Railroaded

So here’s yet another shot in this seemingly never-ending series of b/w images that I’ve somehow gotten myself locked into! … Oh, now I remember, I started this series in celebration of the movie The Artist, and now find myself stuck in b/w! (although, once again, this one tips slightly into sepia).

 

This is a scene I pass everyday on my drive to and from work. I’ve always been meaning to bring along my camera, stop, and take a shot – but never did until now, when I have an iPhone and am working on an article about drive-by photography. On this particular drive I was fortunate enough to be able to stop in the middle of the road to get the shot. There were no stressed-out commuters behind me at the time!

 

I went for an “old photo” look here – a nice “normal distribution” of tones that fall a tiny bit short of deep shadows and bright highlights, with low contrast and a slight softening by turning down the “clarity” slider in PS Camera Raw.

 

Of course we’ve all seen hundreds of these railroad tracks photos. Nevertheless, there is something enticing about them, in an archetypal sort of way – the visual pull of receding lines, the mystery of travel and adventure, and the feeling of being railroaded towards one’s destiny.

 

Done