Walk in the Woods

Spider's Web
Spider’s Web, Medoc Mountain State Park, North Carolina | Canon 5D Mark II and 50mm f/1.2L | Exposed 1/200 sec. @ f/1.2, ISO 400

This weekend we went exploring a bit.  Rain pushed our plans back a bit but we arose early Sunday morning and headed out towards Medoc Mountain State Park, about ninety minutes northeast of the Triangle.  Once a volcanic mountain, the “peak” is now 325 feet above sea level and is entirely forested.  All the same, it was a gorgeous, cool (if humid), overcast, and surprisingly minimally-buggy morning hiking in the woods.

Shelves of Mushrooms
Shelves of Mushrooms, Medoc Mountain State Park, North Carolina | Canon 5D Mark II and 50mm f/1.2L | Exposed 1/100 sec. @ f/1.2 ISO 400

As with a lot of hiking in the East, I find myself looking down at my feet a lot.  This has the benefit of avoiding (most) roots and errant rocks, but it also gives me the opportunity to see things that others might easily miss.  The small details are often just as interesting as the whole.

Moss and rotting log
Moss and rotting log, Medoc Mountain State Park, North Carolina | Canon 5D Mark II and 50mm f/1.2L | Exposed 1/50 sec. @ f/1.2, ISO 100

While I packed several lenses for the trip, I found myself hiking the majority of the time with my new 50mm f/1.2L.  Some of that is the “new, shiny” effect of a new lens, but it’s also that I’m trying to work within the limitations of a fixed focal length: using the “human zoom” of getting closer or backing away from my subject, and thinking a bit outside of the box.

Tiger Swallowtail
Tiger Swallowtail, Medoc Mountain State Park, North Carolina | Canon 5D Mark II and 100mm f/2.8 Macro | Exposed 1/250 sec. @ f/4, ISO 400

When we returned to the trail we found a cluster of Tiger Swallowtails sitting on the ground.  I did not expect them to stay put while I ran to the car to grab my macro lens, but sure enough one let me approach!  It was a good day for walking in the woods.

3 thoughts

  1. What beautiful photos and what a great eye for our small natural wonders! I work for the tourism office in Halifax County, NC, proud to be the home of Medoc Mountain State Park. Medoc is blessed with approximately 4,000 acres of such beauty, both large and small, that can be seen on the many hiking trails, the fields for picnicking, the camping sites, the bridle trails and along Little Fishing Creek. I look forward to seeing more photos of other areas and hope you will return to do more photography here in Halifax County.

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