Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a chameleon-like quality, capable of revealing both subtle and some not so subtle changes to the discerning eye. For 30 years, award-winning photographer Richard Mack has tracked and captured the various vistas found in the United States’ most visited national park. From the top of Balsam Mountain to the fields of Cades Cove, this exquisite collection of images spans more than three decades and showcases the immense diversity found within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Noted writer and long-time resident Steve Kemp introduces each section of images, providing an insider’s perspective which elevates the story that unfolds through the photographs - whether it’s the hard-scrabble life along Roaring Fork or the history of the Native Americans along the Oconaluftee River.
Yet it is the captivating images themselves that will draw you back time and again. Richard’s view of the park – from the bold seasonal displays to the subtle hues of wildflowers – is exhilarating. His fresh views of familiar landscapes and off-the-beaten-path areas like Cataloochee and Noland Creek are transformed through his artistry, allowing us to witness each area of the park at the pinnacle of its beauty.
In 1975 Richard Mack first ventured into the Great Smokies as an aspiring landscape photographer, and a love affair began. This is where he first honed his craft. Today, Richard is an acclaimed, award-winning nature photographer. His images of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, while recognized and rewarded over the years, have never been presented in a comprehensive collection … until now.
Richard takes us from Cades Cove in the west to Big Creek and Cataloochee in the east. The book is arranged in easy-to-navigate sections based on specific locations within the park. The narrative text is imbued with a deep personal passion for the park’s natural history and beauty … a passion that brings Richard back year after year. Richard has vividly captured the spirit of this “land of smoke,” from the rugged peaks to the mysterious valleys where clouds and moisture hover. Within this vast landscape, he reveals the solitude of a rain-drenched forest, the energy of water tumbling over rocks, the vibrant explosion of wildflowers in bloom, and the myriad wildlife. Whether it’s a coyote roaming the fields in Cades Cove, a black bear perched in the trees, or the stillness of deer nestled in an early evening mist, the inhabitants of the park will mesmerize you.
Start turning the pages and you will discover why Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States. It is the breadth of these landscapes that show you why the park is nicknamed, The Great Smokies.
About the Authors
Richard Mack
An accomplished nature photographer, Richard Mack has won numerous awards for his work, including the International Photography Awards Best Nature Book Silver Medal in 2005 for his first book, The Lewis & Clark Trail: American Landscapes. He also leads workshops for those interested in learning about nature photography while exploring different areas of the world.
In addition, Richard is a renowned commercial photographer whose work for numerous Fortune 500 companies has taken him across the country and around the globe. He specializes in location photography for advertising and corporate communications.
He is based in Evanston, Illinois.
Steve Kemp
Steve Kemp is the author of numerous books on the park including Who Pooped in the Park, We’re Going to the Mountains, and Trees of the Smokies and has written articles for Outdoor Life, Outside, National Parks, Outdoor Photographer, and the Discovery Channel guidebook series. He worked as a seasonal park ranger in Yellowstone and Denali national parks and has been employed by Great Smoky Mountains Association since 1987 as a writer, editor, and Interpretive Products and Services Director.
He lives in Pittman Center, Tennessee.
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