THIS WEEK’S TOOLS, THOUGHTS, AND PHOTOS. 11/23/2025
THIS WEEK IN THE MOUNTAINS
Sunrise over the Blueridge mountains in November right around Arnold Valley Overlook. This area sits right at 3,000 feet. Taken on 11/8/2025.
VA BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY STATUS
The parkway in Virginia usually closes for the winter when the first snow fall or ice hits the mountains. There is a chance before it closes to see the ice walls, its rare but possible. If we have super cold temps and there is no ice on the roads, the water dripping from the tops of the rocks will form ice walls. I will be going up as much as possible so stay tuned.
If you want to check parkway closures for VA or NC, check this link, https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm
CREATOR CORNER
The "Fall of Icarus" (Real Effort Matters)- You might have seen the viral shot of a skydiver silhouetted directly against the sun. It looks like AI. It is not. Astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy and skydiver Gabriel C. Brown planned this for weeks. They used a hydrogen-alpha telescope to capture the solar details while Brown jumped from a plane.
Read the full story: PetaPixel: Skydiver in front of the Sun
My Top 10% Profile On Unsplash - I rarely check my analytics. I looked at my Unsplash account this week for the first time in a year and I was floored.
Views: 7,550,698
Downloads: 64,014
If you need high resolution photos for your own projects, website, or content, Unsplash is an incredible resource. It is free, high quality, and built by creators. Use it.
See my profile: Unsplash: Zach Plank
Google Pomelli (Speed for Your Brand) - Google just released Pomelli. It is a new AI tool that builds a "Business DNA" profile for you. You give it one URL, and it learns your fonts, tone, and colors to auto-generate marketing assets.
I will be using this to help do the things I am not the best at and will be creating content on how to use it so stick around!
Try it here: Google Labs: Pomelli
Health and Fitness
Creatine and why it matters to you - Your brain uses 20% of your body’s metabolic energy. Creatine helps regenerate ATP (energy) in brain cells, which directly fights mental fatigue.
The Result: It improves short-term memory and reasoning, especially when you are tired or stressed. If you work deep creative sessions or long edits, this is a tool for clarity, not just muscles.
My Pick: I use Momentous Creatine. It is NSF Certified for Sport. That means what is on the label is actually in the bag. No fillers. No junk. It is the cleanest option on the market.
Get it here: Amazon
My workout routine going into 2026- I am currently running a new training block. The goal is simple. Build muscle, stay lean, and progress toward a 405 lb bench press.
The Schedule:
Monday: Push Power (Chest, Shoulders, Triceps)
Tuesday: Conditioning (Steps or Run)
Wednesday: Pull Growth (Back, Rear Delts, Biceps)
Thursday: Conditioning (Steps or Run)
Friday: Full Body Pump (Chest, Back, Arms, Legs)
Saturday: Optional Hike or Photo Walk
The Philosophy: This is a hypertrophy plan. I use the conditioning days as active recovery, not punishment. It allows me to train hard without wrecking my ability to hike on the weekends
THANKS FOR READING
Stick around. I am building something here that is about more than just photos. It is about the process of becoming a better person.
Support my Work If you are interested, check out the prints I have for sale. Your support keeps means the world.