Sunday, September 20, 2015

Joey Scolieri - Weekly Artist Post 6

Ogle Winston Link




1. Ogle Winston Link was a commercial photographer that documented the end of the locomotive industry in the 1950's by shooting a series of photographs for the Norfolk & Western locomotive company. His intent from these photographs was to capture an iconic piece of American history before it vanished. He wanted to create a lasting tribute for the individuals who's lives were deeply rooted in the locomotive industry. Link shot his images in black and white using a large format camera, in order for him to make the desired image he had to creatively choose his lighting and angle of frame. 

2. Ogle Winston Link's intent from this series was to document the Norfolk & Western locomotive company. His purpose was to depict through these images how important the industry was to the individuals living and working around the railroads. He viewed the industry as a great American past time and wanted to capture its essence while it still existed. The first and third images show a man and child, presumably father and son, waving and looking as the train drives past them. The images are staged in such a way that the lighting perfectly illuminates the silhouette of the individuals and the thick white smoke fills the frames of the first and second image. You can tell from these images and how Link chose to shoot them that a lot of care and creative thought was put into the creation of each image. 

3. These photographs are shot in such a way that they make me want to go back in time and experience the locomotive scene in the late 1950's. The way the lighting is perfectly staged in each image, only bringing attention to the details Link wants the viewer to focus on is incredible. I like the allure of the black and white photography as well, the white smoke really pops out in each image and if the picture was made in color I don't think it would have the same lasting effect that it does in black and white. 



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