Smoky Mountains Photo Fest

07/29/2026

If you're in the NYC area, join Photo Fest co-director Chris Nicholson at the B&H Event Space today at 3:30 p.m., for his talk "The Magic of Photographing in Moonlight." Free to attend! https://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/eventDetails.jsp/id/5189

06/25/2026

If you're in or near New York City on July 29, come see Smoky Mountains Photo Fest co-director CHRIS NICHOLSON at the brand new B&H Event Space! He'll discuss "The Magic of Photographing Moonlight." Free to attend.

The Magic of Photographing in Moonlight | Sponsored by Smoky Mountains Photo Fest

06/05/2026

For those of you into night photography, here's a great article from Dark Sky International about the night skies of the Appalachian region!

To gaze upon the night sky is to touch a memory older than time itself—a memory carried not in books but in bone. For thousands of years, the stars have guided…

04/30/2026

Are you particularly proud of a photo you created in the North Carolina mountains? Enter it in the Images of Western North Carolina Photo Contest, sponsored by WNC Magazine. Entries are due today. Let us know how you do!

WNC magazine’s 4th annual Images of WNC Photo Contest is open to professional and amateur photographers. From outdoor splendor to quaint small towns and intriguing locals—entries can include any subject that captu

04/27/2026

If you're in the area, this is definitely worth checking out. “A Life Reimagined: The George Masa Story,” a new documentary premiering on April 29 at the Fine Arts Theatre in downtown Asheville. Masa, as you may know, was a photographer whose images helped inspire the creation of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

(For those not in the area, the film will be available to stream via PBS starting May 1.)

George Masa was a Japanese photographer whose pictures helped establish the Appalachian Trail and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Despite his historical impact, little is known about Masa in his private life. In "A Life Reimagined: The George Masa Story," filmmaker Paul Bonesteel attempts to un...

04/04/2026

One week left to get the best price on attending! $125 off the full price ticket through April 10. Come join us in the Carolina Mountains this fall for the return of Smoky Mountains Photo Fest. smokymountainsphotofest.com

03/23/2026

It's a very happy Monday. Tickets are NOW ON SALE! What's more, you can take advantage of our Early-Early Bird deal. Register by April 10 and receive $125 off the full ticket price. So don't delay—sign up today! https://smokymountainsphotofest.com/tickets

03/15/2026

Hey, all! Thank you for following. We have made lots of updates to the website, so if you haven't visited in a while, go check it out! We've added the schedule, program descriptions, speaker bios, lodging options, info on the photo contest and more. It's all coming together, and tickets will be available very soon.

We took a long break after the 2019 conference (y’all know what happened the following year), and now we’re ready to go to the mountains again.

02/20/2026

Our 2026 speakers! Tim Grey, Jennifer King, Colleen Miniuk and Tony Sweet, to be joined on stage by conference organizers Kevin Adams and Chris Nicholson.