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Long Journey short life

I had not mentioned this previously however there is a story attatched to the image.

This young girl had been told on a late late Friday afternoon back in February that her husband had been killed in a military helicopter accident in Scotland. She immediately bought a ticket from London to Edinburgh and proceeded to travel early Friday evening. She had unfortunately got on the last train north that terminates at Doncaster at 23.00hrs, she had to wait 6 hours on a cold train platform alone knowing that her husband was dead - before the next train would arrive to continue her journey north. From Doncaster the next stop is York, where of course I got on the train (I was travelling to Edinburgh to watch a rugby match). I got into conversation with this tearful lady to discover this story, I have never experienced such tradgedy nor spent 6 hours on a train station platform thinking about it.

This image was her reflection in the train window as I sat oposite her. mal

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Pierre Pageau 12 months ago

félicitations .

Andre du Plessis 12 months ago

After reading the story behind this face with this expression ... well, not much that I can say. Compliments Mal.

Fadi Tarawneh 1 year ago

Breath taking...looks like Her Husband was there with her....

Mae Lim Harrison 2 years ago

Still one of my favs...such a powerful image...it's hard to let go of her and move to the next image.

sasson haviv 2 years ago

i really feel sad for her

King Douglas 3 years ago

Very touching. Thanks for the back story.

KPK 3 years ago

Makes me speechless.

Balazs Pataki 3 years ago

I found this when googling after opinions about 1x and there was a French thread from years ago, where they were snorting at 1x being snobby and dfficult to access etc etc and then one guy linked this image and suddenly there was silence...

Masterfully captured, if it's appropriate to talk about this as a subject of photography...

Geraint 3 years ago

Heartbreaking. One of the most powerful photos I've seen, made especially poignant by your description, which I think was neccessary here for us to appreciate it in its full context.

Mal Smart thanks Geraint. I was not sure whether to include the story with this one, in actual fact, I decided to see if the photo was strong enough with out the story, luckily it was published and I asked Ralf to add the story later. Its one of my fave images, thank you for taking time to have a look. all the best. mal

Loredana Guinicelli 4 years ago

ghosts of ghosts in it.
wonderfully done

Mal Smart many thanks Loredana. all the very best. mal

Emily Bem 4 years ago

The story behind this image is enough to bring tears to one's eyes...okay, my eyes. I have visited this image multiple times and never really knew what to say. I still don't, but I want you to know I find it very powerful and and dreamlike at the same time. This one touches me, Mal...in a different way! This is some seriously GOOD photography.

Well done, Mr. Smart ;)

Mal Smart I have to say Em, that this was a lucky shot situation. She got on the train at Doncaster which is 30 mins before York where I got on. She was slumped asleep across the table separating a group of four seats, the rest of the train was full, so I had to sit at her table unknowing what her story was, I thought that she might be drunk! She woke up as I sat down, I apologised for waking her, she apologised for being asleep. She, intermittently would go into tears and I felt obliged to ask her what was wrong! She told me this tragic story, I tried to say all the right things but I'm sure that someone else might have helped her more. The only thing that made her smile was me trying to take blurry landscape photo's as the train sped on, this is when I got this one and only shot. mal

Emily Bem It's impossible for ANYONE to say the "right" things at a time like that. There are no words that can relive such an anguish....but I'm sure whatever you said was kind, sympathetic and appreciated. I can just see her thinking you were taking a landscape, but you were really after this treasure....

It's definitely one of my favs from your gallery...

:)

Mal Smart many thanks Em. It is possibly the only time that I have ever captured a human being in true context, i.e. the photo is of a real story and not posed, it was a shoot from the hip moment. This in my humble opinion is the best photo that I have ever taken. mal

Emily Bem ;)

Keith Naylor 4 years ago

Simply stunning and a very fitting image for the story. My congratulations to you and my sympathies to the girl.

Mal Smart thank you Keith - very much appreciated. mal

Jure Kravanja 4 years ago

amazing

Mal Smart thank you Jure. all the best. mal

Robert Taylor 4 years ago

Brilliant candid image Mal, but such a sad story.

Mal Smart cheers Robert. Yes sad indeed. mal

Ulf Börjesson 4 years ago

Well done!

Mal Smart thank you Ulf. mal

Tandy J. Howard 4 years ago

This is stunning. Excellent capture. One of the Brilliant photo's that make OnExposure so unique. A very moving image.

Mal Smart thank you very much, it's not often that I take pictures of people. all the best. mal

Martin 4 years ago

This is a powerful shot without the story, but knowing the circumstances certainly adds to the impact.

Mal Smart thank you Martin. all the best. mal

Robin Roels 4 years ago

This one deserves to be here Mal! BTW, one way or another now there is a story that goes with the image. Makes it even stronger now
sreehc etam
RR

Mal Smart Shreec meat. I was unsure if the story should be posted or not, I changed my mind and Ralf allowed me to add it later. thank you Robster. mal

Ross Hamamura 4 years ago

Mal, what a back story ... wow, I actually thought it was all done in PS. great work.

Mal Smart thanks Ross, I took 3 shots, this was the only one that the outside landscape was darker than her skin helping to bring the features into view. mal

Marcello Della Corte 4 years ago

Mal, this is an incredibly moving story. I love how this image conveys the profound sense of tragedy and loss of such moments in life!

Mal Smart thankyou Marcello. I was unsure that I should post the story with the image and indeed I did not. I had a change of heart and asked Ralf to post it for me after the image was had been published, I was unsure that it might detract from the shot, it's one of the very few occassions that I feel that I have captured the feeling of the moment. all the best. mal

Alistair Parker 4 years ago

Mal that is the most amazing story, how brave of you to take the shot and capture the moment so well. I am doing an art assignment based on railway stations and the "sense of place" associated with them. This image captures one of the most poignant emotions to be found in these monumental locations "sadness" so difficult to capture, a brilliant sensitive image.

Mal Smart thank you for the wonderful comment Alistair, she thought that I was taking blurry pictures of the landscape passing by and I did feel slightly guilty taking this image. all the best. mal

flo 4 years ago

it is a great photography, we are on earth ,but not really..We are here, but not here. You do it with few means: and that it's great. I love this photo

Mal Smart thank you so much Flo, when I snapped the shot, I thought very little of it but then I was told the by this lady of her sorrow and somehow the image took on a new meaning. mal

lucian olteanu 4 years ago

...terrific...

Mal Smart thank you Lucian, very much appreciated. mal

lucian olteanu ...try to send me your e-mail,because I'm thinking about something!

Mal Smart Sent OE mail. mal

lucian olteanu ...thank you!Lucian

Jeremy Russell 4 years ago

Powerfull image.

Very sad.

Mal Smart thank you Jeremy, all the best. mal

Willy Marthinussen 4 years ago

Sad story..well done photography...love it Mal..
kind regards --willy--

Mal Smart thanks Willy, it was really difficult knowing what to say to her. mal

Willy Marthinussen so i can imagine Mal..its not easy to speak in such situation...well done and my compliments to make this photo and tell her story...
kind regards --willy--

Mal Smart the 3 hour journey was a difficult one Willy. But easier for me than her. mal

Martine Bour 4 years ago

Absolutely fantastic.. Very very moving!

Mal Smart thank you Martine, the story behind the image is a sad one, which has been updated. mal

Jonathan Blondiau 4 years ago

Very nice !
Please some details on this photograph !

Mal Smart Hi Jonathan, thank you. The guys at OE have allowed me to update the details of the picture and story. mal

Claude Bour 4 years ago

Another great one, Mal! Perhaps one of your nicest photographs, congrats!

Mal Smart cheers Claude for the great feedback. mal

Maria Little 4 years ago

sublime!! you captured so much emotion in this picture..

gtz..
Maria from the Hood

Mal Smart thank you so much Maria. all the best. mal

Cile Bailey 4 years ago

Mal, symbolic excellence...no words could ever be enough so congratulations.
Always, C

Mal Smart thank you Cile, the guys at OE have allowed me to update the story. all the best. mal

Cile Bailey I felt her darkness from your capture but did not understand why. That is why I could not find the words to say what I was feeling. Now I know why. So sad, and the wy her reflection is captured in the glass does make it even more symbolic. Thanks for the update.
Always, Cile

Mal Smart I was unsure whether to include the story Cile when uploading the image, I thought that It might detract from the image. but I changed my mind and OE allowed me to tell the story. mal

Cile Bailey I am glad you did!
Always, Cile

Robin Roels 4 years ago

Wandering is what we all do in life! This is really exellent Mal! love it!
cheers
nirob

Mal Smart cheers Nibor. all the best. malski

Fernand Hick 4 years ago

Excellent Mal, like it a lot !
Fernand

Mal Smart thank you Fernand, very much appreciated. mal

Jacques VERREES 4 years ago

Wonderful!
Congratulations!

Mal Smart thank you very much Jacques. mal

Serban Mestecaneanu 4 years ago

simply wonderful...

Mal Smart thank you Serban. all the best. mal

Ralf Stelander 4 years ago

Beyond words...

Mal Smart Hi Ralf, thank you for the great comment, I've tried to up-date the info to include a bit of a story with the pic. Can you confirm that it has been recieved? All the best. mal

Ralf Stelander Affermative! A description that adds even more mood if possible.

Mal Smart thank you Ralf, I was unsure if I should include the story or not. mal