|
By Rose Hooper
Hugh Morton will be at City Lights on Thursday, Oct. 30, at 7
p.m. to celebrate the publication of his new book of photographs,
"Hugh Morton's North Carolina."
Ever since his parents gave him his first rudimentary camera when
he was 13, Morton has traveled to every corner of the state, taking
photographs of its ordinary and celebrated citizens, sports heroes,
natural beauty, and important events.
This book showcases the full range of his 60-year career as a
photojournalist, and it presents more than 250 favorites from
his private collection.
"My personal favorite is his photograph of Andy the deer,
surrounded by an early-morning mist, his image reflected in a
mountain stream. Andy was abandoned in Jackson County as a baby
and I took him to Mr. Morton because I knew he would care for
him better than anybody else," said former Sylva resident
Susan Smith, who has worked with Morton on several environmental
projects.
Hugh
Morton, the state's "unofficial" photographer, will
be at City Lights on Thursday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. to discuss his
career and sign copies of his new book.
"What I like about Mr. Morton is his simplicity;
he doesn't have to have new and fancy equipment to take pictures.
He might add a long telephoto lens, but he still uses his old,
basic stand-by 35 mm. And he is always so willing to share, plus
he's not stuck on claiming credit. He's actually the most humble
man I've ever met and, in my book, that adds to his greatness,"
said Smith.
"Little did I know when I took the camp's photography course
in 1934, that photography would become the principal means for
expressing my thoughts and fostering my interests for the rest
of my life," said Morton, owner of Grandfather Mountain.
"Hugh Morton's North Carolina" highlights the best of his work,
including candid shots of Eleanor Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy,
Andy Griffith, Louis Armstrong, Charlie "Choo-Choo" Justice, Dale
Earnhardt, Dean Smith, and Michael Jordan, as well as Morton's
most famous nature photographs.
As a teen, Morton took his first professional photograph
for the Charlotte News. Serving in the military during World War
II he started out as a still photographer and was later assigned
as a combat newsreel photographer.
Morton said in those days he "had no inkling of the interesting
people and events I would eventually cover, or the host of loyal
friends that photography would help me make."
"Hugh has made a difference in the growth and development
of the state he loves," said his good friend Bill Friday.
"He has succeeded in his personal mission, not only as the
unofficial state photographer, whose images have graced our billboards
and advertisements for out state's natural beauties, but also
as a public servant engaged in many ways in the making of the
new and different North Carolina that we live today.
"His scenes of gubernatorial informality are rare indeed,"
Friday said of Morton who has covered political happenings and
every governor since J. Melville Broughton.
"The many good news photographers that I know study each
situation carefully, not just for the best angle, lighting and
peak action, but also for how the image will convey the main message
of the story.
"Sometimes the cameraman has to know more about the subject
of the picture than does the editor or reporter who asked that
the picture be taken. So working as a news photographer broadened
my horizons in a number of ways. It added greatly to my education,
and it certainly helped build my circle of friends,' Morton said.
Most North Carolinians recognize this owner of Grandfather Mountain
as a strong environmentalist and conservationist who has led major
efforts to clean the air, purify the water, protect animals and
ridgetops and preserve the beauty of our natural heritage.
"The fact that Grandfather Mountain is a designated global
preserve testifies to the quality of his efforts," said Friday.
Divided into three sections devoted to "Scenes," "People
and Events," and "Sports," the book highlights
the best of Morton's work. Included are candid shots of Eleanor
Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Andy Griffith, Louis Armstrong, Charlie
"Choo-Choo" Justice, Dale Earnhardt, Dean Smith, and
Michael Jordan, as well as Morton's most famous nature photographs.
Morton will discuss his career and photographs and sign copies
of the book. For more information, call City Lights at 586-9499.
|
