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Image Description: A large steam engine travelling around a curve in the railroad tracks toward the camera, with a few train cars behind it. There are trees in the background and a blue sky. The steam engine says "Big Boy" on the boiler plate in white chalk, and bears the engine number X4014.

The Steel Mass

Image Description: A large steam engine pulling a train painted in yellow Union Pacific colors. There is an American flag on one train car and on a backup diesel locomotive. It is traveling across a grassy field under a clear blue sky.

Ever Onward, Ever Forward

Image Description: A large steam engine pulling Union Pacific train cars. There is an American flag on one train car and on a backup diesel locomotive. It is traveling across a grassy field under a clear sky.

Upon Their Crushed Spines, America

Image Description: A black and white photograph of a large steam locomotive travelling through a ravine. Behind it is another steam engine. On the front of the engine, "Big Boy" is chalked on the locomotive, and the numbner "X4014" is visible at the top. Photographers are visible on the left, on the edge of the ravine.

Sometimes You Have to Climb

Image Description: A photograph of a freight train rounding a corner in a canyon. The train is moving toward the camera. There are two locomotives, and the cars trail around the corner and out of view behind the locomotives. To the locomotive's left is a large rocky wall. Behind it, in the background, a highway is visible. Sheer rock walls rise above that. There are grass and trees covering it. A river is visible in the bottom of the frame stretching around and behind the canyon. A sliver of blue sky with white clouds is visible.

Instagram Loves A Square

Image Description: A large red structure fills the entire frame. In the center is a cone, but from this angle it appears to just be a circle. It is surrounded by 10 blades in a fan formation. They stretch to all edges of the frame. It is a railroad rotary snowplow.

America, Our History is Exceptionalism

Full Poem: https://medium.com/@wdibble/america-our-history-is-exceptionalism-551d2c0a359c Image Description: A close-up of the side of a cattle railroad car. The wood is painted red, but faded almost to pink. It is chipped in many places. There is a small metal pipe from the bottom center to top-right corner. Near the top is a gap in the wood, through which darkness and a blurry bit of light is visible. "KEEP OFF" is stenciled in white lettering on the car.

Thunder Rolls and Trails Black Clouds

Image Description: A close-up image of a very large steam locomotive. The main drive wheels and a large silver coupling rod is the primary subject of the photo. At the bottom, a rail is visible. A leaf spring is visible behind the wheel in the center.

Breathe, Work, Thrust

Poem: https://medium.com/@wdibble/breathe-work-thrust-6c88d6d6d47a Image Description: A close-up of a large steam engine locomotive piston. The piston and its connecting pipes are black steel with streaks of blue on them. There are bolts connecting various plates and endcaps. To the lower right, extending off-picture, is a silver steel component that drives the wheels. One of the wheels is partially visible. A leaf spring is visible behind the wheels.

Zippers Stretched From One End of the Valley to the Other

Happiness is the Road

The Last Wild Places Were Saved For Tourists

Have I Seen You Before?

Transit

Taken from Charlotte's transit system near the Hornets stadium. Infrared monochrome.

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I captured this from the highway on the way to a Memorial Day weekend hot air balloon festival. I had my friend go to my trunk and get the rented 5D Mark II and Sigma 50-500mm lens for me. We were in completely stopped traffic for most of an hour, and I was able to capture several shots from my car. The festival was an organizational disaster once we got there. There were no balloons set up. Then, we found out there were no provisions to get balloons back from their earlier flights, so they were stuck on the road. Nobody was able to tell us when the evening glow was. Eventually, several pilots told us there wasn't one, so we packed up to leave. On the way out, they announced that they WERE doing one, but by then, it was too late as I was outside the area already. On top of that, only 4-5 balloons had even made it back to the field. Next year, I will probably either not go, or go earlier under the assumption that they hopefully have it together this time.

Studebaker Classic

I've only seen a handful of Studebakers in my life. Recently, I had the pleasure of seeing a purple 1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk. Unfortunately, being at a public car show, getting the framing right with a nice background proved to be nearly impossible. I did snap this picture of its grill ornament, though, and finally settled on some processing I felt complimented its age.

Power By Ford

I captured this at a car show in downtown Cary. One of the collectors brought down a gorgeous 1971 De Tomaso Pantera. The '71 Pantera was powered by a gigantic 5.8L V8 engine. While I didn't get to hear the vulgar utterances of that massive engine, I did take time to admire the blazing orange paint that this car wore. I've never gotten to see a Pantera in person before this day, so it was a pretty neat car to see. I'm particularly fond of how this picture manages to look more like a Ford stamp on a flat background than an actual photograph. To me, it looks like the Ford brand is floating above an orange surface.

25 Years of Speed

I will maintain for a long, long time that only one American sports car has not lost its edge over time. Sure, the Corvette has looked more interesting at some times than others. Sure, I prefer the Ford GT in all of its incarnations. But only one American sports car has lasted a dedicated 50 years, going on 65 with no breaks. Here's looking at you, Corvette.

To Rust We Decay

Standing like solemn sentinels, the remains of the gutted engine peered out from the minivan's hood. But this minivan would not be going anywhere. Abandoned by an unknown owner, its engine compartment burned out, and its interior looted, the van waits for its last stop. As all things eventually must, it, too, must go to its grave.

Super Sport

Chevelles are so common as to be mundane. Finding a unique picture of a Chevelle is like trying to take a unique picture of a neighborhood house built from a blueprint. Yes, its possible, and yes, the car might look good, but its so common that everybody's already done it. I decided to get in closer, and focus on this one's stamp of power.

Will You Walk the Path With Me?

Image Description: A black and white photograph of a mountain valley. There is a road traveling from the bottom left to the top right, disappearing around a mountain bend. A winding river follows alongside the road. The mountains are covered in evergreen trees. Above the treeline, the mountains are barren. The sky is cloudy.