I have shot Knoxville for 25 years. I am almost 61. I started YouTube in my late fifties. Here is the walking tour, every spot that matters.
Market Square. The 1870s and 80s square. Good backdrops, good reflections, weekend crowds. One rule: never photograph children without the parents’ permission.
Strong Alley. Half a block away, mural alley, the famous Dolly Parton portrait by a local artist. Great candid nooks.
Gay Street, north and south. Old buildings, crosswalks, glass reflections, dramatic light bouncing off the tall buildings. The Gay Street Bridge is pedestrian only now, closed to cars after it cracked. Volunteer Landing down below.
Crutch Park. The Oliver Hotel from the 1800s, the Oliver Royale restaurant. There is a homeless population here. I used to avoid photographing them. The comments changed my mind. They are part of the fabric of the city. I do not feel like it is opportunistic anymore.
The courthouse area, 400 Main Street. Archways, staircases, remarkable light and shadow play. The Sunsphere from the 1982 World’s Fair is right there.
The Truist bank back concourse. On sunny days the light comes straight down. Beautiful.
The Old City, Jackson Avenue. Hundred plus year old original bricks, the train yard, the JFG coffee signs, Patrick Sullivan’s old brothel and saloon. Friday and Saturday nights are great for low light shooting.
First Presbyterian Church graveyard. Founded 1792. National Register of Historic Places. Seventeen hundreds gravestones.
Stories from the walk: I forgot to pay for parking, so I am expecting a ticket. I got cussed out by a construction foreman for aiming my camera at his site. The spitting homeless guy in the wheelchair was one of my first street photos. A man tried to bum a ride in a cop car. I ran into a news crew with a former radio colleague in it.
Food shout outs: Bruce Farm ice cream, the lavender honey. Amelia, the Italian restaurant. My daughter’s ad agency.
Knoxville people are unfazed by street photographers. They smile. What I cannot stand: the flash in the face douchebags cosplaying as street photographers. You need to get your ass whooped.
The more you shoot your city, the more you see. Make this video for your own city. I dare you.
Leave a Reply