• Please use real names.

    Greetings to all who have registered to OPF and those guests taking a look around. Please use real names. Registrations with fictitious names will not be processed. REAL NAMES ONLY will be processed

    Firstname Lastname

    Register

    We are a courteous and supportive community. No need to hide behind an alia. If you have a genuine need for privacy/secrecy then let me know!
  • Welcome to the new site. Here's a thread about the update where you can post your feedback, ask questions or spot those nasty bugs!

Plowden Inspired

106000016.jpg


The diffuse light from overcast skies didn't help at all with this image, but it seemed as if David Plowden tapped my shoulder as I crossed the tracks this November morning. This could be an interesting place on a clear day in winter with snow on the tracks.

Thanks for looking,

Tom
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
106000016.jpg


The diffuse light from overcast skies didn't help at all with this image, but it seemed as if David Plowden tapped my shoulder as I crossed the tracks this November morning. This could be an interesting place on a clear day in winter with snow on the tracks.

Thanks for looking,

Tom

Is this your inspiration, Tom,

artwork_images_138991_379130_david-plowden.jpg


From Artnet .com Golden Valley, North Dakota, silver print
Laurence Miller Gallery 212-397-3930 Send Email


Here's an excerpt from a review by Donna Seaman in the Chicago Tribune of his book,
David Plowden: Vanishing Point: Fifty Years of Photography
By David Plowden, Norton, 340 pages, $100

The precision and drama of black-and-white photographs never fails to draw theeye and strike the heart. The elemental union of light and shadow yields aninfinity of evocative contrasts and patterns. With their spectrum of radiantwhites, velvety blacks, moody grays and elegant silvers, duotones capture theessence of a landscape, a room, a face, and possess a stillness, a gravitas, asense of absence and presence that perfectly reflects the mercurial nature oftime.
Duotones are also the ideal medium for the subjects that have stokedcelebrated photographer David Plowden’s imagination and shaped his soulfulaesthetics for 50 years: steam locomotives, steamboats, bridges, silos, barnsand steel mills – marvels of engineering genius and functional beautyintegral to the America of which we’re proud, the America admired the worldover, and now an America fast fading away......... Read the rest of the article here.


Asher

 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
However, we can ask where did this composition originate?

Well, do you recognize this photograph?

hb_2005.100.109.jpg


Cape Horn near Celilo, 1867, Carleton E. Watkins (American, 1829–1916)
Albumen silver print from glass negative; 15 3/4 x 20 5/8 in. (40 x 52.4 cm)
Gilman Collection, Purchase, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Gift through Joyce and Robert Menschel, 2005 (2005.100.109). Sorces


I believe that Carlton Watkins was likely the inspiration for the Plowden composition. Carlton would revisit such favorite spots. So he later retook the picture, swinging his mammoth glass plate camera to the left, making the light working on the water as the main subject!

Asher
 
Hi Asher,

Yep, that was the book! Plowden had a number of variations on this theme, and I think all of them combined to serve as inspiration for my poor attempt. The Carleton Watkins photo is an interesting one. It certainly may have influenced Plowden, but it's impossible to say for sure, of course.

Tracing back originating concepts - connecting the dots - was a specialty of James Burke in the late 70's. He applied it to technology, but it could also be a theme for photography, painting, and other art going all the way back to neolithic cave paintings.

Tom
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Asher,

Yep, that was the book! Plowden had a number of variations on this theme, and I think all of them combined to serve as inspiration for my poor attempt. The Carleton Watkins photo is an interesting one. It certainly may have influenced Plowden, but it's impossible to say for sure, of course.

Tracing back originating concepts - connecting the dots - was a specialty of James Burke in the late 70's. He applied it to technology, but it could also be a theme for photography, painting, and other art going all the way back to neolithic cave paintings.

Tom

My idea about Carleton Watkins came to mind as there's a current exhibition of his plates in the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. BTW, his way was to go high and tilt the camera and include trees if he could. Do you have more railroad pictures?

Asher
 
Asher,

I do have other train photos, but they are mostly spur of the moment type subjects. My lack of good stuff is probably a result of this haphazard approach. However, I waited a couple hours on top of a Mississippi River bluff for a southbound train to pass by about a year ago -

88734323.jpg


High overcast provided very soft afternoon light. Most of the leaves had fallen, so the subtle color in the trees came from those few leaves that hadn't yet understood one of Jack Frost's early messages.

Tom
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Asher,

I do have other train photos, but they are mostly spur of the moment type subjects. My lack of good stuff is probably a result of this haphazard approach. However, I waited a couple hours on top of a Mississippi River bluff for a southbound train to pass by about a year ago -

High overcast provided very soft afternoon light. Most of the leaves had fallen, so the subtle color in the trees came from those few leaves that hadn't yet understood one of Jack Frost's early messages.
Hi Tom,

I do like the softness. It would be such an easy move and a mistake to change the gradual tonality gradients to be more defined by adding a sever S curve and increasing the saturation. Many photographers would go for the "Velvia" look and totally miss the point.

Asher
 
Thanks Asher,

In this digital age, it often seems that subtle tones and pastel colors are overlooked, or maybe not much appreciated. It is so easy to turn the "knobs to the right". This temptation can be hard to resist, and I'm very pleased you recognized my intention.

Regards,

Tom
 

Marian Howell

New member
tom, these colors in your last train post are outstanding! the sheer clarity of the train itself provides a telling contrast to them...and a very fine composition too. the overcast light breathed perfectly here for you!
this is an excellent example too of shooting when things are past peak, or not at their picture-perfect peak anyway, and contradicts the notion that fall is one grand and glorious color moment.
if you haven't already you should consider doing a train series...
 
Marian,

Thank you for your kind words.

Your suggestion to create a train series will certainly be kept in mind. One of the difficulties with the subject is that loitering around railroad tracks is legally trespassing, so a little caution is usually warranted.

Regards,

Tom
 

Marian Howell

New member
Your suggestion to create a train series will certainly be kept in mind. One of the difficulties with the subject is that loitering around railroad tracks is legally trespassing, so a little caution is usually warranted.
true i'd forgotten about that :( but a couple of years ago i did a shoot of a superfund site - for historic reasons not environmental - and the police did come...however they were very understanding and suggested to me that in the future if i stopped by the station first and announced myself they would be fine with it. since then when shooting in any type of private/restricted area i've done advance work with the proper authorities with great success.
 
Marian,

Checking with the local authorities is a great idea when photographing in sensitive areas - excellent suggestion. Things get a little tricky in low-traffic areas where opportunities are rare, however. I guess the only thing to do in such situations is to work quickly and hope for the best.

106487458.jpg


That was my m.o. for the above photo taken in Utica, Illinois last week. This section of line has little traffic, and you can see some evidence of lack of maintenance.

Tom
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Tom,

Your image of this train is remarkable! The engine immediately grabs our attention. The importance of the engine is emphasized by a capping arch of cranes above. The sweep of the train's length is mimicked by repeated curves of rail. The block of buildings behind the cranes provides reference bars for the train to pass.

For finish, what could be better than yellow, 712, 712 and a bright eye-fixing light in between! This train has an identity and it's going somewhere!

You guessed right! I like this very much! Any complaints? Not really. However, if you'd push and I'll ask for more space below and to the left. But that's it!

I've copied your 2 pictures of moving trains to join our growing Moving Trains collection as your images deserve a double billing!

These will give a lot of people a thrill as if the whistle blows as the train thunders by. Splendid job!

Asher
 

Marian Howell

New member
asher has covered a lot of the the composition pluses to this, so i will just add that what caught my eye immediately - thanks to the excellent composition! - was the colors, especially of the train. that yellow really stands out against the rest of the tonal palette in this, and works well! the light is quite nice as well :)
another one for thr train portfolio :)))))
 
Top