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Follow my most recent adventures on Instagram…

📸 “A Luftee Goldrush” The morning light poured across the Smoky Mountains like liquid gold, transforming every ridge into something timeless. At Luftee Overlook near Cherokee, North Carolina, I watched as the warm sun peaked over the horizon , revealing soft layers of color and form — a quiet goldrush that lasted only moments. This image was captured during peak autumn color, when the low sun illuminated the valley in tones that felt almost tangible. This image aims to reflect the harmony between light and landscape — the kind that defines sunrise in the high country and reminds me why I chase the glow. . 10-24-25 . #greatsmokymountains #blueridgemountains #lufteeoverlook #cherokeenc #smokymountains #goldenhourlight #sunrisemagic #fineartlandscape #landscapephotography #naturephotography #outdoorphotographer #mountainlayers #goldenhourglow #ourplanetdaily #earthvisuals #discoverearth #visitnc #wncphotographer #momentsbystephanie #naturebrilliance #americanlandscape #artofvisuals #ncmountains #southernliving #explorenorthcarolina #ourstatemag #wncmagazine #blueridgemoments #blueridgeoutdoors #firstlight

Beacon in the Night 🌌 It was freezing cold and the hike up wasn’t easy, but the views made every step worth it. By pure coincidence, I crossed paths with a group of photographers from Jacksonville, FL, led by Jonathan Lee (@jwleemedia ) We ended up working together for a while, capturing the night sky from Clingmans Dome. Using a bit of light painting, I was able to make the dome glow like a beacon in the night — and I love how their silhouettes stand out against the stars. Moments like this remind me why I love photography so much — the adventure, the creativity, and the connections you never plan but always remember. . 10-23-25 . #momentsbystephanie #kuwohi #ClingmansDome #GreatSmokyMountains #NightPhotography #LightPainting #AstroPhotography #LandscapePhotography #SmokyMountains #PhotographersOfInstagram #BeaconInTheNight #StarryNight

Peek-a-boo Fall 🍂 Keep your eyes open…you don’t want to miss all the beautiful scenes right around the corner! This is a tough time of year for me. My heart longs for trips to the mountain and lots of time chasing the fall colors, but the day job requires much attention and limits my outings during the 4th quarter of the year. That means when I do get a chance to get out, I try to soak up every minute!!! A few days ago I made a quick stop by #basslake in #blowingrocknc . It was a gorgeous sunny day and the walking path had a steady stream of families out enjoying a stroll. Conditions weren’t excellent for photography, but I did find this one tree and the sunburst to be quite attractive. Hope you enjoy! . . (c) Stephanie Sheffield All Rights Reserved Sharing is encouraged ✨ . . #momentsbystephanie #blowingrock #fallvibes🍁 #explorenorthcarolina #peacefulplaces #ncweekend #ourstatemagazine #wncmagazine #bestoftheglobe_seasons #landscapelover #northcarolinatravel #visitnc #blueridgemoments #blueridgemountains #blueridgeparkwaync #mosesconemanor #chasingcolor #fall2025 #starburst #followyourdreams❤️ #chasingthesun #naturephotography #natureisbeautiful #ncoutdoor_inc #getoutandexplore #onlyinnorthcarolina #discover_carolinas

We’ve arrived at another #waterfallwednesday 😍 Somehow these Wednesdays seem to get closer and closer together….can somebody please find the pause button!!! Chasing waterfalls is one of my favorite adventures. There’s something refreshing about seeing and hearing the falls. It allows me to shut out the world and the worries on my mind and just take in the beauty that God has created. Here’s a throwback image from October 2022. This private waterfall near Brevard, NC waterfall is a real treat. It’s literally in someone’s backyard! How wonderful! I like to imagine that my home in heaven may have a waterfall nearby 💕 If you would like to have an opportunity to visit, be sure to join @waterfallkeepers as they have been able to arrange a couple scheduled visits for the group each year. A huge thanks to the owners for letting us experience this peaceful place once more! #momentsbystephanie #eastatoefalls #eastatoe #rosmannc #landofwaterfalls #pisgahnationalforest #pisgahforest #visitnc #ncmoments #ncweekend #ourstatemag #carolinacountry #viewsofthesouth #waterfallsofinstagram #waterfallsofnc #waterfallsfordays #waterfallkeepersofnc #chasingwaterfalls #bestofthetarheelstate #fallvibes🍁 #northcarolinaliving #feelslikefall #outdoorliving #southernliving #explorenc #leavenotrace #fallscene #discover_carolinas #waterfalllovers

Butterfly Blessings 👐 Simple joys of summer (c) Stephanie Sheffield All Rights Reserved Sharing is appreciated #momentsbystephanie #butterflyblessings #butterfly🦋 #butterfliesofinstagram #butterflies #northcarolinaphotographer #northcarolina #visitnc #blueridgemountains #blueridgeparkway #blueridgeparkwaync #summervibes☀️ #summerblessings #summerinthemountains #mountainlove #mountainmoments #ncweekend #onlyinnorthcarolina #takemetothemountains #themoutainsarecalling #getoutsidemore #explorenc #ourstatemag #blueridgemountains #blueridgemoments #swallowtailbutterfly

Fall is coming and I can’t wait!!! I still have many summer images to post but I couldn’t resist slipping in an autumn scene. We are almost a year past the wrath of Helene and still some of these treasured places are waiting to heal. I miss visiting some of my favorite peaceful places but I’m hopeful one day they will be open to the public again. Thankful for the memories until then. Here’s one from the archives for your #waterfallwednesday This image from downstream of Pearson Falls just feels special. I pray the storm didn’t alter the landscape too much. Have a blessed day! 😊 . . (c) Stephanie Sheffield All Rights Reserved Sharing is encouraged ✨ . . #momentsbystephanie #pearsonfalls #saludanc #waterfallsofnc #waterfallkeepersofnc #wncstrong #healingfromhelene #rebuildingwnc #peaceful #peacefulplaces #ncweekend #ourstatemagazine #wncmagazine #bestoftheglobe_water #longexposurephotography #landscapelover #chasingwaterfalls💦 #northcarolinatravel #visitnc #waterfalllovers #onlyinnorthcarolina #discover_carolinas

✨ Lightfall ✨ Captured at sunrise this past June while leading my #waterfallsandvistas workshop. Looking Glass Falls is usually bustling with visitors, but for a quiet moment we had it all to ourselves. The golden rays streamed through the forest, dancing along the path beside the rock and draping the scene in a radiant glow — a fleeting gift of light and water in perfect harmony. . . (c)Stephanie Sheffield All Rights Reserved Sharing is always encouraged 👍🏻 #MomentsByStephanie #waterfallsandvistas #OurState #ourstatemag #waterfallwednesday #LookingGlassFalls #PisgahNationalForest #NCnature #BlueRidgeMoments #BrevardNC #ExploreAsheville #AshevilleNC #NorthCarolinaWaterfalls #NCmountains #VisitBrevard #FineArtPhotography #FineArtCollector #PrintReady #ArtPublishing #FineArtLandscape #NaturePhotographer #CreativeNaturePhotography #ArtOfVisuals #VisualsOfLife #NatureEscapes

“Colors of the Summer” Happy Friday everyone….have a fabulous weekend and soak up whatever beautiful moments you are blessed with! 🥰 Fun memories from a summer evening at #draperwildlifemanagementarea this year. Those amazing pink clouds just after sunset were just the icing on the cake! And if you look really hard you can spot a small piece of rainbow still visible in the clouds. I was amazed at how long it lingered that evening. 7-7-25 (c) Stephanie Sheffield All Rights Reserved Share for others to enjoy 😊 #momentsbystephanie #colorsofsummer #sunflowerlove #sunflowerfield #pinkclouds #stormyskies #draperwildlifesunflowerfield #draperwildlife #upstatesc #upstatesouthcarolina #southcarolina #visitsc #sunflowers🌻 #discover_earth #naturebrilliance #discover_carolinas #carolinacountry #scliving #itsasouthernthing #sᴜᴍᴍᴇʀ2025 #summervibes #beautifuldestinations #goldenhourlight #goldenhourmagic #cloudscape #cloudscapephotography #earthvisuals #sunsetlovers #bestoftheglobe_nature