This is one of my oldest photographs on this website. I took this photo well before I really started experimenting with unique compositions. Before I really started injecting my own style into my photographs. It is, quite simply, just a photo of Glen Falls. Nonetheless, it's a good photo. I've culled most of my older photographs, but I kept this one. Just by happenstance, I got the lighting quite right. It is soft enough to give the photo that "temperate rain forest" feel that embodies the Cashiers/Highlands area, but bright enough to highlight some of the bouncing water. Same with the exposure. Long enough blur some most of the water into a delicate filigree, but short enough to still capture the motion and power. While most aspects of this photo are less "intentional" than my most recent work, it still captures the personality of the waterfall quite well.

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This beautiful stretch of North Carolina's Chattooga River is located just north of the crossing at Bull Pen Road. Though wild and untouched, but this stretch of the river isn't all that remote. For that reason, this stretch of the river tends to be the most crowded. In fact, it is often the most crowded at dawn -- a time when you are most hoping for solitude. But it's not crowded in the way you might imagine, like loud hikers and people walking their dogs. It's crowded with fly fishermen. To me, that almost adds to the peacefulness. A friendly nod or wave is all you will get, and all that is wanted in return. Along with the unspoken agreement that things should stay unspoken. There may be a good number of people of there, but when each and every one of them is searching for solitude, the tranquility isn't affected.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 4405x4699). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

For some of my photographs, I record and post the entire Photoshop editing process from start to finish. This is one of those photos, and you can see watch the recording here: "Peaceful Dawn at Chattooga River" editing procedure on Youtube.

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I took this photograph in the Nantahala Forest, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. This land is one of the only temperate rain forests in the United States east of the Sierra Nevadas. Nantahala means "land of the noonday sun" in Cherokee, which references the fact that the forests and gorge walls are so tall that one doesn't see direct sunlight until the sun is directly overhead at noon. The Nantahala is also a river, although the river in this photograph is not the Nantahala. The river pictured here is the Chattooga River. Chattooga is also of Cherokee origin, purportedly, but there isn't consensus on its meaning. But despite the disputed origin, one cannot dispute how ancient it feels when walking along these riverbanks. These mountains and gorges and rivers are ancient even by geological standards. And the Chattooga has only undergone one direction change in its existence -- quite low for a river of its age. But the dense granite of these mountains is not easily moved!

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This area of North Carolina is often referred to as the land of waterfalls. Indeed, they are everywhere. And not just small "technicalities" either, but beautiful, unique, memorable waterfalls. Silver Run Falls is one such waterfall. It doesn't have an extraordinarily large volume of water flow, but it has an exquisite shape and setting. It's well loved not just by tourists, but also by locals going out for a picnic. Just downstream of this waterfall, the Silver Run creek joins up with the Whitewater River. As the Whitewater River continues to descend down the Highlands Plateau, it creates the much more famous (and bigger) Whitewater Falls. I actually took this photograph many years ago, but filed it away as not worthy of developing further. But mere coincidence brought it to my eye again, and this time I quite liked it. I love how the sun is just cresting above the riverbed atop the cliff, and how the sunlight is ever-so-slightly kissing the edge of the waterfall.

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I guess I'm using the word "dawn" a little loosely in the title of this photograph. As you can tell by the color of the light, and the angle of the rays, this photo was taken a few hours past meteorological sunrise. But it was taken very close to "topographical sunrise" (a term I think I just made up). What I mean is that the sun had just crested over the mountains and forest that surround the river. The Chattooga River is so narrow and so densely forested that there's quite some time between these two "dawns." It creates an interesting effect that is hard to photograph elsewhere. You get the shadows and rays of sunrise, but with a different type of light.

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This photo is taken on private property, in the headwaters of the Chattooga River, near Cashiers, North Carolina. The property owners refer to this small waterfall as Corkscrew Falls, though I have been informed that there is a more-well-known waterfall by the same name further down the river. That waterfall is apparently very popular among whitewater rafters and kayakers. This spot has no such boats traveling down the rapids. For one thing, it's private. Furthermore, it's also too shallow in places to raft for any significant stretch. But, this spot is said to have some of the best trout fishing in the area, hence the owners' desire to keep it private and healthy. For me, I was happy to just be fishing for photo

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This photo is of a stretch of the Chattooga River early in its life, in the Appalachian Mountains near Cashiers, North Carolina. The Chattooga River, one of only a few designated "Wild and Scenic Rivers", is dear to my heart. In fact, it's dear to the heart of anyone and everyone who spends time there. Indeed, there is something truly magical about it - an ability to suck you close and not let go. This small waterfall is known as Corkscrew Falls by the locals, and is on private land. I felt very blessed that granted me access to hike through this forest in solitude. The gentle meandering of the river - really more of a creek at this point - was medicine for the soul. The morning was perfect, and the untouched wilderness sublime.

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This is a photograph of Charlie Falls, a large waterfall on the Highlands Plateau of North Carolina, near Lake Glenville. It's a stunning waterfall, locating right in the middle of a large clearing. But what's great about it is the variety of compositions it offers. You can scramble down the stream to get the standard "upstream waterfall" composition. Or you can jump into the forest to make it look like a hidden gem. But perhaps one of its most unique features is the large mossy boulders at its base. Not only do they make for unique photograph compositions, they make for a unique viewing experience in person, too. And on top of that, they are great for other things, like picnics, boulder climbing, or just lounging around!

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This is a small but interesting waterfall, located along the Chattooga River near Cashiers, North Carolina. As far as I know, this waterfall doesn't have a name. Although, many of the waterfalls in this region have a consensus name among the locals... but sometimes, those names don't seem to make it onto the maps. This beautiful river is one of the nation's designated Wild and Scenic Rivers. One of only five in North Carolina, four of which are nestled in the Smoky Mountains. One of the reasons the river has managed to remain so wild is due to the incredibly few access points. This waterfall is right beneath the iron bridge on Bull Pen Road, one of only two crossings in North Carolina.

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This scene is from a part of North Carolina that I rarely visit. We had to leave the house for wedding preparations, so decided to do some exploring. This is a view of Santeetlah Gap, in the westernmost reaches of North Carolina, very near the Tennessee border. It actually felt quite a bit different than the Highlands Plateau, which is where I usually photograph. The mountains were higher, and the foliage less like a rain forest. And with the night came more fog - or at least the fog was easier to see. From high on the ridge near Snowbird Mountain Lodge, you could see all the peaks and valleys below, flooded with fog like like a dammed-up river. It was the perfect depiction of a true Smoky Mountain sunrise. Even though this type of scene might be relatively common in the part of the Smokies that is more western than my own, it was quite a sight for me.

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