The pictures may be the same but the thoughts are different.

Looking at these pictures as a northern urbanite, I shrivel up as many would. I want to hide in my cocoon of brick and mortar and turn the television to a more uplifting channel: TLC would work. I see filth, disease, and really just simple sorrow. Could I live in such conditions where my house seems to be falling under the weight of my own malnourished step? Probably not is the easy answer. The people of eastern Kentucky do, however, and I respect that, as it is their way of life. They are content and happy in a sense, yet Shelby Lee Adams photographs them. He argues that he is their friend and that they enjoy the attention and company. He even gives them a copy of the pictures and ensures they are happy with the product. My problem with this is that everything seems to be based off of a lie: the posing and exploitation. Adams says that he pictures these people in their hollows. They are supposed to be in their natural habitat so to speak. He stages the photos though, making their humble abodes seem ‘trashy’ and emphasizing the decay. Although he claims to be photographing the last members of a dying race and culture, to me at least, it seems like he is documenting the reasons behind the decay: barbarian behavior. Lastly, Adams discusses how he was raised in the region and how he worked with his uncle on house calls to gain the respect of people in the area. I find this is a sort of exploitation, which should not be over looked. He is in a different class as these people: doctors nephew and Massachusetts’s resident. While he may not have the captions describing the decay in his pictures, he does have the sensibilities as to how the people will be viewed in the pictures.