Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 385.0222
EAN num: 9780810941670
ISBN number: 0810941678
Label: Harry N. Abrams
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 144
Printing Date: November 01, 2000
Publishing house: Harry N. Abrams
Sale Popularity Level: 1864493
Studio: Harry N. Abrams
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
The years between the end of World War II and the mid-1960s saw a flowering of railroad photography in America. Photographers vied with one another to find archetypal railroad scenes that they recorded with novelistic precision. The most demanding technical efforts, however, were devoted to capturing the railroads at night. Here, in a stylish and moving book, are the last great steam engines, lonely motormen, silent stations, and more, all evoking the spirit of night railroading-as quintessentially American as cool jazz-in its glory days.
Starlight on the Rails celebrates the work of mostly unsung artists in stirring duotone photographs. The authors of this book and their 20-odd fellows-all highly skilled masters of lighting and composition-created visual poetry that memorializes an aspect of American life that will long be fondly remembered.
JEFF BROUWS grew up in the San Francisco Bay area, simultaneously discovering trains, photography, and the writing of Jack Kerouac at the age of 13. His photographs have appeared in several books, including Highway: America's Endless Dream. He now lives with his wife in Red Hook, New York.
EDWARD DELVERS traveled the country photographing trains through the late 1960s, then studied photographic science at MIT under the tutelage of Dr. Harold Edgerton. He has since worked in fields from aviation to satellite communications. He lives in Techachapi, California.
RICHARD STEINHEIMER, whom many consider the dean of American railroad photographers, has published numerous articles in Trains magazine and several books. He lives in Sacramento, California.
90 photographs in duotone, 6 photographs in full color, 113/8 x 105/8'
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Rated by buyers -
There are two types of books concerned with railway photographs. The very first consists of photographs of trains taken by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts. These generally have little aesthetic value, and consequently a low shelf life.
The second type is concerned with the context and atmosphere of the railway scene, and reaches its most supreme expression with scenes taken in rain, snow, fog, and after dark. This splendidly produced and presented (and most reasonably priced) book falls into this category most firmly. The range of images are stunning, as is the quality of reproduction. Particularly noteworthy are the inclusion of (far too few) photographs from Japan, to compliment the broadly American coverage.
My personal view is that some of the over descriptive captions could have been edited - the photographs speak for themselves quite easily. Also, Brouws' turgid and portentous prose really does take up too much space, I would happily forsake this in favour of having some of the postage stamp sized images reproduced at a decent size.
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