Winding down a narrow road, a convoy of cars heading toward their destination. The picturesque mountains hide the small town of Scottsville, a population about 4,000.
For one weekend, it increased by about 40 and about 10 cars.
The local newspapers wrote an advance of the Western Kentucky Mountain People’s workshop, but that wasn’t the only reason the residents of the quaint, peaceful town recognized the new arrivals.
“The style of clothes you people wear is different,” said Bill Rutledge, a salesman for Carter Used Cars of five years.
“I know 99 percent of all the kids here,” he said, working a crossword puzzle in square, wooden shack. “People who wear clothes like you usually go to college”
Up the street from the used car dealership sits the Tadpole Diner, snuggled into the Town Square. Cook Phillis Blankenship serves the “basic junk food” for the teen-age hangout.
“People have been wondering who you guys were, but they were afraid to go up and ask you, so they ask me,” she said, wiping her brown and grabbing a cigarette. “Scottsville is one, big happy family.”
Despite down-home businesses, the staple of Scottsville’s economy is the Dollar General Store. The 48-year-old discount business, founded in Scottsville, has branched to 23 states.
Wendell Spears, 28, manager if the Dollar General Store No. 192 said, “The garbage men, early in the morning, said you guys were hit men from the mafia. But those guys watch too much television.”
Assistant manager Jerry Dillon, 21, said, “These people are really friendly. They don’t mind the pictures as long as they turn out good.”
That’s why 27 photographers were in Scottsville. Each photojournalist had three days to capture the life of a resident or business on film. About 300 rolls of film were processed by lab assistants.
The workshop included student photographers from the photojournalism class at Western Kentucky University and professionals from newspapers including The Chicago Tribune, The Minneapolis Star and Tribune, and The Louisville Courier Journal and Times.
Egos were left at the front door of the Allen County Public Library basement, where the workshop and photo lab were held. A hand-written sign was taped to the door saying, “Surrender all hope—all ye who enter here.”
To add pressure to completing their assignment, a sign “No Name Negs” hung from the back wall of the basement. It held taped film negatives from photographers who forgot to label their rolls.
The first night two tolls were hung. The second night 18 rolls were up. Embarrassed people crept by the sign and glanced at the negatives, hoping theirs weren’t on it.
Nightly sessions were held to pump up the eager and bring down the overconfident. The workshop staff discussed the day’s problems, gave photography lectures and presented slides from their own experiences.
Nine awards were passed out Friday to provide incentive including the “Photog dropped lens equipment” award to Cassondra Murray, who dropped her wide-angle lens on the same day. Joe Futia received the “Motor Drive” award for using his motor drive constantly. Bob Bruck received the “Doorstep” award for getting his foot in the door to his subject, Cal Turner, the founder of the Dollar General Store Corp.
As days went on, the photographers became one. Western Kentucky students, University of Kentucky students, and professionals had a link—they were doing what they loved.
Many photographers had difficult and touchy stories. Jack Corn, director of photography for The Chicago Tribune, said photographers should have “empathy, not sympathy.”
“The trick is to not act superior to them. Feel what they feel,” he said. “Don’t put your imprints on the photo. Put theirs”
“You got to have a passion and love in anything you do,” he said. “Anything less than that will come out in your pictures and your story.”
Besides shooting 10 rolls of film, each photographer also took a turn at writing—interviewing photo subjects and writing the stories that appear in this book.
“We’re all students here,” said Dave Labelle, a Western photo instructor, formerly of the Sacramento Bee. “It’s fun to show what you’ve learned. But as a photographer, you’ve always got to keep your eyes and ears open.”
Stormi Greener, a photographer for the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, agreed. “It’s important not to get stuck in the technical aspect of taking photos, like exposures…lighting,” she said. “Shoot from the heart.”
