Photographer Spotlight: Profiling young talent in railroad photography
April 2015: Hunter Richardson
Through a new series designed to profile the photography of aspiring rail enthusiasts, each month, the Observation Tower blog will highlight a young photographer that features samples of his/her work and a brief biography, enlightening us on how he/she developed an interest in the hobby, and how rail photography has potentially guided them with their college pursuit or career choice.
For this inaugural series, I’m delighted to feature the work of 17-year old Hunter Richardson, an Elizabethton, Tennessee resident with a lifelong interest in railroads. In recent years that interest has extended into photography, and at the age of 17 Hunter has accumulated a growing portfolio of rail photos from all across east Tennessee and the neighboring Appalachian region. Hunter began taking photos at 13 using a Nikon D70S and today, uses Canon DSLR equipment.
Left: Hunter Richardson stands at the popular Pool Point overlook near Elkhorn City, Ky. on CSX's ex- Clinchfield mainline. Right: Southbound at Fordtown, Tenneseee, a loaded CSX coal train traverses the former Clinchfield mainline on a dreary November evening.
Below are some additional questions we asked Hunter during our interview with him:
Q: For rail photography purposes, where is your favorite place to visit?
A: Currently, my favorite place is the Norfolk Southern Pocahontas District.
Q: Any region or area you would like to visit for railroad photography?
A: I would like to visit the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad as well as anyplace throughout the western United States.
Q: Who inspires you most?
A: Many people inspire me in my life, such as my parents and several other key people in my life. In the rail photography hobby, many of the people in my general region are a huge source of inspiration, help, and support.
Leading a loaded coal train over former Virginian rails, three Norfolk Southern engines cross Covel trestle in this June 2014 perspective.
In the future, Hunter intends to continue moving forward with his rail photography efforts, expanding equipment-and advancing his skills with the hopes of one day pursuing a career that will allow him to utilize his interest in photography.
Aside from photography, Hunter is an avid baseball player and enjoys time with friends, family, and his girlfriend Chelsea. To view Hunter’s rail portfolio, visit http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=57287
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