This is Charlie Falls, a perfect example of an Appalachian waterfall from Western North Carolina. If you’ve explored my galleries, you’ve probably seen multiple photographs of this waterfall, all with their own distinct feel. That’s what I love so much about this waterfall. It can take on many different personalities depending on how you frame it, making it a perfect canvas for photography. From some angles, it looks like a diminutive waterfall shrouded in dense rhododendron forest. Conversely, from others it looks like a massive cascade off of towering cliffs. I like this angle because it reminds me of the ancient nature of the Appalachian Mountains. I know the features in this photograph, like the shattered mossy boulders and the waterfall itself, are probably very young geologically. These things change on relatively short timescales. But the row seat to the never-ending process of erosion makes me daydream of the eons and eons that these mountains have existed, and how different (or similar) they may have looked.

Purchase “Ancient Majesty – Rocky Appalachian Waterfall” Fine Art Print: