ometimes life moves faster than we expect. The recognition came in seasons past — summer for one, fall for the other — and somehow I’m only now sitting down to share it. Between work, travel, and life’s beautiful chaos, the months slipped by. But these milestones deserve to be celebrated.
This past summer, my astrophotography image taken atop Round Bald in the Roan Highlands was selected as a finalist in the Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine Cover Contest. Out of thousands of entries, seeing my work among the finalists was both surreal and deeply affirming.
The night that image was created is one I’ll never forget.
It was comfortably warm like that of a true Appalachian summer. The air was still, the grasses gently settling into darkness as the last color drained from the sky. No wind. No chill. Just quiet.
And then the fireflies began…
Synchronous fireflies pulsed through the foreground like a living constellation. Their rhythm felt almost impossible — flashes rising and falling together across the bald. Above them, the Milky Way stretched clean and bright over the ridgeline.
Technically, the image is a blend of two careful processes.
Twenty-four foreground exposures were stacked to preserve the glow and rhythm of the fireflies without overwhelming the scene. The Milky Way was captured separately and masked in to reflect what the eye truly experienced in that moment — the layered depth between earth and sky.
It wasn’t just a night of photographing stars.
It was a night of photographing wonder.
Then in the fall, I was honored again. This time, I received First Place in the “Scenes” category for the NC Wildlife Federation Photography Contest. That recognition feels especially meaningful. The landscapes I photograph aren’t just subjects; they’re places worth protecting.
To be acknowledged by an organization dedicated to conservation adds a deeper layer to the work.
These moments remind me why I hike in the dark, why I wait for the sky to align, and why I pay attention to fleeting light.
If you’ve followed my work for a while, you know how much the Roan Highlands and the North Carolina mountains mean to me. I’ll make this photograph available as a fine art print through my online shop once it’s fully ready for print. I want it to carry the same stillness and layered light that we experienced on Round Bald that evening.
Thank you for being part of this journey — whether you’re here for the stories, the technical side of photography, or simply the beauty of wild places.
Here’s to summer skies, fall honors, and the small flashes of light that make us stop and look up.
Annie Lazo
I am a landscape photographer who finds joy in capturing the natural beauty of this world. From the magical mountains of the East Coast to the majestic peaks of the American West, I seek to share these breathtaking vistas with as many people as possible. I also enjoy photographing waterfalls, wildlife, and plant life.
