Casts and Colors
Fall in North Carolina is something special. The air shifts first, cooling just enough to make a cup of coffee taste a little sweeter in the morning. Then the trees start to whisper their secret — leaves turning from green to amber, crimson, and gold until the whole landscape feels like it’s wrapped in a patchwork quilt. It’s the kind of season that makes you want to linger a little longer outdoors, just to take it all in.
Casts and Colors was born out of one of those crisp mornings. A fisherman drifted quietly across a lake brushed with autumn’s brightest shades. His line stretched across the water, a single thread connecting him to the stillness of the day. Behind him, the shoreline blazed with maples and oaks, their reflection doubling the colors in the water. It felt less like a photograph and more like a memory you’d tuck into your pocket to keep warm.
There’s a rhythm to fall here in North Carolina. Mornings start with fog hanging low over the water, afternoons carry that golden sun filtering through the branches, and evenings invite you to pull on a sweater and listen to the crickets one last time before winter takes over. Being out on the water in that moment, camera in hand, I couldn’t help but feel how perfectly it captured the season’s character — quiet, steady, beautiful in its own humble way.
I’ve always thought fishing in the fall has a kind of poetry to it. The cast arcs through crisp air, the line settles into water rippling with color, and patience takes on a softer meaning. There’s no rush, no noise — just a chance to match your breath to the pace of nature. It reminds me of Southern porches, rocking chairs, and conversations that meander like creeks. It’s not about catching anything; it’s about being there.
This photograph is my way of bottling that feeling. The fiery colors of the trees, the cool calm of the lake, and the lone fisherman all come together to tell a story that anyone who’s lived through a Carolina autumn knows by heart. It’s a story of slowing down, of letting the season wrap around you like a favorite quilt, and of finding beauty in the simplest of scenes.
I hope Casts and Colors brings that same warmth into your space. Whether you hang it in a living room, an office, or a quiet nook, may it remind you of crisp mornings, golden afternoons, and the comfort of knowing that every season brings its own kind of magic — and here in North Carolina, fall is one of the best shows around.
Available as prints here:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/4377844523/casts-colors
Whispering Yak
