Neal J Smith Photography

Neal J Smith Photography Biologist-Adventurer-Photographer
Driven to explore the natural world and share hidden beauty.

Elemental TranquilityAn early morning hike into the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe brings a deep sense of peace and tr...
05/31/2026

Elemental Tranquility

An early morning hike into the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe brings a deep sense of peace and tranquility. A sudden snowstorm rolls through the Sierra Nevada mountains and the elements of nature envelope my senses. Incoming whiteout conditions fade the towering mountains into ethereal shapes. The typical vibrant blues and greens of the alpine basin are replaced by gentle strokes of ink on a blank canvas.

The Transformation of Whale Rock Above the surface, the iconic Whale Rock sits still, weathered by the alpine sun and fr...
05/28/2026

The Transformation of Whale Rock

Above the surface, the iconic Whale Rock sits still, weathered by the alpine sun and frozen in time. Below the glassy surface, the gentle giant wakes up. The water acts like a living lens, projecting shimmering light patterns across its submerged belly as it breaches the surface. A massive pectoral fin of granite lifts the giant out of the crystal-clear water, and I observe the magical transformation as I float between two worlds.

Lake Tahoe’s MosaicSwipe through these mind-altering perspectives to reveal the original photograph. While snorkeling on...
05/26/2026

Lake Tahoe’s Mosaic

Swipe through these mind-altering perspectives to reveal the original photograph. While snorkeling on the western shores of Lake Tahoe, a mosaic of cobblestones caught my attention. Everyone knows Lake Tahoe for its iconic blue hues, but on this particular morning, I was fascinated by the rich oranges, deep grays, and shadows of the cobblestone shoreline beneath the surface. By mirroring and fracturing the organic lines of the stones, I created a series of kaleidoscopes to transform a seemingly chaotic pattern into intricate order. Which one is your favorite?

Beneath Lake TahoeSunshine shimmers across an array of granite boulders in Lake Tahoe. Beneath the surface, a liquid mir...
05/17/2026

Beneath Lake Tahoe

Sunshine shimmers across an array of granite boulders in Lake Tahoe. Beneath the surface, a liquid mirror reflects the boulders on the sandy lakebed as they extend into a deep blue expanse. Immersed in such pristine beauty, the chatter of the world is transmuted into gentle splashes and the rhythmic sound of my breath through a snorkel.

Fall FormsFall arrived with a beautiful array of forms and colors. The husk of a walnut splits and surrenders to the tra...
11/07/2025

Fall Forms

Fall arrived with a beautiful array of forms and colors. The husk of a walnut splits and surrenders to the transformation of autumn. A fallen leaf lays coiled on the forest floor like a serpent ready to strike. An impressionism style photograph of a tree with a dazzling composition of blurred colors. The fruiting bodies or sporophytes of moss catch early morning sunshine to reveal lush hues of red.

Dorid Dining The barnacle-eating dorid was one of the most common nudibranchs I found in the tidepools of Maine. This on...
10/01/2025

Dorid Dining

The barnacle-eating dorid was one of the most common nudibranchs I found in the tidepools of Maine. This one is caught in the act of mowing over two delicious barnacles!

Honored by LightA hallowed grave is illuminated at the African American Cemetery at Magnolia Plantation in South Carolin...
06/13/2025

Honored by Light

A hallowed grave is illuminated at the African American Cemetery at Magnolia Plantation in South Carolina. A break in the clouds brought ethereal light onto the scene.

Framing GhostsA view from inside the remnants of the slave quarters at Magnolia Plantation. The dark and damp living qua...
06/11/2025

Framing Ghosts

A view from inside the remnants of the slave quarters at Magnolia Plantation. The dark and damp living quarters were a stark contrast to the vibrant gardens that now exist at the historic plantation. Have these gardens transformed the plantation’s dark history, or do ghosts still haunt the property?

Face of TormentOver 200 enslaved Africans once toiled in the rice fields at the Magnolia Plantation in South Carolina. G...
06/10/2025

Face of Torment

Over 200 enslaved Africans once toiled in the rice fields at the Magnolia Plantation in South Carolina. Growing rice required ten times the labor needed for other crops and incurred high mortality rates. Signs of their suffering are still present in the woods and swamps surrounding the cemeteries on the property. This gnarled tree branch stands as evidence to the historical injustice of humanity.

Flowering TearA beautiful flower at Magnolia Plantation in South Carolina appears to shed a single tear after a morning ...
06/06/2025

Flowering Tear

A beautiful flower at Magnolia Plantation in South Carolina appears to shed a single tear after a morning rain. The ornate gardens that now exist at the plantation are a dramatic change to the historical rice fields once worked by enslaved Africans. The plantation may have been transformed into gardens, but mother earth has not forgotten the forced hardship that once existed here.

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