The Complete Journey
Part 6 of 6 in BTNTRX.V1 Retrospective Series (FINAL)
Over the past 2 weeks, I’ve shared the story behind BTNTRX.V1: the conversation that revealed what I was photographing, the research that showed the pattern extended across Atlanta, the infrastructure that enforces division, and my approach to documenting these overlooked places.
Today, I’m sharing the complete visual journey through the book itself.
These 37 photographs follow a 2-mile railroad corridor from Scottdale west toward Krog Street Tunnel, passing through neighborhoods where the tracks have shaped demographic patterns for over a century. What follows isn’t every image, but a selection that captures the arc of the work, the rhythm of the sequence, and the range of stories these railroad corridors contain.
This was BTNTRX.V1. A first attempt to understand how railroad infrastructure shaped, and continues to shape, Atlanta’s geography.
When I published this book in 2021, I was early in my photography journey. Some images are technically imperfect. Some compositions I’d approach differently now. The historical research was surface-level compared to what I’ve learned since. The book design was functional but basic.
But what I got right was this: I chose to look closely at places other people overlooked. I committed to following a corridor completely, not just cherry-picking the most photogenic moments. I published the work before I felt “ready,” which meant I could learn from it, grow from it, and eventually return to it with five years of additional experience.
These photographs document a specific moment in Atlanta’s endless transformation. Some of these neighborhoods have changed dramatically. Which means this book has become something more than I intended — not just an artistic project, but historical documentation.
I’m current putting the final touches on BTNTRX.V1.5. Expanded geography. Multiple railroad corridors. Deeper historical research. More complex stories about migration, commerce, and transformation alongside the central narrative of division.
But none of it happens without this first version. Without the willingness to start before I was an expert. Without the conversation outside Clarendon Supermarket. Without walking these 2 miles over and over until I understood what they wanted to tell me.
Thank you for walking these tracks with me this week. The journey continues.