Cades Cove, Townsend, TN 10 years ago a guy I was dating bought me a camera for Christmas and every time this year I think of him and his wonderful gift. He saw something in me that I didn't know yet and he brought it to life by a simple gift. I never once photographed a person or anything of the sort. I started out taking pictures of landscapes and animals. I spent countless hours in the mountains taking photos. Not just any mountains, but some of the oldest mountains in the country, in my home state of Tennessee. The Smoky Mountains became a second home, my go to spot when I needed to regroup or decompress. It became my quite space where I could reconnect to myself and the earth. I found myself in those mountains. For many years I wanted so badly to move away from this state and seek out a different life. In my eyes Tennessee was boring and backward. But through the lens of a camera I fell in love with my state and the beauty...