O. Winston Link

ThelensspotThelensspot Registered Users Posts: 2,041 Major grins
edited March 8, 2015 in Other Cool Shots
I'm a fan of the B & W photography of O. Winston Link. In 1957 he shot an elaborately lit night shot of a train passing over a bridge in Seven Mile Ford, Va. The shot is entitled "Silent Night at Seven Mile Ford, Va." You can quickly find it by going to Google. The lighting in his shot if you look at it closely is amazing. I had the opportunity to take that same shot (in daylight) trying to stand in the exact spot where I suspect Link had his camera. You might consider this the "Now" shot of a "Then and Now" comparison.
O. Winston Link had a cameo appearance in the movie "October Sky" depicting the train engineer in the rail harvesting scene.
Here's what the sight looks like today.


DSC_0003_edited-2-7-XL.jpg
"Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53

Comments

  • StumblebumStumblebum Registered Users Posts: 8,480 Major grins
    edited March 6, 2015
    Nice! Just wait for the train now!:D
  • ThelensspotThelensspot Registered Users Posts: 2,041 Major grins
    edited March 6, 2015
    Stumblebum wrote: »
    Nice! Just wait for the train now!:D

    Yes! mwink.gif Only wish they were the beauties of his day. The train in his shot was a class J (# 611) locomotive
    steam engine. A sleek "sports car" of a train. Here's a link with a history of the engine in the picture with a nice YouTube clip.

    http://www.american-rails.com/611.html

    It's being renovated at present in a cooperative effort between the Virginia Museum of Transportation in Roanoke, Va. and the North Carolina Museum of Transportation and Foundation in Spencer, N.C.
    Thanks for commenting!
    "Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53

  • CavalierCavalier Registered Users Posts: 3,077 Major grins
    edited March 6, 2015
    Nice BW shot. I love the shadows. And you're right - it was a beautiful train.

    Interestingly, when I look for the original Winston Link shot there are a couple of variations of it that come up (I used Yahoo to search). The train is going in opposite directions on two of the shots and some other less obvious changes (power lines cloned out, etc.). Makes me wonder which is the real original? See:

    http://www.artnet.com/artists/o-winston-link/silent-night-at-seven-mile-ford-virginia-WS1gYMwM87l6_pWYVWUptw2

    vs

    http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17525/lot/129/

    vs

    http://www.faciepopuli.com/post/16291214015/o-winston-link-silent-night-at-seven-mile-ford

    It appears that nothing is sacred on the Internet!!
    Jo West
    Photos: jowest.smugmug.com
    Book1: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LUBMI1C
    Book 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079V3RX6K
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jo.west.16
  • ThelensspotThelensspot Registered Users Posts: 2,041 Major grins
    edited March 6, 2015
    Cavalier wrote: »
    Nice BW shot. I love the shadows. And you're right - it was a beautiful train.

    Interestingly, when I look for the original Winston Link shot there are a couple of variations of it that come up (I used Yahoo to search). The train is going in opposite directions on two of the shots and some other less obvious changes (power lines cloned out, etc.). Makes me wonder which is the real original? See:

    http://www.artnet.com/artists/o-winston-link/silent-night-at-seven-mile-ford-virginia-WS1gYMwM87l6_pWYVWUptw2

    vs

    http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17525/lot/129/

    vs

    http://www.faciepopuli.com/post/16291214015/o-winston-link-silent-night-at-seven-mile-ford

    It appears that nothing is sacred on the Internet!!

    Exactly! There were two variations on the shot...as to the directrion the train was going (i.e. left to right vs the shot of right to left). The more commonly "sold" picture is the one you identified in the second URL (from bonhams) in which the train is passing from left to right. I have a large print from the Va. Museum of Transportation and it is that shot. I think you pose a good question. I have tried to research how he set up the shot and can't find information on this particular shot. I am sure there was flash on the other side of the tunnel which illuminated the trees you can see through the tunnel and for the backlighting effect on the locomotive smoke. Another behind the house which illuminates the tree and bank and another near the tunnel entrance which illuminates the tunnel from the front. In addition there is lighting on the road in front of the subjects which causes the sharp shadow across the road and gives the crisp light around the man and boy as well as creating their shadows. In addition there is lighting which the boy is holding to create the lantern effect and at the camera position as well.

    Here is a pic of some of his lighting equipment...

    http://www.vahistorymuseum.org/images/link_museum_2_men.jpg

    and obviously he was great with details as illustrated here...

    http://www.linkmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Link100title_Web.jpg
    “This is how I think when planning a photograph. The whole thing in accurate detail.” – O. Winston Link

    His other pictures are just as amazing! Thanks for commenting!
    "Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53

  • StumblebumStumblebum Registered Users Posts: 8,480 Major grins
    edited March 6, 2015
    Thanks for the knowledge dump Wayne and Jo! Really enjoyed it!
    So it is NOT wrong to fuss over every little detail of the photograph!
    I feel much better now!:D
  • ThelensspotThelensspot Registered Users Posts: 2,041 Major grins
    edited March 6, 2015
    Stumblebum wrote: »
    Thanks for the knowledge dump Wayne and Jo! Really enjoyed it!
    So it is NOT wrong to fuss over every little detail of the photograph!
    I feel much better now!:D

    rolleyes1.gifrofl
    "Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53

  • ThelensspotThelensspot Registered Users Posts: 2,041 Major grins
    edited March 7, 2015
    Stumblebum wrote: »
    Nice! Just wait for the train now!:D

    Stumblebum, so I thought about this and decided that you might be right. I drove back to the sight in Seven Mile Ford and just waited. It was cold, but I was doing this for you! :D
    The tree branches really block the view that O. Winston Link shot from, which dictated a shot from another angle. I think it works ok. This was in the morning so I had to really crank up the f/stop and down on the EV in order to get the shutter speed down to a point I thought it would blur the train.

    DSC_0028-1-7-XL.jpg

    And being a curious type of individual, I crawled up the bank and took a shot in the direction the train was heading. Yes, I see the sign!

    DSC_0009-7-XL.jpg

    And one more angle. You can see the tree branches encroaching from everywhere as you try to get the best view!

    DSC_0036-7-XL.jpg
    "Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53

  • CavalierCavalier Registered Users Posts: 3,077 Major grins
    edited March 7, 2015
    clap.gifclapclap.gif Love the train blur - it works - lots of action.

    Glad you trespassed for a minute - nice perspective.

    And those damn trees - doesn't Mother Nature know that photographers need love too? rolleyes1.gif
    Jo West
    Photos: jowest.smugmug.com
    Book1: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LUBMI1C
    Book 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079V3RX6K
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jo.west.16
  • ThelensspotThelensspot Registered Users Posts: 2,041 Major grins
    edited March 7, 2015
    Cavalier wrote: »
    clap.gifclapclap.gif Love the train blur - it works - lots of action.

    Glad you trespassed for a minute - nice perspective.

    And those damn trees - doesn't Mother Nature know that photographers need love too? rolleyes1.gif


    Hey Jo, thanks! I'll have to say I love nature but a chain saw kept creeping into my mind on this particular day! :uhoh
    "Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53

  • StumblebumStumblebum Registered Users Posts: 8,480 Major grins
    edited March 8, 2015
    Wayne that train shot is big time! The blur rocks too!
    I am sure you are pleased with the effort! I would be!
    Great job my friend!
  • ThelensspotThelensspot Registered Users Posts: 2,041 Major grins
    edited March 8, 2015
    Stumblebum wrote: »
    Wayne that train shot is big time! The blur rocks too!
    I am sure you are pleased with the effort! I would be!
    Great job my friend!

    Taz, Thank you so much for the kind comments! Coming from you (and also Jo) and knowing the quality of the shots you guys post (bowdown.gif) this really means a great deal to me. I was really glad I went back and got the better shot! Thanks again.
    "Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53

  • JuanoJuano Registered Users Posts: 4,890 Major grins
    edited March 8, 2015
    Great discussion! It reminded me about the controversy around a famous photo of the Crimean war.

    http://sbp.so/Fenton

    However, in this case, the train shot, what happens if you spend several thousand dollars on a print with the train going in one direction only to find that there is another print with the train going in the opposite direction? I would feel cheated.
    Cristóbal


    www.mind-driftphoto.com
  • ThelensspotThelensspot Registered Users Posts: 2,041 Major grins
    edited March 8, 2015
    Juano wrote: »
    Great discussion! It reminded me about the controversy around a famous photo of the Crimean war.

    http://sbp.so/Fenton

    However, in this case, the train shot, what happens if you spend several thousand dollars on a print with the train going in one direction only to find that there is another print with the train going in the opposite direction? I would feel cheated.

    Jauno, you bet one would feel cheated. However, in this case, Mr. Link took two shots. The print I have is this one from the URL that Jo was kind enough to send depicting the J class locomotive #611

    http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17525/lot/129/

    The shot with the train going in the opposite direction (heading west) is a different picture. The smoke stack pattern is totally different and the christmas tree is held in the other hand if you look at the man in the foreground. Also, I am pretty sure that this is J class locomotive #610 which was a different locomotive vs the first shot. It is generally accepted that these are two pictures from the same session at Seven Mile Ford, Va. Here's the alternate shot I describe below. There are a few other distinct differences you can find as well (look at the boys on the right side of the road on the bank). It's the second picture down and if you click on it you will get an enlarged image.

    http://eva-truffaut.blogspot.com/2011/05/o-winston-link.html

    Thanks for commenting!
    "Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53

  • ThelensspotThelensspot Registered Users Posts: 2,041 Major grins
    edited March 8, 2015
    And one more observation...I am pretty certain there is a cable running up the bank placed under the boys sitting at that position going to the flash behind the house. I suspect this is their purpose for sitting where they are...to hide the cable. You can first pick it up as it comes out of the "gutter" along the road.
    "Photography is partly art and partly science. Really good photography adds discipline, sacrifice and a never ending pursuit of photographic excellence"...ziggy53

  • JuanoJuano Registered Users Posts: 4,890 Major grins
    edited March 8, 2015
    Thelensspot wrote: »
    And one more observation...I am pretty certain there is a cable running up the bank placed under the boys sitting at that position going to the flash behind the house. I suspect this is their purpose for sitting where they are...to hide the cable. You can first pick it up as it comes out of the "gutter" along the road.

    Thanks for clarifying, I feel better! :D
    Cristóbal


    www.mind-driftphoto.com
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