I am an avid outdoorsman and photographer. My love of
the outdoors was cultivated as a child in Scouting. It has carried over
into adulthood. I am in my element in the Boondocks. To me, there no greater
peace to be had than in the state of nature.I am an avid outdoorsman and photographer. My love of
the outdoors was cultivated as a child in Scouting. It has carried over
into adulthood. I am in my element in the Boondocks. To me, there no greater
peace to be had than in the state of nature.
Strangely, my waterfall journey began in the late 1980's in the desert
Southwest, where there is very little water. With a new 35 mm camera and
no knowledge of how to use it, I took
snapshots of Zion Nat'l Park. Some of those shots looked pretty good. I
decided to learn more about photography. Since that time, I have read dozens
of how-to books. I am still learning. My photographic heroes include: Tim
Fitzharris; David Muench; Tom Till; John Telford; John Shaw and the late
Galen Rowell.
My trips out west were made only once a year. I needed a subject closer
to home (west Georgia) so I started visiting waterfalls in north Georgia
that I had been to in Explorers. While in the mountains I would pick up
handouts with vague directions to other waterfalls. I decided to put my
land surveying skills to work and publish accurate directions to these beautiful
spots. I started buying topo maps and looking for other falls on them. As
I met park and forest rangers, and other waterfall enthusiasts, things really
started to roll. I now have a list of falls to visit that will keep me busy
for quite a while.
I published my first book in 1992. My next books hit the market in 1994
and late '95. My latest books were published in December of '99 and December
of 2010. These books have been the innovative standard for twenty years.
My photos are sold to private collectors, book publishers, and have graced magazines, postcards, books and bookmarks. I have had articles and features in Atlanta Magazine, BACKPACKER Magazine, Georgia Byways, Adventures in the Smokies, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (most recently July 10th, 2011) and the New Georgia Encyclopedia. In October 2001, I took Georgia Outdoors host Michael Skinner and his Georgia Public Television crew on a day-long, five waterfall odyssey.
I had the pleasure to work with author Tim Homan (of Peachtree Publishers), on his books entitled Hiking Trails of the Southern Nantahala Wilderness, Ellicott Rock Wilderness and Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River; and Hiking the Benton MacKaye Trail. My maps and photos are throughout the books. I also did the maps for Peachtree Publishers' author Mike Cosentino on his Atlanta Running Guide.
If you have a favorite fall that you would like to share, or want to enquire about falls that I've published, I'd like to hear from you.
May your feet stay forever dry,
Mark
P.S. Click on my Links Page, there are some
great waterfall websites.