Photojourney
Final thoughts...
This wraps up the adventure in Tanzania. Our last four days in Zanzibar will be featured sometime later because it's been a long journey already, and it's time to begin looking ahead once again.
As you know, the Tanzania trip had been booked since 2019, and you can probably tell that it was well worth the wait for us. Doug and I both really enjoyed the experience, and have already talked about perhaps returning there in the future. We also hope to visit three more African countries...Kenya, Rwanda, and Namibia.
This trip stretched me a bit physically with the long, full days. There's just not much "down time" when you're always on alert, camera in hand, trying to figure out the best angle and vantage point of each shot opportunity, in order to come home with the best possible work. Don't get me wrong. I am certainly not complaining...I LOVED IT!
I have begin loading images from the trip to the website at
marcysphotography.com if you'd like to take a closer look at any of them. Also, we are offering a 20% discount on custom orders on any of our Tanzania photographs and would be thrilled to have the opportunity to work with you to create something special for your home or office. That special pricing will be in effect through August 7th.
Thank you so much for joining us as we traveled to Tanzania. It's a land rich in resources, beautiful scenery, and amazing animals. However, it was actually the people there that touched our heart the most. We met so many wonderful friends who warmly welcomed us and let us know constantly how happy they were that we were there. We can't think you enough for your prayers, encouraging comments, and positive feedback on our work.
What's next for Photo Journey? We will be enjoying a short family trip to Colorado in August, and have another exciting adventure on the horizon for September...this time to Iceland! More to come soon!
Thank you so much for sharing! Love the photography and the adventure and the story telling!
Thank you guys for sharing your adventures and beautiful photos!
Tonight we bring you a video out-take of what it is like to "camp" in Tarangire National Park in Tanzania. We had a Maasai tent warrior standing guard at night to protect us from the wild animals!
Good news, bad news on our 2023 calendars! We received one copy of each version for final inspection and approval, and they both look great. However, it looks like our bulk order will not be delivered and ready for distribution until the middle of next month.
If you did not get your order in, it's not too late. The 12 X 18 wall calendars sell for $30 each and will be fully stocked in both galleries in September.
Wonderful… I let it get away… I would love the Cades Cove one please!
As we left Serengeti National Park, the reality that our group only had one more day together set in, and we all knew this dream adventure was coming to a rapid end. Our last day would be a great one, though. We were now headed to Ngorongoro Conservation Area, an environment unlike anything that we had experienced thus far.
The Ngorongoro Crater in Northern Tanzania, once a gigantic volcano, is the largest intact caldera in the world. Some maintain that before it erupted, it would have been higher than Mt Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa.
Today, long since having collapsed and eroded, it is an extensive highland area with the famous 600 meter deep Ngorongoro Crater as its focal point. Nearly three million years old, the ancient caldera shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens on earth.
Today's images were all taken while on the way down or on the actual floor of the crater. The environment there was kind of ethereal, mysterious, and mystical...all at the same time.
This trip has been amazing! So awesome for you! Thank you for sharing!
Amazing pictures of this part of the African continent, thanks for sharing this adventure!
Thank you for sharing!!! You have had a great time I enjoy all your pictures.
These are great!
Awesome pictures!
Something about this picture, the movement, the colors, the lines, simplicity and stunning
I know I am wearing everyone out with so many posts and pictures! As I continue to plod through over 13,000 images from the Tanzania trip, I keep finding things that I want to share. Hope it's not too overwhelming, but I'm going to move a little faster and try not overload you. Today's offering is landscapes and cats from the Serengeti.
(For commentary of individual images, click and view full screen.)
We love all of your pictures. You are not overwhelming us. Glad that you are having such a great time! 🙂
Not overwhelming at all, so grateful that your willing to share your adventures and talents! Love all of the pictures and look forward to every time you share!!
Oh please, wear us out. Your photos are awesome and a place we will never go!
Loved all of them!
Love all the pictures, thank you for sharing!! ❤️
Keep em coming. Love every single one❣
These are nuts!!!
Love all the pictures!
I am enjoying them!
Balloon Day!
Our longest and most tiring day of travel was behind us, and we dragged our tired bodies to the dining tent to meet our group for dinner and learn about the next day's agenda.
First announcement came through loud and clear...all of those participating in the hot air balloon experience were to meet with the balloon people immediately after dinner. Oh no, our sunrise balloon ride is tomorrow? Surely there's some mistake here because my body is saying that it needs every second of sleep tonight.
Sure enough, the earliest morning would begin at 5:30 the next day, which meant we would have to get up no later than 4:30 to get everything together, signal for our escort to walk us in the dark to the parking lot, and hopefully grab a cup of coffee at the dining tent. Oh well, I was so tired that I would sleep soundly no matter what, right? Wrong! I didn't count on the fact that the first night of our tent experience in the Serengeti would be full of eerie animal noises that sounded like they were right outside our tent.
Regardless, we made it on time to the vehicle, cameras in hand, for the anticipated sunrise balloon ride. Upon our arrival to the site, we were offered hot coffee and juice with some tasty breakfast cookies. When we landed, it was a champagne/juice toast all around, and then we were taken to a beautiful spot under a wide reaching shade tree to enjoy a full breakfast spread with table cloths, china, cloth napkins, and two long tables filled with delectable options, including made to order omelets. Better than we could have imagined...
We took a ballon ride over Sedona - one of the most amazing experiences! I’m sure that was totally cool being able to see the wildlife from above!
What a day! And of course an afternoon photo adventure was yet to come.
Marcy you captured the moment perfectly👍
I’m sure this was a welcome surprise!!
Finally...THE SERENGETI!
On our fifth day into the Tanzania adventure, we finally arrived in Serengeti National Park. We had certainly earned our right to be there by literally gritting our teeth and holding on for dear life as we traveled over the roughest roads imaginable. During some of the toughest times when you had yell to be heard in the vehicle because of the loud road noise, one of our passengers remarked that he couldn't wait to brag on social media about how much fun we were having. It struck us all as hilariously funny because we had been experiencing nothing but misery for about two hours. However, we all knew that the destination would be worth it all, and indeed it was!
Once we arrived in the park, we still had a ways to go to get to our camp, but Makinda, our patient guide and driver, knew we needed to stop and take it all in, so he spotted several wildlife sightings on our way in, giving us an opportunity to take a few pictures and soak in our first impressions of this magical place. These are the images I'm posting this morning. Although we were to see hundreds of wonderful scenes like this in the ensuing three days, these remain among my favorite because it was golden hour, and somehow, after what we had endured to just get here, everything we saw looked amazing. 🙂
Click on individual pictures for accompanying commentary. ALL SHARES APPRECIATED!
We spent seven days in Kruger National Park so I know the beauty you are seeing! Pictures just don’t do it justice.
Wow! That's awesome!!!
Amazing photos!
Beautifully awesome
So amazing!
Wonderful, Marcy.
From Doug - Marcy has done a great job preparing, processing and posting images of our most recent Photo Journey, while my main focus is to prepare frames for the “keepers” that we select for our galleries. While I have some time in the early morning, I figured that I would provide some color commentary on our recent trip to complement what Marcy is showcasing.
After eight grueling days of safari, we were able to enjoy some downtime in Zanzibar before we started on the 44-hour return trip to Knoxville. Zanzibar is an archipelago located in the Indian Ocean just a few miles from Tanzania’s eastern shore, and it was once a separate state governed by a sultan. It has its own long and colorful history but it united with what was then known as Tanganyika in the early 1960s to form the United Republic of Tanzania - a portmanteau of the two place names.
We didn’t need a separate visa or immigration process and it was just a short local plane hop from Arusha to Stonetown, Zanzibar’s biggest city.
Waiting in the hotel lobby for our airport ride on the last day, we enjoyed watching what must have been a Maasai VIP welcome, because no one else got this treatment on arrival (We got hibiscus juice and a hot towel). Enjoy the video and watch to the end for the good part. More like this to come soon, and do check out Marcy's Maasai post from yesterday.
I love that last person! What an experience from start to finish. Just WOW!🥰
Wow! Amazing!
Absolutely amazing Love!
Love love love
Beautiful
Love this.
Beautiful🥰🥰🥰
Love your pics. What type is camera do you use?
The Maasai Tribe...
The Maasai tribal people have a significant presence in northern Tanzania, although there are many more in the Maasai Mara region of Kenya. We encountered a very rough journey as we traveled from Lake Manyara to the Serengeti. Roads were awful and unbelievably dusty, and the landscape was rugged and dramatic.
Throughout the region, Maasai boys and young men could be seen along the way tending to their herds. We were told that this is their role in the family and that they begin as young as five years old, proving their manhood within the tribe. They only eat once a day and are out from very early until late. We had a couple of sessions around campfires later in the trip where we learned about this culture and were able to ask questions in an effort to understand their life, so different than our own. Gender roles follow very specific lines, and men usually have several wives.
I took pictures from the vehicle as we traveled and am posting a few of them below. If you'd like to read further about the Maasai people, here's a link to the Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maasai_people
Watch for Doug's blog coming soon!
Amazing!
Makes one really think…….
After leaving Tarangire, we made our way to Lake Manyara National Park, which was entirely different than any other place we saw. It is a relatively small park, comparatively, with a completely different terrain. Instead of savannah, it was primarily dense jungle, and there was just one road in and out.
Although there are many different animals living in the park, you will only see what is along the road because of the dense jungle. The majority of the park is actually Lake Manyara, an alkaline lake that is very shallow, but expansive. It is known for a great variety of birds, but we didn't see many while we were there. We did see lots of blue monkeys, olive baboons, and hippos.
There was also a dead leopard in a tree alongside the road that our guide told us likely was killed by baboons. Baboons team up and attack as large groups, leaving their prey fairly defenseless as they bite and claw mercilessly.
Love that you share your adventures. The thought of baboons terrifies me. So happy you're home with all these wonderful memories. 🤗
Thank you for all the pictures! Love seeing them!
Stunning photos🥰Thank you for letting us tag along on your journey. Its amazing!!!
These are great have really enjoyed your trip!
Amazing!
Your photos are gorgeous
Amazing!
We arrived home very late last night after 44 hours trying to get here. It was so good to walk in our door and be home, although we were greeted with a very hot house due to our air conditioner being out. The temperature in our bedroom was 93 degrees, but we put a fan in the window, turned on the ceiling fan, and managed to get a fairly good night's sleep due to being so tired from travel and somewhat used to no air conditioning because some of the places we stayed were without it.
It was truly the trip of a lifetime, and what I would consider a life-changing experience. Visiting a third world country is not something to take lightly, and it can have a profound emotional component because of the things you see and experience along the way. I think the other factor is being out "on the land" of a country from sun up to sun down over many days adds another dimension to travel. There are some wild places on this earth that God has given us that can't be told about through words or even pictures. It has to be experienced. That's the way I feel about Tanzania.
The lack of internet there made it impossible for me to share as regularly as I would have liked, but I have so many photos and stories and experiences that I'll be continuing to post about this trip for a while yet. Doug is also planning to add several blog entries to this page, so watch for his take on things during the next few weeks.
The images I'm posting today were from our last day in Tarangire National Park, before leaving for Lake Manyara. We got in on a little bit of the great migration of the wildebeest on our last afternoon there. It was sad to leave this location because there was always something to see and photograph there, and we loved our special luxury yurt accommodations!
We loved living through your adventure. Thank you for sharing!
Love it! Glad your safely back!
Glad to have you home but loving your pics!! What a wonderful experience!! ♥️
I am loving your photos and hearing about your trip!
Beautiful photos!
Stunning pictures and scenery!
What an education we are getting from your experiences, thank you!
Love all the pictures ❣️
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Nice
What an experience it must have been. Pictures are just stunning.
Amazing !
Incredible!
Wow! Amazing!!
Absolutely love your pictures
Safari in Tarangire National Park, Day Two
As an English major in college and headed to the elementary school classroom, I had to take a class in Children's Literature. I remember studying a Caldecott Award winning book for young children, written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak, entitled "Where the Wild Things Are." Indeed, all these years later, I'm so thrilled to have spent several days where the wild things are!
More of the same, but different. Day two was so memorable for me because I finally saw my first leopard and was able to get a decent shot of him, even though it was almost dark and he was a long ways back. You've probably already seen the first version because I made it my cover shot a couple of days ago, and Doug shared it a day later. Today's version is a little further back to give more context, and it's processed a little differently. I have more leopards (mom and baby) that I will get to soon!
As you enjoy the safari photos, please remember that any of these are available for your home in either matted print, canvas, or metal format and can be ordered framed or unframed. If you are interested, please send me a message for pricing and options details. We ship to anywhere in the US and would love to create a custom piece for your home!
Amazing photo’s!! ❤️
Just stunning!
Beautiful!
Absolutely stunning
Amazing pics
Amazing!
Thanks for sharing your amazing photos...
Amazing!!
Beautiful ❤️
(Doug) - I ALWAYS seem to be the one picked out of the audience for some sort of humiliation - whether it be to attempt the highland fling or to sing opera or just whatever. Here I am chosen (because the youngest one waits on older people) to perform the “coffee ceremony”, where I offer a basin of water to guests to wash hands, ask for brew preferences, then, using traditional tools, I roast, grind and brew coffee. Finally, I serve a variety of sweets. Hey, with a hit of cardamom, it turned out to be super coffee! (I had Marcy rotate the phone part way through, to get full-screen video - An edited, full YouTube version will follow later.)
Absolutely awesome
It's because of your servant heart, Doug. I'm pretty sure I'm right. 🤗
Good job Doug!
This is a red colobus monkey that we encountered yesterday in Zanzibar on a visit to the Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park. They were totally oblivious to our presence (I was about two feet away from this guy - Doug)
Wow! That's awesome!
Kind of looks like me I. The morning 😆
How cool!
Amazing!!
Imagine the roughest, dustiest road you've ever traveled on, multiply it by 10, and you'll have some idea of the safari road conditions in Tanzania! You have to hang on and just let it happen as you scour the landscape for animal sightings, while desperately trying to hold on to and protect your camera gear. We thought the roads were bad when we explored Tarangire National Park, but they actually got much worse as we crossed a vast region of Maasai tribal land and headed to Serengeti.
Treetops Lodge was the first place we stayed while exploring Tarangire, and it was our favorite. We had a luxurious yurt about 15 feet off the ground that was located right out in the savannah, and animals and birds could be seen and heard all around us. It wasn't unusual to wake up and hear a zebra right outside your yurt. The landscape photos were taken from our deck that was around the front side. They give you a good idea of what the surroundings were like. We had to have escorts walk us to and from the dining tent at night for security.
The whole experience at this location was fantastic! (Although I would have enjoyed a chance to actually spend more time in these crazy good accommodations, we were out from early until late each day hunting for animals.)
Amazing photos, Marcy! You and Doug will have such amazing stories to tell.
Like everyone else, I'm amazed and enjoying traveling with you. What an adventure this is!!!❤️
Amazing! Fabulous photos of a wonderful and memorable trip! You’re so blessed.
What a wonderful experience for you both! Stunning photos!!
I knew I should have gone with you...LOL. These are all FANTASTIC!!!
Oh wow!! These are stunning, but man! What an adventure! My boys are so jealous. We’re just going to live through your pictures.😂
They are amazing!! Thank you for sharing❤️
Thanks for sharing your photo journey . It is amazing and I wish I were there. The photos are beautiful!!
Thank you for sharing these amazing photos!
These are spectacular! I love hearing about your adventures.
Gorgeous photos! Thanks for taking us on your journey.
All I can say is WOW! I want to be there!!!
Stunning photos guys!
Wonderful pictures! Thank you for sharing and telling. Mind if I ask what agency you went thru?
Wow…these are amazing!!
Wow!!
We will live thru your journey. I would go back in a heartbeat 🤗
Love the picture. Awesome trip enjoy
Amazing!!!❤️❤️
This so so awesome. Have a hard time believing you could come up with such a perfect image considering how dark it was and so far away👏👏
Absolutely gorgeous!!!
What a beauty!!
A dream shot and you got it!!!
Absolutely stunning!
Wow that is amazing! Love it.
That shot! What lens?
Beautiful creature.
That shot is why you go!
Bring him home for me please! 😍
Oh! My! Stars!
Wow
Just WOW!
Along the road...
These images show you our first real look at Tanzania. Photos taken from the vehicle on our first Sunday (7-10-22) as we began the journey from Arusha toward the Serengeti. People were either on their way to church, enjoying the Sunday local markets, or tending to the herds.
A very different culture for sure.
Thanks for sharing. Definitely a different pace of life from ours.
Wow. Really makes you think. Great photographs.
Adventure of a lifetime!
Thanks for sharing.
What was the prominent religion?
Maasai…are you in the Mara?
Just curious, what’s the temperature there?
Fabulous
Wonderful set!
Love all the colors. 😀
Wow, we’ve been in Tanzania a little over a week now, and the whole experience has been phenomenal! I’ve made numerous attempts to post a daily commentary with pictures and spent hours trying to work through very spotty internet. We are now through the more remote part of this adventure and I’m really hoping that from here on out, I’ll be able to catch you up with regular posts. Until I have a stretch of time to work on it, though, here are a few cell phone shots from some of the places we’ve been so far.
We are all living vicariously through you on this trip! Can’t wait to see the professional photos and hear all of the stories!
Of all the adventures you have posted, this one is by far my favorite. Please keep the photos and journals coming. Thank you!
Wow…what great pictures!
Looks amazing!!!
So beautiful!
I can't wait to see pictures from this trip
What a wondertrip!
Our last morning on the Serengeti gives us this view at breakfast.
Wish I was there. Oh wait, I was. 😄
Great picture ❤️
Beautiful!
Hope it’s been awesome
Another wow!!!
Beautiful!
Happening right now! Hot air balloon ride over the Serengeti!!
Now, THAT is a true adventure!
That is on Phillip and my bucket list! A hot air balloon ride, that is!
It was awesome too!
I'm certain Nancy would not let me do another hot air balloon ride. Happy you got the chance.
Incredible! 😀
Wow! How many people came say that!!
Wow! That's awesome!
How exciting 🙏
Hey looking good up there
Marcia, you look a little pensive.
How cool!
On my bucket list
Enjoy!
Wow 😮
Awesome.
Awesome!!!
Wow! Amazing!
After 2 days of airports and plane rides, we finally arrived in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania late last night. We actually begin the safari journey tomorrow, so we’re resting up today. Doug and I hope to arrange a private tour (not included in the safari package) to Mount Kilimanjaro this evening for sunset to take a few photos there, if the weather cooperates. We love our accommodations here at the African Tulip. Doug said he almost expects Katherine Hepburn to appear around every corner…
Have a great time you two, looking forward to your pictures!
Glad you guys made it safe.....now have fun!
What wonderful adventures you two are able to take! Look forward to seeing some of your pics! Be safe!
Wow, what an amazing experience!!! Enjoy!
Cannot wait for pictures!!!
So happy for you both… looking forward to some beautiful photos❤️
Always amazed at your travels !
Can’t wait to see pics of your journey.
How exciting!
I can't wait to see those pictures!
Wooo hooo bucket list!
Can't wait to see the pictures
Can’t wait to see your pictures
Can’t wait to see y’all’s adventure
Leaving in a little while to make our way to eastern Africa and begin our adventure in Tanzania! We'll be checking in often with pictures from this long-awaited journey.
Prayers are appreciated for safety, extra stamina, and energy over the next couple of weeks. Invite your friends and family to follow along with us by joining this page.
Praying for a safe and adventure-filled trip!! Looking forward to pictures!
Yes, praying for strength and covering for this journey.
Praying that God's Angels will be with you to keep you safe from all perils!
Prayers for a wonderful safe trip🙏🏻🙏🏻 Thank you for all the beautiful pictures that you and Doug share from your adventures, we always enjoy them❤️
Have a great trip.
Can't wait to see what spectacular photos you will take there!
Y'all have a great trip n be safe.
Feeling a great sense of satisfaction this morning to have the 2023 calendars completed, so that I can turn my thoughts toward Africa! (If you ordered a calendar, they will be available in late July for pick up.)
Doug and I have been blessed to have the opportunity to travel quite a bit over the past five years, and we've truly enjoyed every adventure. People often ask us what trip we consider our favorite. Oddly enough, we're in complete agreement on the answer to that question. AFRICA!! It's been three years since we both fell in love with that destination. Before we even came home in 2019, we determined to return in 2020 and booked a Kenya/Tanzania tour. When it was canceled because of Covid, we rescheduled it for 2021. Didn't happen, postponed once again until this summer. The original tour isn't offered now, being replaced with options of either Tanzania or Kenya, but not both countries together.
Based on feedback from others who have visited both countries, we've chosen to put Tanzania first, but hopes remain to also see Kenya in the future. We're now counting the days, departing next Thursday, July 7th, and returning on July 23rd
I'm trying not to dwell on the more than 17 hours on the plane and the chaos of overcrowded airports and possibility of canceled flights. My thoughts are instead centered on the excitement of the experience, which I know will be exhausting, but wonderful. We've had our typhoid and hepatitis immunizations and have already begun our regimen of malaria medication. But your prayers for safety, health, and stamina are both coveted and appreciated!
Today’s photos are from the 2019 trip when we visited South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Eswatini. While we totally loved the safari experiences, it was also the people, landscapes, and sunsets that made the trip so memorable.
There are places on the itinerary that are supposed to have adequate internet, and I intend to post frequently to give you a glimpse of our journey. If you have a friend who would enjoy following along, please encourage them to follow this page...the more, the merrier!
So beautiful! Have a safe and wonderful trip! We’ll miss you but happy for you!
Wishing you safe travels and a fantastic adventure! Looking forward to your updates.
I am so glad for you. My friend who is with I believe it’s called redeem ministries lives in Zimbabwe she and her husband are working on training pastors there. I wish that you were able to meet them they are great people they love the Lord and they are doing such a great job with their ministry there. mailchi.mp/6b5da59d6805/god-is-making-incredible-moves-in-doma-zimbabwe
Wow. Have a beautiful and safe journey!
Excited for you & looking forward to your posts while there!!
Wishing you guys a safe and exciting adventure on this trip! I had let time slip away…. I forgot to order my calendar… hopefully you might have a extra as I have had a lot going on! Be safe guys!
That was certainly an amazing trip. And, we met you and Doug! I always enjoy your fabulous photo. Enjoy your upcoming trip!
Looks amazing!
Preorder your 2023 calendar by this Thursday, June 30th, to receive a coupon for 25% OFF any wall art piece in our gallery! Two options:
Cades Cove 2023 (sample images below) and
Inspiration 2023: Mount Up With Wings (sample photos
featured tomorrow).
Calendars are 12 X 18, printed on special pearlized paper, and contain twelve 9 X 12 fine art photos suitable for framing. We ship to anywhere in the US, if you'd like to give a calendar as a gift. (Your gift can be held and shipped close to Christmas for your convenience.)
It may be a good time to show some of your friends and family living elsewhere a little bit of the spectacular beauty that is East Tennessee! 🙂
Calendars are $30, and shipping is $10 per calendar. You will receive your discount coupon along with your calendar when they come in at the end of July. (Tax will be collected for Tennessee residents, but if you are mailing a calendar out of state, there is no applicable tax.)
Please leave a comment below or contact me by private message to get your name added to the preorder list.
You can believe me when I say that this is our BEST CALENDAR EVER! If you love Cades Cove, it's a no brainer...
Loading now and then heading south for the Grit & Grace Market huge summer sales event! We’re bringing several new art pieces to be included in our 20% OFF ALL WALL ART promotion in effect today through the end of June.
In addition to the 100 plus shoppes inside the mill, we have an additional 100 set up outside. Lots of food trucks, great sales, and welcoming smiles guarantee a wonderful day.
Come by and see us and pick up one of our new Photo Journey stickers to help get the word out about our small business!
Beautiful picture. Love it. U do great work on your prints
Is your promotion good on the website?
The countdown is on! Only one week remains to preorder your 2023 calendar and receive a 25% off coupon good for wall art in our galleries or for a custom order. The coupon doesn't expire until December 31st, so it'll come in handy during the Christmas shopping season.
Calendars are 12 X 18 and feature a frameable, 9 X 12 fine art photograph each month of the year. Two versions available: Inspiration 2023: Mount Up With Wings (bird photography with inspiring scripture verses) or Cades Cove 2023 (all photos taken in the Cove).
I am taking orders through June 30th and plan to place my order for the calendars the first week of July. Priced at $30 each, plus tax. We're glad to mail the calendars for $10 (our cost), and they make great gifts.
Gotta have this calendar - I messaged you
There's a good reason behind changing our cover photo to elephants. ONLY TWO WEEKS NOW UNTIL WE LEAVE FOR TANZANIA!! More to come...
Love this picture ❤️
Doug and I decided to take a last minute three day road trip to enjoy some photography opportunities in our home state, in addition to neighboring states of North Carolina and Virginia. We covered over 700 miles, and many of those were on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Posting just of few of the images we took on our little adventure.
Many of these are already on the website at marcysphotography.com. They're also available through our customer order option at 20% off normal pricing.
We're tired, but hope to do more of these local jaunts during the next several months.
Those are great!!
Your photos are absolutely amazing!!!
I LOVE all of these!
I love it!!
Amazing!!!
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
The Grit & Grace Summer Market is coming up soon! We hope your calendar is marked for Saturday, June 25 between 10am and 4pm! We will have tons of amazing vendors, including lots of yummy foods!
We are located at 445 Church St SE in Cleveland, TN. Our vendor list is completely full for this market, so please do not respond to scammers who will tell you otherwise. If you are interested in participating in the Grit & Grace Fall Market, the application is currently available on our website, gritandgracemarket.com.
Two more weeks left to place your order for 2023 calendars! Choose "Inspiration 2023: Mount Up With Wings" or "Cades Cove 2023," or one of each. 🙂 Our top quality, 12 X 18 wall calendars leave you with 12 standard size, frameable images (9 X 12) at the end of the year.
Wonderful gifts and a nice touch to hang in your kitchen. Taking orders through June 30th...$30 each. Once order list is complete, I will be accepting payment through check, Venmo, and PayPal. For now, just interested in figuring out how many need to be ordered, so please let me know!
Two more weeks left to place your order for 2023 calendars! Choose "Inspiration 2023: Mount Up With Wings" or "Cades Cove 2023," or one of each. 🙂 Our top quality, 12 X 18 wall calendars leave you with 12 standard size, frameable images (9 X 12) at the end of the year.
Wonderful gifts and a nice touch to hang in your kitchen. Taking orders through June 30th...$30 each. Once order list is complete, I will be accepting payment through check, Venmo, and PayPal. For now, just interested in figuring out how many need to be ordered, so please let me know!
Cades Cove for me
Doug and I were talking about the current economy and its effect on Photo Journey a couple of days ago. I suggested that he could fire me and reduce our work force by half, but he indicated that he might rather be the one let go. 🙂
At any rate, we are trying to be cautious about expenditures and hoping and believing that things will pick up soon. So we're going to have to do our calendar project a little differently this year. Last year we ordered 200 calendars and were left with 40 on hand, and although that reduced our profit by quite a bit, we were glad to have the opportunity to donate those to an assisted living center nearby.
However, this year we're taking orders and collecting payment before we order so that we can better assess how many we actually will sell. In order to move along on schedule and have the calendars in the shops by September, I'm NOW TAKING ORDERS through the end of June. Unfortunately, it's necessary to increase our price on the 12 X 18 wall calendars to $30, and if you need to have your calendar(s) shipped, add $10.00 per calendar. (The last two years, we've lost money on our shipping.) As much as we hate to have an increase, it's most important that we maintain the high quality of our product.
Once again, we're planning on two versions: "Inspiration 2023: Mount Up With Wings", featuring bird photography with a scripture verse to go along with each image, and "Cades Cove 2023," a compilation of wildlife and landscape photos from the Cove. (Yes, there'll be plenty of bears!)
Please leave a comment below or send me a private message if you would like to place an order. I will wait until after the June 30th deadline to collect money to see if we get enough interest to order.
If you've never ordered one of our calendars, I can promise you that the quality is excellent! We use a special, pearlized finish paper and we have several customers each year who frame many of the monthly images. I'm posting the covers and a few examples of monthly photos , so you can enjoy a sneak peek of what's to come!
I at least want 1 and will let you know for sure! I love them!!!
Will you have your desk calendars this year?
WHAT'S NEXT?
Happy to report that all is well now that we've had a couple of days to rest and taken some much needed time to get things put away and back in order. 🙂
I've also started working on the 2023 calendars and hope to have them finished soon! Once again, we'll be offering two versions:
"Inspiration 2023: Flying High" and "Cades Cove 2023."
Flying High features stunning bird photography, and each month includes a scripture verse along with the picture. All of the photographs from Cades Cove will be landscapes and wildlife, and we're quite sure all of you Cove fans will love it!
Unfortunately, we're going to have to increase the price of our calendars this year from $27.50 to $30.00. Even at the new price, they're a great value! Quantities will depend largely on our preorders due to the current economic crisis. We simply cannot afford to order large numbers of calendars that we may not be able to sell. Hopefully, we'll still have enough custom orders to allow us to order through the quantity discount offered by our supplier.
If you're interested in placing an order, we are requesting that you pay for your calendar along with the order. Payment can be made through Venmo, PayPal, or check.
Doug and I will be going this afternoon to get our immunizations for the Tanzania adventure, now only four weeks away. We've had this trip cancelled twice already due to Covid, but it looks like it may actually happen this year.
If you have friends who may be interested in traveling along with us, invite them to follow this page!
#theshoppesatgritandgrace #gritandgracemarket #landscapephotography #wildlifephotography #fineartphotography #knoxville #knoxvillephotographer #paintedtreeboutiques #SupportSmallBusiness #supportlocal #lenoircity #clevelandtn #chattanooga
Oh Tanzania - how exciting!! I was just wondering where you were off to next.
If you've ever been involved in a huge event like the Lenoir City Arts and Crafts Festival, you likely know how I feel this morning. Kind of like the eagle in the first picture below...a little shell shocked and haggard! It is a REALLY BIG JOB to set it all up, man the booth for two very full days, and then take it all down.
Doug and I had wondered how the current economy would affect our sales this past weekend. If people have to choose between purchasing art or food and gas, it's a no brainer. Necessities have to come first.
Although we had a good weekend with 48 total sales (from cards to canvases), we didn't even come close to last year's profit numbers. Naturally, you always want to do better than the year before, but most vendors that we spoke with were in the same boat we were. Times are hard for small businesses right now.
That's where the second picture comes in. The osprey is hanging on through the storm! When we photographed her last year on Prince Edward Island, the winds were high, clouds were dark, and she was frantically trying to hang on to the little branch at the top of the tree. That's where Marcy's Photo Journey is right now. We're determined to hang on through the storm!
Thank you so much to the many (and there were a lot) who stopped by to encourage us and admire our work. It is always a boost to our spirits to see familiar faces at events, and this particular weekend was full of affirmation and encouragement. That goes a long ways.
Also, welcome to the new followers of Photo Journey that we now have as a result of the festival. We're happy to have you on board!
We just finished a brand new line of Father's Day cards that will make their debut at the Lenoir City Arts and Crafts Festival this weekend! Also available in both galleries this coming week...only $2.50 each.
Will these be available at Grit&Grace?
Beautiful ❤️
Love this!
It's been a fast paced week of preparation, but we're on schedule to set up tomorrow at the 59th Annual Lenoir City Arts and Crafts Festival along Fort Loudon lake. Updates from the sponsors have informed us that there are more vendors this year than ever before, and the weather forecast is fantastic. It promises to be a great two days!
Doug and I are really hoping to see many of you there! The fun goes from 9:00-5:00 on Saturday and 10:00-4:00 on Sunday.
Come by and get one of our brand new Photo Journey stickers and help us advertise our small business. 🙂
Awesome‼️ Hope I can make it there! Would love to meet you guys!
BIG PHOTO JOURNEY EVENT...JUNE 4TH and 5TH
Well, we've been back from the UK a week now, and, as hard as it is to believe, one of our BIGGEST EVENTS of the year is just around the corner. It's time for the Lenoir City Arts and Crafts Festival!
Although it's a lot of work, we love to be part of this exciting event to kick off summer each year. Now in its 59th year, the festival is one of the premier arts and crafts fairs of the southeast, consistently drawing thousands of visitors to our area.
Sponsored by the GFWC Suburbia Woman’s Club Lenoir City, you can rest assured this is a first class event. There'll be plenty of good food and top notch vendors in a gorgeous lakeside setting, and the weather is supposed to be PERFECT!
We'll have a great variety of prints, canvases, and metals in addition to notecards and greeting cards. The best part for us, however, is that we have some of our granddaughters helping us out once again.
We would love to see many of our friends and relatives this weekend and extend to you a special invitation to join us. It all happens at Lenoir City Park, THIS WEEKEND-JUNE 4TH and 5TH, and hours are 9:00-5:00 on Saturday and 10:00-4:00 on Sunday.
(These pictures are from last year when we did have to contend with a little rain on our second day.)
#knoxville #lenoircity #artsandcrafts #clevelandtn #gritandgracemarket #theshoppesatgritandgrace #fineartphotography #travelphotography #wildlifephotography #landscapephotography #homedecor #SupportSmallBusiness #localbusiness
It was a pleasure meeting you guys today
Six years ago, Doug and I were in Italy at the American cemetery where over 4,000 of our own, who gave their lives in World War II. are buried. Then, a year later, we were in France and privileged to go to the Normandy beaches. My dad was part of the invasion of Omaha Beach. We stood on that very beach. It was an unforgettable experience for me, and I felt so thankful to have the opportunity to be there.
In observance of Memorial Day, we have sales going on at both of our galleries today, with up to 50% off on some items. Painted Tree Boutiques is open until 8:00, and The Shoppes at Grit & Grace Market closes at 6:00.
"When I was seventeen, it was a very good year.
It was a very good year for small town girls
And soft summer nights."
These words came to the forefront of my thoughts over and over during our recent tour of England. You see, when I was seventeen, I was blessed to be chosen to be part of a group of 25 students who left our small town of Taylor, Michigan and traveled to the United Kingdom where we participated in "The American Festival in Great Britain." We performed a play (six times, I believe) in some of the small villages in the Lake District of England. We also visited London and Stratford-Upon-Avon, but by far my favorite memories center around the picturesque Lake District.
It was a wonderful experience for someone who had never done any traveling, and I was shocked my parents agreed to let me go so far away. Truly a sacrifice for them to give me adequate spending money for the three week journey, even though our group had worked and earned the vast majority of our funding.
As we boarded the plane for my first plane ride, I was anxious and nervous to be leaving home for such a long time, and flying over the Atlantic was something I tried not to think too much about because I knew if I dwelt on that, I might just back out!
I remember being incredibly homesick, flowers everywhere, beautiful scenery, welcoming Britons with charming accents, and feeling a newfound sense of independence. Never could I have dreamed that I would ever return 53 years later.
My favorite day of our trip this go around was the day we rode through the countryside to the Lake District. So many memories flooded my mind, and we actually drove through and visited some of the small villages that we had seen during the high school adventure. I purposely put off going through most of these images until I neared the end of my processing tasks for this trip. Guess I was saving the best for last, at least in my mind.
I do enjoy seeing great cities and try to take advantage of every opportunity to do so, but give me scenic landscapes, and I'm where I love being most. If you're not a landscape person, today's post is likely landscape overload, but I appreciate your indulgence for joining me as I literally traveled down memory lane...
(All of these landscapes are now discounted by 20% through our custom order option. Contact me and let me know what size you have in mind, and I'll be happy to offer suggestions for your space, with no obligation to buy. WE LOVE CUSTOM ORDERS!)
So beautiful!
Amazing!!!!
See much more photography on my website at marcysphotography.com. New work is added regularly!
Something a little different today...
All of the images today were taken in Lacock, a tiny village in England, that was established in 1232. We visited this picturesque, charming spot for dinner one evening, and I loved the quaintness and welcoming ambiance that we found there.
I find this type of photography fun, but very challenging. The task becomes capturing small glimpses of a location that will convey to the viewer a se