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Dave Busse said:
"...Well, except that I can't remember any magazine on any topic
sticking strictly with black and white, and in my 20+ years in network
television, I have never been involved in the production of anything
but shows in living color. I love Winston Link's work and his
autographed books are treasures in my collection. But Winston's stuff
is of a world 45 years ago and the B&W helps convey that period (and
his color work is great, too).
Yes, b&w is an art. Yes it has it's place.
So do antiques."
Greg said:
First off thanks for recalling and writing Link's name in the message
for me. It finally popped back in my head as I sat at Kirkwood watching
empty tracks (minus on Amtrak) for several hour tonight.
Several points of clarification coming up next: I never said that
there was a magazine on any topic which stucking to black and white.
What I did say (or at least tried to say) was that the published books
and magazines devoted to railroad subjects perfer color shots (it what
sells the magazine). The laws of supply and demand sneak into play here
and may bias a photographer to shot what sells. Over the past year
years CTC Board and Trains have each tried to reach back to the B/W
photographers so they put some value in the medium.
I agree that when I'm out look at modern day railroading color
generally seems to fit the scene better than a b/w shots. I also think
that it works better in the context of the timeframe of the image.
However this doesn't mean that it can't work at all; it just takes a
different eye to see the potential images in b/w. Steam trains look
nice in b/w (and color) and I think shots with people working and some
super stylized shots would work in b/w. Robert Palmer's shots around
the Philly sky line would also work well (e.g., Amtraks. Silver, gray,
and white). Rail scenes of white grain elevators against a dark storm
cloud could work on B/W. White puffy cumulus against a dark blue sky
(think Wyoming here) enhanced with a red filter would make an equally
pleasing shot if done properly.
I think Winston Link's color shots help make my point. He was a great
photographer who just happen to be better known for his b/w shots, yet
he didn't limit himself to b/w. I think we'd all agree that if he was
standing trackside today (name your spot or your subject matter) he
could create a shot just as artisitc and pleasing as he did back in the
last days of N&W and Southern RR steam. The only exception might be the
BNSF's vomit bonnet (alis Frog-in-a-Blender scheme).
Perhaps we're all some what antiqated in our approach to rail
photography since most of us are stuck with capturing the image (via our
35mm SLR and medium format cameras) when technology allows us to capture
the sound (via camcorders and such). I know you're in TV out in LA so
you're likely to be closer to this audio world than most of us, yet you
still bother to work with "antiquated" visual only formats for your
published pictures and stories. Perhaps we should only photography
modern (less than 3 year old engines) with digital cameras?
With that said I think it's time to turn on the old TV and watch one of
Ted Turners colorized movies. :^)
Have a good weekend!
Greg Anderson
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