Winston Link the Photographer

Running head: WINSTON LINK
Winston Link the Photographer
Name:
University:
Course:
Tutor:
Date:
Abstract
Winston Link is one of the most recognized photographers in the 21st century. His unique photography was initially ignored but later managed to fascinate and capture the attention of many people in the United States, England, Japan and many other places around the world. His photography was unique because it mainly focused on capturing steam locomotives a subject matter that did not interest many people at first. This paper is going to explore the life of Winston Link, his works and both the exciting and challenging moments in his life.
Winston Link the Photographer
Winston was born in New York in December of 1914. He resided with his family in Brooklyn. Winston’s father was a teacher in a public school and he inspired and influenced his children in a positive way. Winston’s father often took him and his other two siblings on trips in New York City where they saw different sights. Link’s father also introduced him to craftsmanship and photography at an early age. This made Winston to love craftsmanship and by the time he was a teenager he managed to construct a photographic enlarger and proceeded to work in a nearby photo studio. After graduating from high school, Link went to college where he pursued civil engineering. While in college, Link continued to sharpen his photography skills by editing and taking photos for the college newspaper. After graduation from college, he took a job with a public relation company as a photographer (O. Winston Link Museum, 2007).
Although Link was trained as an engineer, he never pursued a career in engineering. On the onset of world war two, he quit his photography job at Carl Byoir and proceeded to work at Colombia Institute in Mineola where he conducted undercover war researches on the behalf of the American government. Behind the laboratory in which Link worked, there was a railway station. Link had an interest in steam locomotives from an early age, and working near a train station renewed his interest. He started taking pictures of steam locomotives and while at it, he realized that there was one main difficulty in taking pictures of locomotives. This problem was mainly caused by poor lighting and this inspired him create a special flash light which he mainly used in taking photos at night (O. Winston Link Museum, 2007).
When the World War II ended Link’s former employer Byoir made him an offer to return to work but Link declined the offer and preferred venturing as professional photographer. During this time Link moved away from taking the traditional locomotives photos to taking photo of factory interiors which later formed the basis of his popularity. Link traveled to Virginia in 1955 to take industrial photos in Staunton. When traveling to Staunton link knew that there was one of the last steam powered trains in America passing nearby. He requested and was given permission by the president of the rail company to examine the tracks, and later he went back with his photographic equipment and started shooting pictures of the locomotives. This was just the beginning of numerous trips Link made to Maryland, South Carolina and Virginia photographing locomotives. These trips ended up with the production of two thousand four hundred images. After this achievement Link went back to New York and proceeded with his earlier career of commercial photography (Wakin, 2003).
Link wrote notes on how he prepared for and took his photographs. He wrote that he planned and took them by employing fundamental laws of physics. When working, the position of lighting units, a...