©Richard Steinheimer
Fine Art Photography lost another iconic photography master this week with the passing of internationally acclaimed railroad and landscape photographer Richard Steinheimer. His lifelong love of the American west and trains drove him to produce some of the most iconic train and landscape photographs ever made.
Famed for his knack in railroad photography, his poetic images are mostly of beautiful trains and landscapes. He was “one of the greats” said John Gruber, the present president for the Center for Railroad Photography and Art in Madison, Wisconsin. Often compared to be the “Ansel Adams” of railroad photography.
His lens became a witness to the railroads’ heyday and their shift from steam to diesel motive power. He was one of the best and his works will continue to inspire both the experienced and the novices in the world where pictures relay meanings.
©Richard Steinheimer
Robert Mann Gallery of NYC that represents his fine art photography sites his work as ” some of the most beautiful night photographs of railroads ever made”.
What does it take to join the roster of the world’s famous photographers? Is it skill,
knowledge, fame, power, or is a pure gift you have with you ever since you were
born? And once you have this gift, how do you measure it among others? How can
you triumph above the rest and how can you prove that your works are better? Worse,
how can you prove the world that you have what it takes to shine? Indeed, the world of
photography is for everyone but it takes a real good one to leave their footprints in it—it
takes someone like Richard Steinheimer.
Although he might not have considered his work to be fine art photography; as he had been known to refer to himself as just another “rail photo bum”, I think that there are few who have seen his photographic work that would agree with him about this. Not only is it done well technically it transcends to the emotive, which is what all great art does, including fine art photography.
©Richard Steinheimer Photography
Creating great photography has never been an easy task to succeed in on any level, imagine trying to accomplish it on the roof of a speeding locomotive in the middle of winter,
without the aide of many of the things that we as photographers are now able to take for granted.
While Richard Steinheimer’s photographs may not have started out to be fine art photography that is where the journey he was on for over 50 years ended up taking him, and his work.
Personally as someone who has been involved with photography for a fair amount of time I find his work to be brilliant and inspirational on way too many levels to talk about here.
As I have said many times before about countless other photographers whose work I did not know until I somehow stumbled upon it, often too late. I wish that I could have found them or seen the photography that they while they were here, if for no other reason than to say thank you. I love your work, and appreciate the gift of fine art photography you have given to us to see and enjoy.
To read Valerie Nelson’s article about Richard in the Los Angeles Times click here
