Photo Services- A Record of History
A picture tells a story just as well as, if not better than, written words. Our photographers have covered hundreds of subjects in all areas of our State for 40 years to tell their stories and record history. Here are just a few.
Theresa Montgomery's, Synchronous Fireflies
Third time is a charm is what I think of when I look at this fireflies photo taken at Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park this past June. The synchronous fireflies are only active a couple of weeks out of the year in early June, and their habitat is limited to very specific areas in Tennessee. I tried photographing them for the first two years in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The first year was not very productive due to my limited knowledge of the event and lack of experience working in total darkness with red gels, very long exposures, and the necessary restrictions of the Park Service. The second time I was allowed to photograph turned out to be too cold for the fireflies. They are quite particular about the conditions they will show themselves in. Finally, with the help of the great Ranger Tim Pharis at Rocky Fork, I was able to work two nights in the park and got over 250 images. This particular image is “stacked,” meaning Photoshop takes multiple images and combines them to create one final frame.
Dawn Majors, Veterans Services
As State photographers, we cover the entire region of Tennessee to create a visual record of history in the service to the people of Tennessee. We document the scenes and events that happen daily and year to year. Pictured are two service members honoring fellow Veterans during the annual State Veterans Day Ceremony held just a stones-throw from the base of the Tennessee State Capitol in front of the William R. Snodgrass Tower. As a former photojournalist, the transfer to the State has offered me a similar experience in visual variety and a vast range of assignment opportunities.
Randall Spradlin, Tennessee's Songwriters
In February, I went to Memphis for the first time to photograph the Songwriter’s Week event for the Department of Tourism. This was one of several events being hosted by Tourism across the State to promote independent songwriters from each region. Music is an important part of Tennessee culture and photographing these up-and-coming artists on stage was a real joy. The dynamic lighting conditions due to the lit stage with multicolored lights, and the low-lit seating area, made this a real challenge. This was one of my most interesting and fun shoots to date!
Our award-winning photographers are available to all State agencies for events across Tennessee, executive portraits in our studio, or environmental portraiture on location. We also utilize our studio for product shots and special requests for newsletters or social media.
Need something right now? Please browse our vast stock image collection for images from around the State that might fulfill your needs.
From Mountain City to Memphis, celebrate 40 years of photographing Tennessee with Photo Services' anniversary photo book. This piece culminates in a matchless selection of photographs taken by past and present photographers of historic events and people, memorable moments, and breathtaking scenery across Tennessee. Take a record of Tennessee's history with you today.