Vanishing America

04/01/2024

"JUST FOR KIDS"????
Do you think Cars is just for kids?
Youtube's genius algorithms think so. They have determined that Pixar's Cars movie is "just for kids" and are limiting the video's exposure because of it. I'm willing to put my account on the line to say that more adults watch Cars than kids do. I "appealed" the decision, but they don't allow for explanation... just buttons to click saying I disagree. It's their AI interpretation without any human intervention. Does anyone have any insight into how to correct this dystopian heavy-handed overreaction from YT? Or... do you think Cars is a "kids-only" movie. 🤨

From YT:
"Hi Holt Webb,

We're writing to let you know that we have manually reviewed your content and determined that it is made for kids based on our policies. So we've updated the audience setting to "made for kids" on the following video:

Video: Cars, Route 66, and The Vanishing America Project"

https://youtu.be/wZBVWLNtVlA

This scene from Pixar's movie Cars pretty much sums up The Vanishing America Project...www.vanishingamerica.net

10/31/2023

Vanishing America is now Legacy: America! Click on this link: Legacy: America and give us a follow so we can build our audience and get this incredible doc-series on the map! I can't wait to share these stories with you. :)

Follow for more content

Holt Webb Photography
Dagan West Beckett
Beckett Arts Project

10/06/2023

It's been 13 years, but I still have these little reminders in my desk. I pulled one out today to jot down some notes. What are they reminders of...?

A strange and scary time when American people actually came together to fight an injustice. A time when local people helped local people. They fed each other. They cared for each other. They got together to figure out solutions. They did NOT fight each other. They fought the corporation that caused the problem and they fought the corrupt government that allowed the problem to occur.

Today we fight against each other. How is that helpful? I'll be blunt... it's not. It's not helpful to fight against each other. It's actually very destructive.

We call ourselves "Americans". Well, are we? Do we want America to be nation or not? We can't be a nation if we're divided. There is no nation if we're divided.

Today an old note pad reminded me of a time when people from ALL walks of life and all sorts of different perspectives came together to solve a problem. Take a look at these images and think about how obviously different these individuals are. Then think about how they were able to get together and protest, write songs, help families in need and even join each other at the dinner table to tell stories. We were ALL different. And we still are. But we loved each other then and still love each other today. Of course, we had our moments of instability and arguments, but we were all together. We needed each other, we trusted each other and we bonded forever. This ragtag group of misfits and "ne'er do well"s was as diverse as you can get, but we got along well enough to fight injustice and become lifelong pals.

Yes. It can be done.
America was built by everyone. It belongs to all of us. Not SOME of us. ALL OF US. America IS a melting pot. Embrace it. It's an incredible place.

09/09/2023

Founders day celebration of the Tennessee valley railroad museum is about to begin!

07/05/2023

Dixieland 36.
Another colorful detail (Golden Hour light is incredible!) from the historic rail cars at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.
I don't know what I like more... the epic nighttime steam engine or these tight, abstract details.

#36

06/27/2023

This is Randall. Randall comes from a family of artists and has a fantastic film résumé. 
Randall, along with Dagan Beckett and myself are the people behind the reboot of the Vanishing America Project, re-titled Legacy: America.

06/24/2023

How did we do?
And, do you like the BW or Color? (click on either image to see full size)

06/21/2023

I just figured out how to add a print/merch gallery store to my website!
Some images you may be familiar with, but I'll bet there are some on there you've never seen before. And... there are some really cool ones that you pilots might enjoy. Take a peek...

06/11/2023

You asked for it!
You can now purchase this print in a variety of media (canvas, framed print, metal print, etc.) on FinArtAmerica.com.
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/cracked-paint-on-rail-car-holt-webb.html

Cracked paint on rail car Photograph by Holt Webb

06/06/2023

I don't know what it is about this image, but I can't take my eyes off of it!
(detail of cracked paint on the side of a railcar at TVRM)

06/01/2023

"Who lives in that house?" 😅

As you know, Chattanooga was a big railway town, so our Vanishing America pilot will focus on steam trains and how they helped build America. I'll be heading out this weekend to get some new train imagery with my director Randall Shuptrine, but in the meantime, here's an old photo of the trestle bridge in Hixson that I did back around 2006. The kids always wondered, "who lives in that house?"