colors will be filling the sky. I shoot images of fireworks with my camera on a tripod and a remote shutter release in my hand so I can watch the fireworks and photograph them too! What I also find especially fun about fireworks is the known. You know you will have an exciting time.



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Grayson Highlands in Bloom

Jeffrey Stoner
Fine Art Photography

On June 9th I traveled to Grayson Highlands in southwest Virginia to experience the Catawba Rhododendron that bloom in early June. It was a beautiful clear day which was much different than the thick fog on my last visit at the end of May.

I parked in Grayson Highlands State Park’s Massie Gap parking lot and began the hike to Rhododendron Gap. There are several trails that lead to the Gap and today I took the Appalachian Trail, to Wilburn Branch Trail, and then connected back to the Appalachian Trail.

The Wilburn Branch Trail is one of my favorite trails in the park. It climbs across Wilburn Ridge at 5526 feet in elevation and has unobstructed views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

After climbing down Wilburn Ridge I reconnected to Appalachian Trail. This part of the trail has a fun feature called Fatman Squeeze Tunnel. The Squeeze is a short tunnel through the rock and makes for a cool spot on a hot day. It’s easy to squeeze through unless you have a large backpack.

I continued on the Appalachian Trail until it connected with Rhododendron Gap Trail which is marked by large rock formations. A short climb up these rocks gave me a view of a landscape that feels like it is from another place and time. There are hundreds of acres of rhododendron stretching to the horizon.

I climbed down from the rocks and hiked east along Rhododendron Gap Trail. The trail goes through rhododendron in open fields as well as through rhododendron tunnels.

The image to the right was taken after I climbed to the top of a small outcrop and looked back across the fields I just hiked through.

I headed back to the original rock formation. While taking images from the top of the rocks I noticed another photographer. He looked familiar and then I realized it was Sven, originally from Sweden, who I met last year while taking images of the rhododendron on Roan Mountain. Last year I suggested he go to Grayson Highlands in early June and was glad to see he made it.

We could see a huge thunderstorm heading our way so Sven and I walked/ran the 2.5 miles back to Massie Gap. When we reached a high spot along the trail I could see five simultaneous lightning strikes in the distance. The thought of holding a metal tripod in this thunderstorm kept me moving at a good clip. Sven and I made it safely back to Massie Gap where we parted company and I waited in my car for the storm to clear.

When the storm cleared it was close to sunset and I thought I would climb up the .4 mile trail to Big Pinnacle Rock (5.069 feet) to get a view of the Highlands. In this image you can see Wilburn Ridge on the upper left and the Appalachian Trail near the top center. As the sun was setting I hiked back to the car.

It was a great day for experiencing the incredible beauty of the mountain highlands.



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