The Railroad Photography of Phil Hastings (Railroads Past and Present) Hardcover – May 30, 2023

A great book that provides a wonderful vision into the long gone era of steam railroads. Excellent photographs well printed, the only minor downside is the paper stock is a bit flimsy.

Was looking forward to receiving this book. Have purchased many titles from this publisher and have been very pleased. This one however was VERY disappointing ! The quality of paper is flimsy and not suitable for a book of photographs. The photo reproduction is so dark and flat that the subject matter is lost in many cases (see examples attached). Returning my copy !

It was the manufacturing of this book that is disappointing. Printed in China with China made paper using clay with few fiber. The sheet has a very crappy opacity you can see right through it. The halftone line work is a disaster on 75% of the plates. If Mr. Hastings were alive today he would be appalled at this work. Mr. Hastings outstanding work deserves American pulp and prepress work. I’m 44 years in the printing industry. I am the authoritative director of high quality ink on paper and Reeve missed this on bad.

Hastings was one of the all-time best RR photographers. I enjoyed the personal background material as well. Definitely one of the greats.

Many of these photos are printed so darkly that the image is washed out. It reminds me of Lucius Beebe's comment in an old review that an Indian blanket was used as a filter. Comparing Plate 125 in the book with the same picture on the paper cover shows what I mean, with the cover photo showing a much clearer image. However Hastings evidently liked sometimes to underexpose (so that the basic shapes came out) while many of the photos have a great range in contrast, from white snow to black locomotive. There are a lot of very good images here but a buyer will have to piut up with many that are too dark to really 'see.'

This review is totally based on the photo reproduction in this book. Indiana University Press has done a disservice to Phil Hastings photography by printing all the photographs in a flat and lifeless manner. Most of the photographs are so dark that the pictures become black blobs. This volume is disrespectful to Phil Hastings talent. It is totally unacceptable. If this was a case of printing to a price point that was a big mistake. If you bought it, return it.

This book does the well known, extremely talented photographer Dr. Phillip R.Hastings a great disservice.The publisher, no doubt looking for a cheap printing job, sold out the author, and the gifted railroad photographer, with a very poor printing job. The overall photo reproduction is extremely bad. Whomever at Indiana University Press who approved the proofs, is obviously very inexperienced, or blind, and should resign. The Chinese printer should return the entire cost of the printing, and give up publishing. Dr. Hastings and the author deserved so much more credit than this DUD provides. Reportedly the first printing is to be destroyed allowing for a better quality SECOND printing. Watch for a better SECOND printing. The photographer and the author deserve better.

This is a useful collection of photos, but with serious issues. My favorite Hastings photos for the most part are not included - scenes from Vermont and New Hampshire, mostly Boston & Maine (see Hastings book on that road). Secondly, here as elsewhere many otherwise great photos are too dark, with details obscured. Much of Hastings' work is about contrasts and the "feel" of a time and place, so perhaps darkness/indistinctness was his intent. Or was it a printing decision? For crisper photos (more details) on many of the same subjects see those from Hastings' friend and colleague, Jim Shaughnessey.In sum, I think the publisher made too many poor decisions about content and quality of reproduction.

A fine collection of Hastings lifetime work in railway photography that you won't fine anywhere else.

Great book about a well respected and very talented, if modest, US railroad phorographer who never neglected the human dimension. Very well illustrated but be aware some of the images have come out rather dark. Hence four out of five,

Very disappointed with this book. The photographic reproduction is terrible. Most of the images are very dark, dull and muddy. It presents like a photo book form the 1950s. I should have returned it but missed the deadline.