Clingmans Dome is one of the most popular spots in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and for good reason: the view is spectacular. A good time to be there is before sunrise. The fog rolls over the mountains as the sun comes up creating an amazing scene. My first visit to Clingmans Dome was a good one as I walked away with over 150 shots to sift through later with a good number of keepers.
I have heard that the shots from the parking lot are just as good as what you can get from going up to the dome and since I arrived only 15 minutes before sunrise I didn’t have any time to spare. When I arrived the were at least 50 other photographers all lined up setting up their cameras and tripods so I joined the ranks among them. I usually work alone so it is sometimes nice to be among my peers and see how other work.
For sunrise shots there are a few items that can help out. First and foremost is a tripod since it will still be fairly dark and you will need to use longer shutter times. Also, split neutral density filters can help bring the sky and land together. Otherwise because of the extreme dynamic range of the shot you may need to use HDR. Another item that may be useful is a panoramic tripod head because of the wide open view. Much to my surprise, I ended up using a telephoto lens quit a bit. The image in this article was taken at about 250mm.
If you are planning on a visit to the smoky mountains, I highly recommend taking a drive to Clingmans Dome. The view is worth the drive regardless of the time of day.
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