It seems that the photo bug got started in my family with my great-grandfather, Charles Rudolph Luder. He opened a photography studio in Washington Indiana in 1907, when photography was still a fairly new technology, and he passed his love of capturing images down to his son, Carl, and so to my mother and to me. My first camera was a hand-me-down Nikon N8008 that originally belonged to my Grandpa Carl. Ever since I got that camera I’ve been playing with photography and trying to capture unique and engaging images. I don’t take a highly technical approach to shooting. The most important part of taking pictures for me is to plan a remarkable experience and then to take a photographic approach that does not get in the way. I love to capture people in their element, when they’re not distracted by a lens or posing for posterity. And so a lot of my images feature people walking away from me. I guess I’m just shy when it comes down to it.
This past year I’ve taken a lot of pictures and I’ve been on a lot of good adventures. Here is a selection of my favorite images from the year. Please take a look, and let me know what you think!
(all photos by Chris Gallaway, except where noted)
A January hike near Shining Rock Wilderness with my friends Anne and James.
Back to Shining Rock in February where I ran into some rabbit hunters.
Last of the fall garden produce: carrot tracks.
My friend Tim got married in February. He had a Big Lebowski themed bachelor party.
(photo cred: “Donny”)
Hiking the Appalachian Trail through the Smoky’s with my brother in April.
Trail-side encouragement for a hard day of hiking.
(photo: Muffin Man, A.T. thru-hiker)
Me & Ben, finishing it up on Mount Leconte. (photo: Casey Baker)
Two days after leaving the Smoky’s I joined my hard-core friends from Black Mountain for a 60-mile bike race. These are my tired eyes.
In May I went up to Grayson Highlands, Virginia for some R&R.
Summer swimming in NC.
Back to the Smoky’s in July to meet Russell and finish the northern section of the A.T. through the park.
Ben came back and hiked with us.
The Chimneys. (photo: Larissa Gore)
Russell continuing North.
In October I went out to North Carolina’s Outer Banks for the first time to attend the World Championships of Surf Kayaking. The contest was co-hosted by my friend Spencer Cooke (pictured).
At the peak of fall color I went into Pisgah National Forest with the Outdoor Sports Marketing crew to document their dealer invitational. If you work in outdoor retail and you don’t know these guys, something is amiss.
More fall hikes with friends.
And, of course, my favorite way to scare myself every November: the Green Race. (photo: Larissa Gore)
As the weather cooled, I found more time to get out on the river than I had in previous months. This shot is from my best day out all year: running Linville at high water with Kirk Eddlemon. (photo: Larissa Gore)
Boat-hiking in the Balsams.
Spencer and Philip doing scary stuff. I’ll stay behind the lens, thank you.
Christmas with the family.
Back to Grayson Highlands. Sunshine and I visited with friends for New Year’s.
2 seconds before the year ended… Here’s looking forward to great things in 2012!
Comments
Great photos! Looks like a killer year man.
Chris! You lead such an adventurous life! Everything in 2011 looked so beautiful!
Dear Chris,
Very nice pictures, and quite a year of active outdoor life. I like especially the following: The streak of light on the grassy ridge between deep shadows in foreground and background (a fine sense of light that), three dead trees (a fine sense of space and the respect for life/death), the beam of sunlight in the forest (which you also used on one of your Christmas packages: looks like a good spot for an outdoor revelation), you and Sunshine at ease, and the sparkler extravaganza for New Year’s eve (a nice sense and celebration of the ephemeral nature of human life in time). I’m also glad to hear that you have so far decided to leave the downhill skate boarding to someone else. At least crashing on the river is not dry asphalt.
Thanks for sharing these, and nice work. I can see your eye developing as you continue to shoot.
Chris- thank you for sharing your photos with us- some are breathtaking and others perfectly capture a moment. Thank you for sharing yourself with us too!
Thanks, everyone. All the feedback is very encouraging and much-appreciated!