the old bridge
image notes: rural Oklahoma
When I captured this image, I kept thinking one day thoughts would flow as they sometimes do, but everything that comes to mind are things better left unsaid.
The new bridge sits between the old bridge and the trestle track, but I drove across the old road, parked, and shot this photo.
This spot on God’s green earth will never hold fond memories for me, but only memories which make my chest ache from holding back tears which threaten to overwhelm me. It’s a place of departure, regret, rejection, and a feeling as isolated as the location itself.
Oh, what I would give to say I’d never have to lay eyes on it again, but for the time being a piece of my heart lies exposed on this old road where the coyotes freely roam and bear their young under the trestle track.
Oh, my ways are strange ways and new ways and old ways, and deep ways and steep ways and high ways and low. I’m at home and at ease on a track that I know not, and restless and lost on a road that I know.
— Henry Lawson
36 Comments
Otto K.
June 30, 2011lovely image. I like the soft, aged feel to this.
Marcie
June 30, 2011Reminds me of a beautiful soft painting. Lovely image and scene!
613photo
June 30, 2011Wow. Beautiful work. I love those lines against the hills. This is one of my favorite shots of yours ever, I think.
frankdejol
June 30, 2011Beautiful and poetic. I love this work of art.
Elaine-
June 30, 2011this is amazing, i’m always shooting bridges and processing them to heck, but i’ve never taken a photo like this… and your words broke my heart and i’m about to walk out the door, quite a bit sadder, thank you for the kind words on the portrait of my niece… :)
John Maslowski
June 30, 2011Love these old steel bridges. I’ve seen a lot of them replaced here in PA with the same concrete ones. Great angle, also like the patterns in the steel.
Anny
June 30, 2011Softness as in memories.
Michael Rawluk
June 30, 2011New bridges just lack the character of old bridges.
Seraphine
July 1, 2011beautiful photo, beautiful writing.
most of the time, old things are better than new because they have more character; they absorb energy from whatever surrounds them.
too often, things that are new have yet to develop a soul.
yz
July 1, 2011beautiful, looks like an old pencil drawing
vignesh TG
July 1, 2011Wonderful shot !!
its like a painting
Fritsch
July 1, 2011Roaming so painful & yet so beautiful, Sherri. A brilliant frame, excellent story telling. Great!
All the best & safe travels, Fritsch.
Caryn Caldwell
July 1, 2011This is absolutely gorgeous, and the processing is just perfect. It goes so nicely with your beautiful, melancholy words.
Arnd
July 1, 2011A wonderful capture and a heartbreaking story to go with it. Really sweet and touching!
Christopher
July 1, 2011A moving post Sherri–it’s amazing how a place can take us back for good or bad. I hope you’re in a happier place! Great rustic shot–excellent composition and colors!
Frida
July 2, 2011I too have a soft spot for old bridges, this is beautifully presented and your words are a bit melancholic and bitter sweet.
Mark Johnson
July 2, 2011Great capture and processing of this old bridge. It clearly shows how much more character the old bridge has than the new one. It is unusual to see 3 bridges so close to each other like this
Krunal
July 2, 2011this is beautiful, very soft, nicely composed
fabrizio
July 3, 2011interesting linear perspective and tonality…. seems a painting
joshi daniel
July 3, 2011loved this one! first i thought this to be painting!
george
July 3, 2011How did you manage to produce such a beautiful image from a place with those painful memories Sherri? Truly a masterpiece!
Claus Petersen
July 4, 2011Love the square format here, it give this image a perfect balance.
Kala
July 4, 2011Beautiful processing. I’m sorry to read that this place brings so much pain to you.
grapf
July 4, 2011This beautiful old bridge gives in the way you captured it really the impression of a very old bridge. I like this reminiscence to the good old days of the railways.
Ken
July 4, 2011I like how you travelled back in time by taking the image from the “old” POV of crossing the bridge. Great emotional composition.
Len Saltiel
July 4, 2011Wonderful composition Sherri. I really like the aged treatment.
John Prior
July 4, 2011Lovely image. Like the classic bridge and railroad passing through almost in a dream. Happy 4th of July Sherri.
Beat
July 5, 2011I like this style of photographs. very well done. great colors and framing!
Soe
July 5, 2011Beautiful photo.. Great treatment of soft tones…
Terry H.
July 5, 2011So soft and beautiful and the elements so well compose. A favorite for sure.
rem_la
July 5, 2011une image qui respire la tranquilité !
rian
July 6, 2011for a place that brings back those kinds of memories, it’s a surprise you went back and visited it.. nice capture..
crash
July 7, 2011a lovely soft image !!
Andrew Graeme Gould
July 7, 2011A photograph with strong emotion attached, then. A beautiful image, Sherri, the faded look being very evocative. I notice that you finish here with some lines by a famous Australian, Henry Lawson.
Carlos
July 8, 2011Magical!
Bob Towery
July 12, 2011Classy and classic. A signature Sherri image.