The Railroad Photography of Jack Delano (Railroads Past and Present)
Product ID: 21639089
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Born in the Ukraine, photographer Jack Delano moved to the United States in 1923. After graduating from Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in 1937, Delano worked for the Farm Security Administration (FSA) and the Office of War Information (OWI) as a photographer. Best known for his work for the Office of War Information during 1940–1943, Jack Delano captured the face of American railroading in a series of stunning photographs. His images, especially his portraits of railroad workers, are a vibrant and telling portrait of industrial life during one of the most important periods in American history. This remarkable collection features Delano's photographs of railroad operations and workers taken for the OWI in the winter of 1942/43 and during a cross-country journey on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway, plus an extensive selection of his groundbreaking color images. The introduction provides the most complete summary of Delano's life published to date. Both railroad and photography enthusiasts will treasure this worthy tribute to one of the great photographers of the thirties and forties. Review: Tracking down the trains - At last, a fascinating overview of Jack Delano's railroad photography. His work on this subject has certainly been neglected. Some photos were in Don Ball's 'The decade of trains: the 1940s' published in 1977 and the same year saw James Valle's 'The iron horse at war' with 272 wonderful mono photos unfortunately presented in a very bland looking book (incidentally it can still be picked up quite cheaply if you look around the net). This new title is in four portfolios : FSA photos 1940-1942; OWI Chicago; OWI across the country with Santa Fe; FSA/OWI railroads in color 1940-1943 (this portfolio has thirty-three shot). The nature of Delano's work lifts way above the usual railroad book full of track side shots of heavy freights pulled by multiple diesels, the photos here are in a way the opposite of that because they mostly show workers doing their jobs to keep the (rather rundown) industry going as the country moved into the war years. I thought the photo selection particularly inspiring because mixed in with the medium and long shots of engines being repaired and serviced or out on the track there are close-up portraits of the workers and the color section nicely has five shots of female railroaders The back pages have an interesting nine pages devoted to Roy Stryker's railroad shooting scripts followed Notes over four pages (well worth reading, too) then a Bibliography and Index. The book is well produced in its landscape format, all the photos are captioned including their Library of Congress number. Jack Delano's railroad photography really comes alive in these pages. Review: Jack Delano - This book is a gift, and will be well received. The photos are excellent. Mr. Delano was an excellent photographer.
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 36 Reviews |
R**N
Tracking down the trains
At last, a fascinating overview of Jack Delano's railroad photography. His work on this subject has certainly been neglected. Some photos were in Don Ball's 'The decade of trains: the 1940s' published in 1977 and the same year saw James Valle's 'The iron horse at war' with 272 wonderful mono photos unfortunately presented in a very bland looking book (incidentally it can still be picked up quite cheaply if you look around the net). This new title is in four portfolios : FSA photos 1940-1942; OWI Chicago; OWI across the country with Santa Fe; FSA/OWI railroads in color 1940-1943 (this portfolio has thirty-three shot). The nature of Delano's work lifts way above the usual railroad book full of track side shots of heavy freights pulled by multiple diesels, the photos here are in a way the opposite of that because they mostly show workers doing their jobs to keep the (rather rundown) industry going as the country moved into the war years. I thought the photo selection particularly inspiring because mixed in with the medium and long shots of engines being repaired and serviced or out on the track there are close-up portraits of the workers and the color section nicely has five shots of female railroaders The back pages have an interesting nine pages devoted to Roy Stryker's railroad shooting scripts followed Notes over four pages (well worth reading, too) then a Bibliography and Index. The book is well produced in its landscape format, all the photos are captioned including their Library of Congress number. Jack Delano's railroad photography really comes alive in these pages.
J**N
Jack Delano
This book is a gift, and will be well received. The photos are excellent. Mr. Delano was an excellent photographer.
A**R
Glad to see Delano get much deserved recognition
Several photographs here are in a book I edited, Railroaders: Jack Delano’s Homefront Photography, published by the Center for Railroad Photography & Art (2014), and my article, “Delano Travels West,” Railroad History 211 (Fall-Winter 2014). Glad to see Delano get much deserved recognition.
H**N
Best book about Mr. Delano.
If you like photography and railroads.. this book is for you! Highly recommended!
A**N
Every picture tells a story.
This book captures life on the railroad form years gone by. Each and every picture tells a story. Highly recommended.
L**A
Five Stars
Great people and real railroading photography
G**T
Five Stars
Excels with superb pictures of railroaders
J**M
The Railroad Photography of Jack Delano
Outstanding book on railroading in the United States during WWII. Highly recommended.
M**W
Five Stars
Excellent book from a relatively unknown photographer.
D**L
Muy interesante compendio
Ya conocia la obra de Jack Delano, pero en este libro viene muy bien explicada y condensada. Lo recomiendo encarecidamente.
M**I
Le visage de l'Amérique pendant la guerre
Si vous aimez le monde des chemins de fer, le travail de Jack Delano ne vous est probablement pas inconnu. Photographe officiel du Ministère de l'Agriculture des États-Unis (FSA) pendant la Seconde Guerre Mondiale, il a immortalisé les travailleurs qui participaient à l'effort de guerre américain. Ce livre regroupe une sélection de vues monochromes et couleur, réparties en quatre portfolios : les photos de la FSA, Chicago, la traversée du continent avec le Santa Fe et les chemins de fer américains en couleurs 1940-1943. Le format du livre et la mise en page permet d'apprécier les photographies qui illustrent le monde des chemins de fer en général (et pas seulement du matériel ferroviaire, loin de là).
B**L
Une autre vision du chemin de fer américain
magnifiques photos de Jack Delano, qui met en lumière les hommes et les femmes qui travaillent dans le chemin de fer américain des années 1040. Superbe!
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