Now You See It; Now You Don't

Historic Methodist Church - Cade's Cove - Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Townsend, Tennessee
Copyright Andy Richards 2025 - All Rights Reserved

AS PHOTOGRAPHERS, many of us have seen an image that calls us to the place it was taken, to have our own try at it; especially if it is one of those iconic photos of a famous place. Perhaps our efforts would be better spent trying to find something unique about the venue, but even when it has already been done by others, I often still have a compelling desire to do it myself. When I do find the scene, about 10% of the time, I am able to make a unique composition. The rest of the time, I make an image pretty similar to others that have been done. But it is mine.

My buddy, Rich and I made three trips up the one-way road, trying to find it with no success (Rich is very patient and I am - apparently - a slow learner) 😕

SINCE MY first dedicated photography trip to Vermont back in 2005, I have frequently observed another truth about many of those iconic scenes, though. They change. Sometimes that just makes the image slightly different. Other times, it makes making your own image a challenge. And sometimes, it just renders the image no longer viable as a photograph. I was (sadly) reminded of the latter circumstance when I visited The Great Smoky Mountains National Park just 18 or so months ago. There is (was?) an iconic shot of the historic Methodist Church in Cade's Cove, taken from up on the Rich Mountain Road, high above the cove. I first saw it in a book by my friend, Nye Simmons (The Smoky Mountains photographer's guide). But the image had been made many years before. In the ensuing years, the open view from which he made the image filled in with new growth, both down in front of the scene and up on the mountainside. Planning my trip, I didn't realize that and nobody had written about it that I know of. It was one of my planned shots. My buddy, Rich and I made three trips up the one-way road, trying to find it with no success (Rich is very patient and I am - apparently - a slow learner). Finally, after many inquiries, We were able to confirm that the shot was simply no longer there. That was late October, 2023.

Historic Methodist Church - Cade's Cove - Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Townsend, Tennessee
Copyright Andy Richards 2025 - All Rights Reserved

IN APRIL of 2025, Rich and I planned another trip to the park, in hopes of finding the early bloom, particularly the dogwoods that litter the forest views when in full bloom. That's another story, and I'll blog about the trip in coming weeks. Another friend (and another Rich) joined us on this trip and one afternoon, we decided to drive up Rich Mountain Road to look for Dogwoods, flowers, wildlife, views and anything else we could photograph. Rich was driving and he decided to stop at the overlook we had thought might be "the one" back in 2023 and show Rich the spot the photograph would have been made from. I got out and walked toward the clearing in the trees and there was the church, in (mostly) plain sight! I had an OMG moment. In spite of the less than flattering light that day, I shot the scene, not knowing if, or when I would ever have another chance. The scene is not a open as it was back when Nye made his image. But it is (at least for a time), a viable shot now.

Did he - or I - have even the tiniest bit of influence on the clearing of the view to the Cade's Cove Methodist Church? I will never know (and I doubt it), but I am going to keep on saying I did. It was me!! 😜

THE REST OF THE STORY: I know that I am but one of 100's of photographers and local residents who have wished for the Forest Service to clear the view again. My level of influence may be like a grain of sand on an ocean beach. But it is an entertaining story. Again back in 2023, we were up on one of the overlooks on the Foothills Parkway above Townsend, in the park, scoping out a possible sunset shot for later in the evening. There were a couple white, official looking trucks and a crew with a tripod and tablet and some other tools working along the bank of trees growing on the mountainside. We struck up a conversation with one of them and it turns out they were surveying trees to determing which ones needed to be culled. She said that part of their mission was maintaining and/restoring views. I told her about my ultimately unsuccessful quest for the view of the church and she pointed out a guy on the crew who was part of the group responsible for the clearing and management. I went down and spoke with him for a few minutes. He was very polite and even made a note to look into it. Did he - or I - have even the tiniest bit of influence on the clearing of the view to the Cade's Cove Methodist Church? I will never know (and I seriously doubt it), but I am going to keep on saying I did. It was me!! 😜

Historic Methodist Church - Cade's Cove - Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Townsend, Tennessee
Copyright Andy Richards 2025 - All Rights Reserved

SERIOUSLY, WHOEVER (collectively or individually) was responsible made my day (indeed my week), and if you were one of those who wanted to make that photo, the "window" is open - for however brief a time.