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an ongoing study of the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway that has been sitting idle for the past few years. There is an ongoing initiative to reopen the line and offer passenger and freight rail services on Vancouver Island once more. Completion of an island rail corridor was one of the stipulations for Vancouver Island, a strategic West Coast location, to join Canada.
many of my photographs are made using long expired film stocks, some up to 80 years old! The imprint of time is unmistakable in these photos: a loss of contrast, artifacts within the deep shadows and highlights, bleed through from the backing paper on roll film, all of which lend, intentionally, a timeless look to each image. There is a certain unpredictability with each roll and each sheet of film that forces me to accept an uncertain outcome, a welcome change from the instant feedback of today's digital imaging.
An exceptionally well preserved example of a classic roundhouse where train engines would be stored for repairs and regular servicing. A huge turntable allowed the engines to be turned around to make the journey up island once more after arriving in Esquimalt, the end of the E&N Rail Line. The Roundhouse is now a national historic site surrounded by urban developments, a fascinating contrast of the old island ways and the new.
I enjoy photographing people in a comfortable environment where they feel natural and at ease. Capturing a small portion of a complex personality on film is something to be treasured in a day and age where Selfies rule.
lost dreams, limited resources, changes in circumstances…so many reasons for buildings to be abandoned or left without proper upkeep over the years. Many are relics of a bygone era that I enjoy recording before they finally collapse altogether or are razed for a new development.
