A Whistle in the Distance: Crafting a Farewell Story

This Fine Art Children’s Portrait was photographed just outside Mars, PA, not far from Cranberry Township, on a quiet evening full of magic and surprise.

We had just finished a little model session when I heard it—a distant whistle winding through the trees. I quickly grabbed my camera and ran back down to the tracks, catching the train in the nick of time.

Earlier, this little girl had posed safely alongside the edge of the track, vintage suitcase in hand. She never stepped onto the rails, but she stood in the perfect spot where the curve of the track met the story I wanted to tell.

Later, I blended that image with the train shot—but I had a problem. While the train was captured at the same location, I was on the opposite side of the track when it came around the bend. So I carefully placed the train where it would have naturally appeared had both been photographed at the same time. The train cars behind it were built in piece by piece to give the scene depth and continuity.