Community

This past October, I had the privilege of spending a day of photography with my friend Andy Morang. That’s him in the the photo, bending over his camera bag by the tracks in Monroe, Louisiana. Andy wrote about our day out on his blog, Urban Decay. We reprinted his post here a couple of weeks ago and he now has part two up. (See Part One and Part Two.)

Andy shoots mostly film, and on that day he carried a Hasselblad 501CM loaded with Tri-X. In the spirit of the day, I dusted off my Mamiya RB67, but while Andy went to work with the Hasselblad, I quickly discovered how out of practice I was with the RB67. I shot one roll of film and then went back to my familiar digital setup. After the morning’s shoot, we had lunch at the 2 Dudes Brew and Que, and then spent the afternoon exploring and photographing around town. We both came away with photographs and memories of a very enjoyable day.

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“Your own photography is never enough. Every photographer who has lasted has depended on other people’s pictures too—photographs that may be public or private, serious or funny, but that carry with them a reminder of community.”

Robert Adams – Why People Photograph

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The Covid pandemic has had a profound impact on the way we relate to one another. The good news is that we have learned new ways to communicate that span time and distance in a way that would not be possible without the new tools that bring us together virtually. But spending the day with a friend reminds me that sharing a common interest brings us together in these days when there seems to be so much to divide us.

A community has grown around The Trackside Photographer. It is a small part of the larger community of railfans, but it is a community that can bring us together, whether face-to-face or screen-to-screen. Thanks to everyone, readers and contributors alike, who makes up this community. I am honored to be a part of it.

Edd Fuller, Editor