Westbound Departure, West Springfield, Massachusetts 3 - 1990

"Westbound Departure, West Springfield, Massachusetts" is a black and white photograph by American photographer James Welling, taken in 1990. The image depicts a train leaving a station, with a large plume of smoke rising from the train's engine into the sky. The smoke creates a stark contrast against the otherwise clear, grey sky and the silhouetted railroad tracks. The image's simplicity and starkness evoke the feeling of movement and departure. Welling is known for his large-format photographs of landscapes, often capturing the ephemeral nature of light and atmosphere. His work is often characterized by its contemplative and introspective qualities.