landscape,  mountains,  National Parks,  Smoky Mountains National Park

You Had Muir

December 14, 2011
The Great Smoky Mountains

Perhaps the greatest tribute ever given to Muir took place in a private conversion between two great contemporary mountaineers. Galen Rowell once asked Rheinhold Messner why the greatest mountains and valleys of the Alps are so highly developed, why they have hotels, funicular railways, and veritable cities washing up against sites that, in America, are maintained relatively unencumbered by development. Messner explained the difference in three words. He said, “You had Muir.”

Retired. Having fun shooting Fujifilm cameras. Journal daily. Meditate daily. Learning haiku. Have a love for fountain pens.

10 Comments

  • Faye White

    December 14, 2011 at 8:35 am

    As soon as I saw this image, I thought ‘Smoky Mountains’. This is a beautiful capture of the Smoky Blues.

    • Monte Stevens

      December 14, 2011 at 10:16 am

      I played around with it in Topaz Adjust which seemed to bring out more the contrast within the different layers of colors from the different ridges. Yes, the Smoky Mountains! I do need to get back out there. I wonder if anyone would be interested in gathering there this coming year.

  • Earl

    December 14, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    Monte, as soon as I saw this I thought…”We’re not in Colorado.” Interesting post-processing. I initially thought perhaps you’d done some type of HDR processing…it has a bit of that feel.
    Nice.

    • Monte Stevens

      December 14, 2011 at 2:51 pm

      I must apologize. I went back and checked out what exactly I did with this image and it is not Topaz Adjust but it is an HDR image of three exposures. So, Earl, you are right on two accounts, it was not in Colorado. 🙂 Man, do I feel embarrassed.

  • Mark

    December 15, 2011 at 8:04 pm

    As much as we complain about urban sprawl, America still has so many beautifully preserved places, unlike many other regions in the world. Great story Monte, I hadn’t heard this one before.

    • Monte Stevens

      December 16, 2011 at 8:03 am

      And, aren’t we the lucky ones! Now if we can just others to get out there and experience the beauty of our world. Within the nature photographer is the desire have people moved with similar emotions as those we experienced when we took an image. Have a super day!