John Sanderson
Railroad Landscape
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Space changes around rail lines that remain, generations after their construction. Flowing into the distance or cutting across a picture, the rails leave us in wonder; and yet their confident line anchors one to its path. Once bustling depots sit forlorn, objects of aesthetic pride are forgotten.
Elsewhere, tracks flow through immutable mountain passes. This body of photographs examines the overlooked track-side environment of America’s railroads.
From the urban to the rural, I set out to examine how the tracks exist as a narrative force within the frame while also looking to the places which describe our collective history.
Rooted in my passion for architectural design and history, this project has been underway for twelve years.
The photographs were created using a traditional 8×10″ inch film view camera and extensive travel throughout the United States of America.
John Sanderson is drawn to broad topographical subjects within the United States of America. It is there in the outdoors where he feels most creative. His photographs reconcile American motives of impermanence, and expansion within the contemporary landscape.
His projects include themes such as transportation, leisure, residence, industry, and decay. The influence of growing up in New York City’s Midtown Manhattan underpins much of Sanderson’s work which is rooted in a passion for architectural design.
He captures photographs for each project with multiple large format film cameras as well as smaller digital cameras as needed for commercial clients.
Sanderson’s photographs have been featured in a variety of publications such as: PDN Magazine, Slate Magazine, BBC News, The Wall Street Journal, Lenscratch, and NBC News. His work resides in a number of private and public collections.