Jennifer Mesk’s love for photography started out of as frustration.
"I always loved taking pictures but grew frustrated not being able to capture the images I wanted to," said Mesk, an Asheville resident. "I'd see photos and think, 'I'm sure I could do that. I'm going to teach myself'."
Instagram: @JenniferMeskPhotography
A native of Clark, N.J., Mesk made her way to the Blue Ridge Mountains via South Florida. The 46-year-old says she is inspired by her new hometown, and its many beautiful vistas.
"There is something about these mountains," she said. "The first thing to pop in my mind is the Blue Ridge Parkway."
Another way she continues to grow her craft: when she sees an image she likes, she tries to deconstruct the photo to determine how the photographer got the end result.
"You can learn a lot by doing this," said Mesk, who is mostly self-taught. "Other photographers are a huge inspiration."
#wuncphotos: Share your North Carolina photos with WUNC on Instagram
Related: Finding Beauty In Downtown Durham's Building's And People
Note: This is the fifth installment in an occasional series profiling North Carolina photographers.
![Early fall colors off of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Craggy Gardens on October 2016.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9c549f1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4847x3231+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwunc%2Ffiles%2F201610%2F02_early_fall_colors_off_of_the_blue_ridge_parkway_near_craggy_gardens_october_2016.jpg)
![Second Falls at Graveyard Fields Hike and Waterfalls along the Blue Ridge Parkway in October 2015](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a639a8b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5052x3368+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwunc%2Ffiles%2F201610%2F03_second_falls_graveyard_fields_blue_ridge_parkway_october_2015.jpg)
![A car winds around a curve on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Wayerrock Knob in October 2016.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a4b2fb4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4750x3167+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwunc%2Ffiles%2F201610%2F04_fall_drive_on_the_blue_ridge_parkway_near_wayerrock_knob_october_2016.jpg)
![A lazy day at the Looking Glass Rock Overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway on October 2015.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3dbb8c1/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5004x3336+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwunc%2Ffiles%2F201610%2F05_looking_glass_rock_overlook_bue_ridge_parkway_october_2015.jpg)
![Stormy Skies along the Blue Ridge Parkway at the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center during the Fall 2015.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/45df53d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4629x3086+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwunc%2Ffiles%2F201610%2F06_stormy_skies_blue_ridge_parkway_at_the_craggy_gardens_visitor_center_fall_2015.jpg)
![A view of the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina at sunset, September 2013.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f49ccda/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5122x3415+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwunc%2Ffiles%2F201610%2F07_sunset_at_the_biltmore_september_2013.jpg)
![Clouds descend on the mountains around Milepost 421 along the Blue Ridge Parkway on October 2016.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5b819d8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4927x3285+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwunc%2Ffiles%2F201610%2F08_milepost_421_blue_ridge_parkway_october_2016.jpg)
![A hint of yellow as a car drives near Mount Pisgah along the Blue Ridge Parkway on October 2016.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9d84fdf/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4468x2979+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwunc%2Ffiles%2F201610%2F09_mount_pisgah_blue_ridge_parkway_octiber_2016.jpg)
![A sunset view from the Craggy Gardens Visitor Center along the Blue Ridge Parkway](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9a3ac41/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5184x3456+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fwunc%2Ffiles%2F201610%2F10_sunset_fronm_craggy_gardens_visitor_center_blue_ridge_parkway_fall_2015.jpg)