Literal World Collection

Surrounded by the color of everyday life, our visual experience remains well within that which is familiar and recognizable.

The images in these collections move beyond these comfortable boundaries and explore the abstraction that exists within the day-to-day.

We live in a literal world.

Yet within it lies an abstract universe awaiting discovery through the camera’s lens.

Wisconsin Central Hoppers
Powerplant Siding
Madison, Wisconsin

Our perceptions of the railroad are shaped by images of steel caravans thundering into endless perspective over silver rails; car after car captured as it passes into the distant horizon.

Between the ribs of a Wisconsin Central hopper car lie typographic abstractions, textures and contrasts etched into steel transformed by wear and weather.

Canadian and Pacific Rail Yard
Portage, Wisconsin

The CP Yard at Portage is a working freight division point for the Canadian and Pacific railroad. Offering up a wealth of images, this early series provides a simple color palette but a wonderful variety of compositions

Boston & Maine Gondolas
Commercial Street Siding, Portland, Maine

I visted Portland after a 10 year absence in 2004 to visit with family and friends. When I first moved there in 1979, the Maine Central Railroad was still running GP7s down the center of Commercial Street.

But not in 2004, so I was pleasantly surprised, nearly 25 years later, to find well-worked gondolas sitting on a siding still dressed in the old Boston & Maine livery.

They gave up a stunning series of images.

Illinois Railway Museum, 2005
Union, Illinois

My first visit to this great midwestern homage to rail transport yielded some great train shots. While a few notable shots are part of the Literal World collection, there are more traditional images as well. Be sure to check out the In-Between Series.

Illinois Railway Museum 2006
Union, Illinois

Someone asked me if I was a railroad photographer. I laughed and answered, "I suppose I am, but I try to not let it interfere with my pictures." I do love trains, but the images in the Literal World collection aren't about trains, as you've probably surmised by now.

On this second visit to the Railway Museum, I revisited some older locations and discovered some new ones. I came away with a few more images than last year's trip afforded but as is always the case at this location, I found some special images to share.

NADX 7476
North American Car Corporation Boxcar, Middleton, WI

This series was one of the first collections shot from a single rail car. It wasn't until I actually started shooting that I realized how interesting these pictures would be. Both the color and the compositions were a total surprise.

Union Pacific 517606
Middleton, WI

This location marked the first time I had ever actually stood inside a freight car.

But, it was a bleak-looking box car on a bleak-looking day and I never expected to walk away with a single usable shot from this location. I was pleasantly surprised because a few of these images represent some of my favorites.

Railbox 36708
Middleton, WI

I love the pink.

Railbox 31925
Middleton, WI

Christmas Day was really cold, with the wind rattling the tripod as I took these shots. It got to me, the cold, and after an hour-and-a-half of shooting, with less than a quarter of the boxcar completed, I had to give it up.

Naturally, as is the way with most of the singles I shoot, the next day it was gone.