A newsletter for picture editors and researchers
| Happy Holidays and best wishes for the New Year |
Refurbished North Carolina stations, new track boost passenger train service
New photos show long-term project completion, as other projects get underway
In earlier newsletters, I've reported several times on North Carolina railroad construction projects that I've documented photographically. Several of these projects reached major milestones during the past half year.
Track and signal improvements on the North Carolina Railroad corridor—the corridor is state owned but operated by freight railroad Norfolk Southern—have moved eastward from Greensboro and reached Durham by the end of 2003. Trains, including Amtrak passenger trains, can now operate under signal control at higher speeds between Greensboro and Durham.
Track and signal improvements should reach Raleigh by early 2004.
I've added a new page of sample images of railroad construction images—all from recent North Carolina projects within the past year—to my Web site. To access this page, go to these images, follow the "Pictures by category" link on the home page and select the "Railroad construction" link on the resulting page.
Of course, I also have railroad construction and track work photos from other locations. Just ask.
Station project photos include Greensboro and High Point
Greensboro has begun using its former downtown train station as a regional bus terminal, with both local and long-distance bus service. Once additional work on train platforms is completed, the station will become a true transportation center, providing seamless connections between various forms of transportation.
High Point's historic station, unusual because it located on a street above track level, reopened in December of 2003 after more than a year of work, which consisted of almost total reconstruction, other than the brick shell. High Point is an important travel destination because of its international furniture markets.
In both cases, I've photographed work in progress as well as the status at the end of the year. And, in early 2004, I plan to revisit Hamlet to make photos on that station whose relocation I photographed in early 2003.
Triangle Transit Authority
begins
work on regional rail system
The number of railroad stations in central North Carolina will quickly increase in the near future as the Triangle Transit Authority (TTA) begins work on a regional rail system. Planning for that system has been underway for many years. Finally, 2004 should see the beginning of construction work, though the first passenger-carrying trains will not run for several more years.
I plan to photograph progress on this project.
In fact, I've already begun by photographing public briefings held by the TTA staff on plans for the project, including meetings held to collect public input on local station design.
| Model
railroad project provides examples of small object
photography Realistic model scenes can illustrate many subjects While photography has been primarily a business for me for many years—not that I don't enjoy many aspects of producing images—model railroading has long been one of my major hobbies. I've collected (and built) a range of rolling stock and structure models for many years; but, only recently have I begun to finally build a layout. Inspired in part by the many prototype railroad construction projects I've photographed and observed during the past year (see the update at right and information in previous newsletters), I've decided that a major component of my model railroad layout will be the home base of a fictional railroad construction contractor. That scale industry provides an opportunity to model a variety of track and construction machinery. Photographing work in progress on this project also provides new examples of small object photography. I've provided photos for model railroad magazines in the past—but it's been a few years since I undertaken a major project involving scale model photography. My aim with this and other model railroad projects is not to provide the maximum possible detail for every item—something that would require incredible amounts of time and effort—but rather to create believable scenes that look realistic when viewed as a whole. I have similar aims in my photography of scale model subjects—depicting believable scenes. Scale models can be used to illustrate a variety of subject matter, some not available in real life without vast expenditures. In addition to illustrating the hobby of model railroading, scale model photos also have a major application for architecture, where models often provide the single best depiction of what a future structure will look like. Many of the same photo and lighting techniques are applicable in both areas. Want to take a look at some of my scale model photos? Follow the "Pictures by category" link on the home page and then select "Model railroad scenes" on the resulting page. That selection takes you to an introductory page with links to other pages that include both photos of both my own model railroad and a large club layout in Austria. I plan to add images from my latest project around the end of the year. |
| Bennett Place state historic site typical of in-depth NC coverage |
Several of the past few newsletters have focused heavily on my specialty of transportation coverage. However, my stock photo collection also includes wide-ranging general travel coverage of North Carolina (and Europe—see the following item.)
My North Carolina coverage includes many state and national historic sites—some of which I've photographed repeatedly over many years.
Bennett Place, near Durham, was the site of a major Civil war surrender. I've photographed that site many times since the mid 1960s—in all kinds of weather and both with and without costumed re-enactors. Often, when I'm testing a new piece of photo equipment or a new film, I'll shoot additional images there.
| Don't forget my European coverage |
And, don't forget my European coverage. The strongest coverage is for Austria, I also have additional coverage from several other countries.
During the Christmas season, I'm again featuring images from my 2001 Christmas in Austria stock shooting project on my Web site—one of my favorite projects from recent years.
No white Christmas where you are? Stop by and take a look at snow-covered Austria. You can follow either the "Pictures by category" or "Currently featured content" links on my home page.
| Recent major publication credits |
A few highlights:
Shortly before the end of the year, the annual North Carolina Economic Development Guide, produced jointly by the state and Business North Carolina magazine, appeared—including a major feature on North Carolina's state ports which I both wrote and illustrated.
Business North Carolina magazine has also continued to use a number of my architectural stock photos for its end of the magazine "Bricks and Mortar" photo feature in each issue. Subjects used within the last year have ranged from contrasting structures in downtown Charlotte to the Biltmore House in Asheville, N.C.
In early 2004, look for an issue of The History Channel Magazine, containing a major feature by me on historic American railroad locations—and why railroad fans like visiting those locations. Again, I supplied both extensive text and photos.
The July issue of Trains magazine included a one-page feature on the move of the historic Hamlet, N.C., station earlier in the year. The November issue of Railfan & Railroad contained a two-page photo feature on the conversion of the former N.C. Railroad engine house at Burlington into the state's newest Amtrak station.
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