A Poor Substitute for the Real Thing

Yesterday, we made a side trip to Galtlinburg. Apparently for a lot of folks, it is the main destination for those who go to the Smokies. It mystifies me that at the edge of one of the most beautiful spots in the country is this monstrosity of touristy consumerism. I hadn't been there in about ten years and it has only gotten worse. It may be more expensive and slicker but it is just as offensive as it was ten years ago. The on-street parking is gone as now the streets are four-lane thoroughfares, although traffic moves agonizingly slow. We paid $5 to park in an off-street lot and stayed less than an hour. We had ventured to Gatlinburg to return to an outdoor gear store and visit some galleries. But I was disappointed in the photography gallery. The photos were disappointing in their quality. The mats were gorgeous, must have been computer designed and cut. But too many of the photos could have been composed differently and printed better. It is possible that the original exposures were deficient but in these days of digital enhancement there are many adjustments that can be made to less than perfect exposures. No, it was disappointing prints. It took me a little while to gather my thoughts about the experience. I have been to several photographers' galleries, notably Tom Mangelson and others. To visit their galleries is a mystical, spiritual, renewing experience. Each photo is carefully exhibited and well-lit like a museum. Just to stroll through the gallery is a joy. I would never be bored revisiting either of their galleries. But the Gatlinburg gallery was overwhelming with hundreds of images, as if one could make up for the lack of quality with a quantity of work. I found it boring, stifling, and enbarassing for those photographers who insist on quality in the presentation of their work. The other thing was that it was such an injustice to the beauty of nature that was just a few miles away.