{"id":18248,"date":"2016-10-06T12:41:21","date_gmt":"2016-10-06T12:41:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/?p=18248"},"modified":"2016-10-06T12:43:26","modified_gmt":"2016-10-06T12:43:26","slug":"a-continuing-discussion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/?p=18248","title":{"rendered":"A continuing discussion…."},"content":{"rendered":"

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The other day I got an email that I thought was very thought provoking and that should be shared as this is an interesting and vital discussion among all of us that go into the field to do workshops and just enjoy shooting the natural history environment! \u00a0I have not named the person who sent the email in respect to his privacy and I think his message was well crafted and with a lot of \u00a0merit. \u00a0I have included the responses from myself, Bill Lea and Jack Garham and I hope this will spur more discussion of this issue among my readers!!! \u00a0The orange<\/span><\/strong> is the origianl email the responses in blue<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Bill, Jack & Bill,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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I respect each of you as photographers and have followed your work for some time. Bill Fortney, I met you when you were affiliated with Nikon and we were both photographing a scene in the Smokies. You impressed me then as a kind soul, encouraging me to join NPS even though our conversation was brief. Bill Lea, you and I have bumped into each other several times in Cades Cove and at the Morton Overlook as we stood side-by-side photographing and enjoying the wonderful scenes in front of us. Jack, I\u2019ve not met you but have followed your work.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Recently Jack and Bill Fortney have commented in blog posts about the crowds at \u201ciconic\u201d photography sites – Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Monument Valley, etc. – and I have seen similar posts from other photographers and workshop leaders (Tony Sweet is one that comes to mind). Your posts struck me as ironic and somewhat self-serving, so I thought I\u2019d share my thoughts privately (\u201cPraise in public, criticize in private\u201d was something I learned early in my corporate career).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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I\u2019m a resident of (DELETED) and have lived here for more than half of my life. I enjoy the diversity of scenery and seasons and combine my love of the state with my love of photography. Since 1998, I\u2019ve traveled to the Smokies almost every fall to capture the fall color. Lately though, the venues have been overcrowded, and in some cases almost impossible to photograph due to the number of workshop and tour groups that arrive in vans, buses and carpools, all with tripods and cameras (and\/or smartphones) in hand. You all are involved in a workshop (The Great Smoky Mountains Photography Summit), that is now in its second or third year, that invites 200 photographers and 15 workshop leaders to the small town<\/span> of Townsend, TN during the peak week<\/span> of fall color. Similar workshop \u201ccollisions” occur in Acadia, the Tetons, Yellowstone and other popular destinations (even Brooks Falls in Alaska).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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As the photography business<\/span> has changed, more and more professional photographers have resorted to leading workshops, as their print sales, stock image sales, and online revenues (Scott Kelby\u2019s enterprise, for example) have dwindled. I understand the business model transition and don\u2019t have a quarrel with it. But it has produced an unwanted consequence – every<\/span> workshop leader wants to be in each<\/span> iconic location at the same peak<\/span> time. The last week of October happens to be that time in the Smokies for fall color.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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My message is simple. Understand that you, the workshop leaders, are a part<\/span> of the crowding problem. As an individual photographer, I\u2019ve had to fight my way into a tripod row to get a shot I wanted, as workshop leaders were all instructing their acolytes on proper long lens technique rather than on photography etiquette. I saw it begin to happen in Bosque del Apache with Art Morris\u2019s workshops. The crowds aren\u2019t all Asian tourists. They\u2019re photographers who arrive at these locations in groups of 10 to 200, each wanting to \u201cget the shot\u201d.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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I won\u2019t be heading to the Smokies this year. I can\u2019t imagine trying to park along the narrow unpaved Tremont Road or getting into Cades Cove for sunrise with 200 of my closest friends vying for a spot for their tripods. Yes Bill Fortney, the \u201cgood old days\u201d are behind us.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Respectfully.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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My response:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Dear Sir,<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
Thanks for taking the time to chime in on this issue! \u00a0My response is meant to be from just me, I cannot speak for Jack or Tony or any of the hundreds of others that teach workshops in the National Parks. \u00a0First I plead guilty, I and all the rest of us do definitely contribute\u00a0to the crowds. \u00a0With the nature, outdoor, landscape, stock markets crashed it seems\u00a0everyone is trying\u00a0to make most of their living\u00a0teaching \u00a0<\/span>and leading workshops and tours. \u00a0There are a large\u00a0number of bus companies and non-photography tours out there too. \u00a0I\u2019ve run into a lot of \u00a0<\/span>Chinese an\u00a0Japanese, but\u00a0certainly every European\u00a0country has\u00a0joined that list as well. \u00a0Outdoor\u00a0Photograph magazine list all the great\u00a0<\/span>places in every issue and of course that has not helped.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
I think it is fair to say that anyone that wants to go to any of these, now\u00a0overcrowd, spots has the perfect right to be there! \u00a0I do not in any way\u00a0<\/span>think those\u00a0magical places\u00a0should belong to just a few\u00a0of us. \u00a0I think the\u00a0frustration that Jack and\u00a0I were expressing simply was that things are\u00a0<\/span>changing and it is no longer the pleasant experience\u00a0the it once was.\u00a0I am going to\u00a0personally do\u00a0something\u00a0about it and walk away from going\u00a0<\/span>to all those places where the crowds have grown so large, mostly so the people that go with me don\u2019t feel that frustration.\u00a0I\u00a0not only understand your\u00a0feelings of frustration with our groups, but\u00a0I go out of my way to offer a prime spot\u00a0to people that are not with my\u00a0groups\u00a0<\/span>understanding that to hike into Mesa Arch and not be be able to shoot it is something no one\u00a0should have to\u00a0experience. On more than one\u00a0<\/span>occasion\u00a0I have not\u00a0made a single shot to\u00a0accommodate others, not with my group, so they\u00a0could\u00a0\u201cget the shot\u201d! \u00a0<\/span>As to the Summit\u00a0I helped the late owner\u00a0of the Tremont Lodge, Wilson Reynolds, \u00a0plan it, but begged him to\u00a0not\u00a0make field\u00a0activities\u00a0a part of what\u00a0<\/span>we offered, it was\u00a0<\/span>not my event and\u00a0I was over ruled. \u00a0I still think even doing very early\u00a0morning\u00a0field trips is not a good idea, but\u00a0I guess when people come to the\u00a0Smokies\u00a0<\/span>for a week\u00a0in the fall, it is\u00a0understandable they want\u00a0to\u00a0get out and shoot.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
I hope you\u00a0change your\u00a0mind and come to the Smokies this fall, you would be welcome to join me in anything I was doing or maybe\u00a0I could give you\u00a0<\/span>a heads up on\u00a0places that might be less crowded! \u00a0If you come to the Summit,\u00a0I will personally get you in and\u00a0have\u00a0the fee waved. \u00a0I know we do not\u00a0<\/span>go to\u00a0Greenbriar, which\u00a0I think is still\u00a0prime spot!<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
In closing,\u00a0I\u2019ve spent my life enjoying the parks and other\u00a0photographers and have never wanted to be a source of frustration for anyone else. \u00a0<\/span>When\u00a0I have been, I\u2019ve done everything\u00a0I could to lessen that impact on\u00a0others, so for any way\u00a0I might be the source of\u00a0personal frustration for y<\/span>ou, I\u00a0sincerly\u00a0apologize and\u00a0hope we can stand in the\u00a0field some day and\u00a0have a great time and\u00a0laugh about the whole\u00a0situation!<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
With much respect,<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n

\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
Bill<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
Jack Graham’s response:<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
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Dear Sir,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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First thanks for your note. It\u2019s always great when folks who have something to say make their points\u2026all vary valid and well taken.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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I won\u2019t speak for Bill regarding the Smoky Mt event, but this event is primarily an inside, breakout sessions etc. event. Yes, about 4-5 small groups venture out in the am for a few hrs., but the summit is really about the breakouts and group sessions.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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It\u2019s really quite ironic that in most of my workshops the amount of \u201cphotographers\u201d ( everything from pros to amateurs) have not really increased in the past 5 years in many locations. The amount of photo workshops at Schwabacher Landing in the Tetons in late September is no more than it was 5 years + ago. What has increased is the amount of \u201cindividual photographers\u201d and tour busses filled with both US and foreign tourists. The tour bus folks are the folks squeezing their way in with their selfie sticks and iPhones. The individual photographers are almost without exception great to be around and are very respectful. \u00a0However there are also a few that listen on my teaching sessions knowing full well they are not part of my group. If it doesn\u2019t bother my paying folks it doesn\u2019t bother me. This happened last week in California. I even get questions from individuals on where to go etc. Depending on my mood \u00a0and or how they go about asking me, I help them or sometimes not.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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In addition, I and other workshop leaders I know are increasingly taking their groups to the less than iconic locations with equaling appealing imagers. I just returned from the Eastern Sierra. Yes we went to Mono Lake one morning ( the Inyo NF limits photo workshops to 3 per day, not a lot at Mono Lake) but for three other mornings we are in locations with no other workshops and made some great images. Responsible workshop leaders are not the problem believe me. ( Yes there are many no so responsible). Also there were many \u201cindividual photographers\u201d literally climbing all over the tufa. I actually had to remind one that the tufa is fragile and they are not supposed to be\u00a0 climbing on it. My attendees are instructed not to do so.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Believe me,\u00a0not\u00a0every workshop leader wants to be in each iconic location at the same peak time.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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I am in the field about 250 days a year. To sum up what I see<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Are there more workshops every year \u2026 not really<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Are there more individual photographers ( most think they know more than they do) definitely YES!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Are there more individual photographer at your level\u2014not really ( I looked at your images and work Joe and your work is superb, as good as any Professional I know, including me!!!)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Are there more tour busses and pardon my French, half ass photographers\u2014Definitely YES!!!!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019 not workshops Joe, it\u2019s not folks like you\u2026 it\u2019s the other categories that are making things tough. \u00a0We can\u2019t eliminate them from being in locations so it\u2019s just a tough time to be a photographer. It will probably get worse !\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Just my $0.02\u2026 and thanks for your input!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Best regards,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Jack<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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PS\u2014Take a trip up to the Cuyahoga NP in Ohio \u00a0in October and some of the Cleveland Metro parks\u2014they are amazing good for color, as good as anywhere else. Bill and I are going to be there in 2017. I\u2019ve been doing events there for over 10 years now! \u00a0Small crowds, great color, great locations! There is more to fall color than the Smoky\u2019s! How many times can you shoot the Tremont river from \u201cthe\u201d bridge or Cades Cove\u2026 it\u2019s been done—-do we really need more images from Mesa Arch?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Bill Lea’s Response:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Dear Sir!<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
Thank you for your note and for sharing your thoughts and concerns with us – I appreciate it.<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
Your points are well-taken, \u00a0I pretty much agree with everything you wrote.\u00a0 Last year the Summit was held Oct. 28 – Nov. 1st.\u00a0 This year it is a little earlier and thus has a greater impact on the numbers of people\u00a0during\u00a0PEAK fall color season in the Smokies.\u00a0 I personally would like to see the Summit held during the first week of November.\u00a0 It is amazing how the number of people coming to the Smokies\u00a0drops off\u00a0drastically and almost immediately on November 1st, even in those years when the colors are still very nice at the lower elevations during\u00a0that first week of November.\u00a0 In addition, having the Summit during the first week of November would help local businesses\u00a0during the time that tourism drops off drastically in Townsend.\u00a0 Meals at local restaurants would also\u00a0be easier to\u00a0obtain in a more timely manner for participants, due to the fewer people in town at that time.<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
I would love to see the Summit moved to the first week of November in the future and am hoping this is something we could consider.\u00a0 Thanks again for sharing your thoughts with us, Joe.\u00a0 I look forward to the next time our paths cross.<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
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Take care,<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
Bill Lea<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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I think that this is a real issue we must all face and I am very proud of the way in which my freinds responded, I hope we can all continue to have a meangful discussion on such issues and work together to remdy the problems we all face!<\/div>\n
Blessings,<\/div>\n
the pilgrim<\/div>\n
The lead shot is of Mesa Arch in Canyonlands N.P., one of the worst places to run into large crowds of photographers on almost any day at sunrise!<\/div>\n

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    The other day I got an email that I thought was very thought provoking and that should be shared as this is an interesting and vital discussion among all of us that go into the field to do workshops and just enjoy shooting the natural history environment! \u00a0I have not named the person […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chronicles"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18248"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18248\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18258,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18248\/revisions\/18258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}