Photograph info: This photograph was taken last Sunday during an unseasonably warm afternoon -- 65 degrees F! (It was 10 degrees F less than a week ago.) After the long holiday weekend it felt great to get outdoors and hike.

We only covered five or six miles on Sunday, but the Appalachian Trail is 2175 miles long and goes through 14 eastern states from Maine to Georgia. The Pennsylvania section is 229 miles. This photo was taken in Schuylkill County at an elevation of about 1500 feet.

Many people dream of hiking the entire trail at some point in their lives, and the internet is full of journals and stories of those who've attempted it. Interesting reading if you enjoy hiking, camping and the great outdoors ...

Camera settings and post-processing: Shot with the Canon EOS 5D and the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lens at 24mm, ISO 400, f/9, 1/125s. Curves adjustments, color balance.

Happy New Year to everyone, and Happy Birthday to Jenn!

Thank you for visiting Durham Township!

--Kathleen

Note: I was very surprised to learn tonight that this photoblog won the 2008 Photoblog of the Year award. I'm not sure how the decision was made, and I can think of 50 other photoblogs that I'd like to give the award to, but thank you to everyone involved! I really appreciate your support.

composition is mindblow...

The colours are nice and vibrant and I love the colours of the trees in the foreground- great photo. Happy New Year to you and Happy Birthday Jenn. Lets hope that you keep on providing more excellent photos well into the year and beyond.

You very much deserve the 2008 photoblog of the year award! Thank you for taking the time to share your work with all of us.

My congratulations, Kathleen! You've been doing great job.
I hope Jenn decided not to jump - and lived to see the New Year :)

May Your works take us through the year 2009...

wow .. a lovely photo of a beautiful landscape,sharpness that I like. Well done

A wonderful image with great composition. Well done on your award Kathleen - well deserved :)

Great image! I love the red/green contrast of colors here, plus it's all somehow symbolic to the new year - looking at the horizon, hopping for a new, better year.
Congrats on your win! Great photoblog :)

Wonderfully dramatic scene. A very Happy New Year Kathleen and Congratulations on the photoblog. And wishing Jen a Happy Birthday.

I have been following your photoblog for a year, Kathleen, and have enjoyed every image you have posted. This shot is emblamatic of your work, just wonderful composition that pulls the viewer into your world. Congrats on the well deserved award!!
Best~Fred.

This is a perfect composition. Gorgeous views. Wonderful!

Thanks for your inspirational photography!

I am not at all surprised at the award. It is well deserved!

Happy New Year!

Great composition. Nice view.

This morning here looks like that morning there, except that my beautiful model isn't so well-poised on a precipice, but still dozing under warm blankets! Happy New Year to "Kathleen and Company," and Happy Birthday Jenn, who always poses so well yet appears not always to be the same "Jenn." (?) Maybe the lighting, makeup, lens, and/or mood, but I would be completely excepting if you told me there were actually two or three young ladies whom rotate as "Jenn" in the on-going Docu-Drama-Saga-Blog(-a) that is your ever-so-deservingly-awarded gift to thirsty eyes everywhere. Anyway, whichever "Jenn" happened to clock in that day made a terrific "Appalachian Trailer" and enough cannot be said about the compositional expertise you've employed, although I'm tempted to suspect that (in Photoshop) you clicked on "transform" and selected "distort" in order to tow "Trailer Jenn," (Jenn A, Jenn B or Jenn C?) into that position, but that can remain a small secret known only to you and the Jenn Girls....or The Jennettes.....sort of like The Rockettes, just never seen on the same stage at the same time!)(Don't know if The Jenettes all dance, but we know at least one of them can jump, one can run and one can pitch hay!)

So thank you for '08! Cheer's to '90 and looking forward to looking forward in good company!

Kathleen: Your work is an inspiratin to we who value nature's amazing presence. I look forward to each of your offerings, and have yet to be disappointed. I particularly appreciate the exposure-data you provide with each new posting. Thank you for sharing your creative talent with we who value such effort; and may we continue to experience your inspiring work throughout the coming new year.

Another excellent portrait combined with a landscape. Was this shot at or near "The Pinnacle" by chance? I hike that section of the AT in Schuylkill County from time to time. That combined with a trip to Cabella's makes for the perfect day.

Not surprised at all that you won Photoblog of the Year. Not one bit. I would have been surprised had you NOT won it. Happy New Year, Kathleen.

Great pose, great colours (she really stands out!) and of course a wonderful landscape and sky.

Many congratulations on the award; I visit a lot of photoblogs but you've somehow passed me by — I will definitely be adding you to my bookmarks ;-)

Congrats with winning the award! I like the colours of this photo very much, as well as Jenn her pose! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and a birthday thought for Jenn....

Your feet on the rock firmly planted Your gaze, to me, rather canted.
Above you, gray clouds, they rally
Yet sunshine, it brightens the valley.
Your future is like an unfinished book
Determined by where you focus your look.

Congrats on the 2008 Awards!

Is that Bake Oven Knob? I spent most of my teen years and some of my twenties up there watching hawks each fall. Thanks for the reminder that its time to go back.

Congratulation Kathleen on the 2008 Photoblog of the year! Gorgeous view and a great composition.

I think this is awesome. The clouds have so much texture. It's like looking at an upside down relief map. I live in north Texas so it's hard for me to find any vantage points like this.

amazing composition kathleen. liked the toning that has been done to the sky.

Congratulations on the award!!
This is a wonderful image! I love the composition!

how was the weather that day? It looks like it was going to rain.

great shot, nice framing and beautiful landscape here ...

You deserve your prize... I love your sky :)

when you shoot scenes around that area I recognize them. It makes me feel like I just ran into my first love at the post office. You know you never can forget the first one.

Congratulations, it is well deserved! Great framing on this photo, by the way.

Thanks for the congrats and the good wishes, everyone!

Russ Devan and Bill Rowe: This is not the Pinnacle nor the Bake Oven Knob, but the Kimmel Overlook.

cohnsey: Strangely warm with gusty winds and occasional showers, clearing & colder late in the day.

Fantastic--I'm so glad you received this award! Happy New Year!

Love the colours, love the composition, love the girl ;-))

nice view! must be something in the spring!

Very creative composition.
Superbly done. Your shot gives a nice idea of the majesty of that place.

...And you totally deserve that "Photoblog of the Year" ;-)

Standing on solid ground, already marked by others, she is the master of all she surveys. Spread at her feet, like the compartments of the mind in varying degrees of development, all dependent on the timeliness of what the vehicles of life shall provide. The excitement and enchantment of living is never quite knowing but enthusiastically embracing all that you draw to you with your positive thoughts and energies.

I think picture paint with all color, cloudy sky,forest, farm and ...
Really great, I love it

I really like this one, so lively for me.
As an your old visitor (years) I will be vote for you, hope that it is still possible.
Have a happy year!

Congrats on the award, but more on the shot - is it HDR? I've always wanted to have a go at the trail - ever since reading Bill Bryson's book on it... one day, maybe one day!

LwS: Not HDR, just curves & color balancing. I'm not a big fan of HDR so I wouldn't attempt it.

Great composition. Defying look. :)