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jacobmartellaphotography.com
Jacob Martella Photography
@jacobmartellaphotography.com
53 followers 10 following 220 posts
Taking Photos That Come With a Story
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jacobmartellaphotography.com
Steep cliff, blue sky, broken clouds. Natural Tunnel State Park. Sometimes simple compositions are the best. Just rock, sky, trees. No need to overcomplicate it.

#naturaltunnel #landscapephotography
January 23, 2026 at 5:01 PM
jacobmartellaphotography.com
Waiting for fireworks on the Fourth of July in Texas. Kid spinning a light-up toy to pass the time. Sometimes the moments between the main event are more interesting than the main event itself.

#photography
January 22, 2026 at 5:01 PM
jacobmartellaphotography.com
Water tanks like this were essential infrastructure for steam railroads. Locomotives need to refill their water supply regularly. This one at Cumbres & Toltec is still operational, still serving the same purpose it did 140 years ago.

#cumbrestoltec #railroadphotography
January 21, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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On top of the Smokies. 🌲⛰️

The view from Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome) never gets old. Standing at the highest point in the park, looking out over those endless hazy blue layers, you really understand why this place is so special.

#Kuwohi #GreatSmokyMountains
A scenic landscape view from the summit of Kuwohi (formerly Clingmans Dome), framed by two tall evergreen trees in the immediate foreground. Beyond the trees, layers of rolling mountain ridges stretch to the horizon, displaying a mix of autumn colors and dark green evergreens. The distant mountains fade into signature hazy blue layers under a clear, bright blue sky.
January 20, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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Fire and ice in the Smokies. ❄️🔥

Caught this incredible moment above Gatlinburg where the sunset hit the fresh dusting of snow just right. The contrast between that golden glow and the moody blue shadows is unreal.

#Gatlinburg #GreatSmokyMountains #GoldenHour
A scenic telephoto shot captures a mountain ridge above Gatlinburg, Tennessee, bathed in brilliant golden sunset light. The upper slopes are covered in trees that glow with warm orange hues, highlighting a light dusting of frost or snow on the branches. Below the ridge, the forest remains in deep blue shadow, creating a strong contrast. The sky above is dramatic, filled with soft, billowy clouds illuminated in shades of yellow, purple, and blue.
January 19, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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The water flume at Cades Cove Mill. Diverts water from Mill Creek, channels it down to the mill wheel for power. Simple engineering, but effective. Been doing the same job since 1868 (with restoration help from the WPA).

#cadescove #smokymountains #greatsmokeymountains
January 18, 2026 at 5:01 PM
jacobmartellaphotography.com
Desert rain always leaves behind the best colors. 🌧️🌵

Caught this reflection in the parking lot just as the sun was dipping behind the mountains. There's something really cinematic about motel nights in Tucson.

#Tucson #Sunset #RoadTrip #Photography
A twilight shot of a motel parking lot in Tucson after a rainstorm. Two dark SUVs are parked in front of a long, single-story building with lit exterior lamps. Large puddles on the asphalt reflect the vibrant sky and the motel lights. In the background, a dark mountain silhouette sits beneath a dramatic sky filled with purple, blue, and fiery orange sunset clouds.
January 17, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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Views for days (literally). 🏔️

Looking out from Pikes Peak all the way to the Collegiate Peaks on the horizon. It’s wild how you can see layers of the Sawatch Range and beyond from one spot. The depth in this view is just magic.

#PikesPeak #Colorado #NaturePhotography
A telephoto landscape view taken from the summit of Pikes Peak, looking west across layers of dark blue foothills and valleys. In the distance, the snow-capped Collegiate Peaks range spans the horizon, appearing as a jagged, light blue silhouette against the sky. A heavy layer of dark, dramatic clouds hangs above the mountains, contrasting with the strips of blue sky and sunlight below.
January 16, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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Best shots don't always come from famous locations. This is sunset from a hotel parking lot in Tucson after a long day of driving. Food truck, palm tree, A Mountain in the background, spectacular colors. Sometimes beauty shows up in parking lots.

#arizonaphotography #sunsetphotography
January 15, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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Cumbres & Toltec train crossing the Los Pinos River in Colorado. This is why narrow gauge railroads were built in the mountains - they can handle tighter curves and steeper grades. Beautiful engineering in a beautiful location.

#railroadphotography
January 14, 2026 at 5:01 PM
jacobmartellaphotography.com
Red rocks, green trees, and the bluest sky you’ve ever seen.

Garden of the Gods always puts on a show, especially with those clouds lining up perfectly.

#GardenOfTheGods #Colorado #RedRocks #NaturePhotography
A scenic landscape view captures the massive red rock formations of the Garden of the Gods rising above a foreground of dark green juniper and pine trees. To the left, a large, smooth red cliff face dominates the frame, while jagged, vertical rock spires stand in the distance against a deep blue sky. A diagonal band of small, puffy white clouds stretches across the sky above the peaks.
January 13, 2026 at 5:04 PM
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Cumbres Pass: 10,015 feet above sea level. Highest railroad pass in North America. Even in July, there's snow up here. Thin air. Amazing views. Standing at 10,000 feet changes how you photograph everything.

#coloradophotography #newmexicophotography #railroadphotography
January 12, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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This grist mill in Cades Cove was built in 1868. Fell into disrepair, then restored by the WPA during the Great Depression. Park Service still maintains it today. Water-powered and still operational. Living history.

#cadescove #greatsmokeymountains
January 11, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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The Schnebly Hill Formation around Sedona is unique - this specific color of red sandstone only exists here. Nowhere else. Stopped for lunch with this view. If it looks this good at noon, imagine sunset. Need to go back.

 #redrocks #arizonaphotography #landscapephotography
A wide panoramic landscape features a rugged mountain range of red and orange rock formations rising above a green, tree-covered valley. The sky is expansive and blue, filled with large, dramatic white and gray clouds that hang over the peaks. Sunlight hits the mountain faces, creating a strong contrast between the bright rock and the shadows in the crevices.
January 10, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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Pikes Peak - "America's Mountain" at 14,115 feet. You can drive to the summit on a paved road that gains over 7,000 feet of elevation. The views are incredible, but man, those hairpin turns will get your attention.

#pikespeak #coloradophotography #mountainphotography
January 9, 2026 at 5:01 PM
jacobmartellaphotography.com
Chasing the light at the end of the tunnel. 🚂✨

There is something so peaceful about old rail lines covered in fall leaves. It feels like the entrance to a secret world.

#RailroadPhotography #FallColors #Nature #ScenicRoute
A scenic eye-level shot looking down a curved railroad track leading into a rough, dark, rock-hewn tunnel. The ground and railroad ties are covered in fallen brown leaves, while the surrounding trees display a mix of green and yellow autumn foliage. Wooden fences line the approach to the tunnel on both sides, and a white "RAILROAD CROSSING" crossbuck sign stands to the right. Through the tunnel, daylight and green trees are visible at the far end.
January 8, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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Ending the first week of 2026 with this peaceful scene from Cades Cove in the Smokies. Large field, mountains in the distance, perfect fall day. No cell signal here. Just nature and quiet. Sometimes that's exactly what you need.

#cadescove #greatsmokeymountains #peacefulplaces
January 7, 2026 at 5:01 PM
jacobmartellaphotography.com
This is a Galloping Goose - Rio Grande Southern's solution to losing money on passenger trains. They mounted a bus body on a truck frame, put it on rail wheels, and hauled mail/passengers at 1/3 the cost of a train. Desperate times, creative solutions.

#coloradophotography #railroadphotography
January 6, 2026 at 5:01 PM
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Standing at 6,644 feet, Kuwohi is the highest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Cherokee name meaning "mulberry place." Worth the drive up for views like this. The fall colors were absolutely perfect. Ever hiked to the top?

#greatsmokeymountains #kuwohi #smokymountains
January 5, 2026 at 5:02 PM
jacobmartellaphotography.com
Love catching trains at historic stations like this one in Flagstaff. The station's been here since 1926, serving passengers and freight ever since. Almost 100 years of trains rolling through. Still an active station today!

#photography #railroadphotography #arizonaphotography
January 4, 2026 at 5:01 PM
jacobmartellaphotography.com
Steam locomotive No. 489 on the Cumbres & Toltec Railroad, still running after all these years. Built in 1925, still hauling passengers through the Rockies. That's 100 years of service. There's something special about photographing working history.

#photography #railroadphotography
January 3, 2026 at 5:01 PM
jacobmartellaphotography.com
Most people photograph sunrise at the Grand Canyon looking east. I went west instead and caught the alpenglow lighting up the canyon walls. Sometimes the best shot is behind you. What's your favorite "look the other direction" moment?

#photography
January 2, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by Jacob Martella Photography
jacobmartellaphotography.com
Starting 2026 with a reminder that after the storm comes the rainbow. Shot this in Tucson after monsoon season storms rolled through. Here's to finding the beauty in whatever this year brings. Happy New Year! 🌈
A wide-angle landscape photograph captures a vibrant double rainbow arching across a partly cloudy, deep blue sky over a city street corner. The street, sidewalks, and buildings are wet, reflecting the late afternoon sunlight. In the foreground, a car and a pickup truck wait at a traffic light. Several buildings, including one with a "DOWNTOWN MARKET" sign, line the street, along with trees and utility poles. The overall scene suggests a recent rainstorm has just passed.
January 1, 2026 at 5:01 PM
jacobmartellaphotography.com
Starting 2026 with a reminder that after the storm comes the rainbow. Shot this in Tucson after monsoon season storms rolled through. Here's to finding the beauty in whatever this year brings. Happy New Year! 🌈
A wide-angle landscape photograph captures a vibrant double rainbow arching across a partly cloudy, deep blue sky over a city street corner. The street, sidewalks, and buildings are wet, reflecting the late afternoon sunlight. In the foreground, a car and a pickup truck wait at a traffic light. Several buildings, including one with a "DOWNTOWN MARKET" sign, line the street, along with trees and utility poles. The overall scene suggests a recent rainstorm has just passed.
January 1, 2026 at 5:01 PM
jacobmartellaphotography.com
Cades Cove is a very secluded area within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. When you get here, you have nearly no cellphone reception. Instead, you get a view like this, with the mountains in their fall glory, horses grazing on grass and pure bliss in this peaceful scene.

#photography
A wide, sunlit green pasture with two horses grazing in the distance. The pasture is bordered by a line of trees in green and yellow autumn colors. Behind the trees, a large mountain range with patches of fall foliage rises to fill the horizon under a clear, bright blue sky. A close-up shot of a rustic, weathered wooden grist mill in a forest. On the left, a large water wheel is in motion, with water cascading into a stream below, surrounded by fallen red leaves. A wooden flume feeds water to the wheel, and a small wooden bridge leads to the mill's entrance. A rustic, unpainted wooden barn stands in a sunlit clearing, surrounded by tall trees with green and yellow foliage. In front of the barn, a long, dark wooden flume, or water trough, stretches across the foreground on a grassy lawn. A view from behind a barbed-wire fence looking out over a rolling, grassy field. The foreground is in shadow, while the field in the mid-distance is lit by bright sunlight, glowing a golden-yellow. In the background, a forested mountain ridge sits under a cloudless, deep blue sky.
November 28, 2025 at 5:01 PM