Okla. Photographer Gets Buzz Online For Nostalgic Photo Of Union Pacific Big Boy Locomotive

Pictures can often take us back in time to a specific moment.

This was the goal of Green Country photographer Rita Ballew when she captured the Union Pacific Big Boy Locomotive. The picture is garnering a lot of attention online.

For Ballew, taking pictures is her favorite hobby. 

"I take pictures of everything: Animals, horses, people landscape, everything,” Ballew said. “I just love taking pictures.”

When the Union Pacific Big Boy Locomotive came through town, she knew she had to plan how to take the perfect picture. 

Her husband, Jack, had the idea to take their old classic Ford truck and put it right in front of the train, taking people back in time.

"We went scouting for a place that didn't have the arms coming down, so it wouldn't look too modern, and set up," Ballew said. 

Ballew said it wasn't as easy as it might look.

They had to make sure people weren't around, nothing too modern was in sight and the added pressure of snapping the photo at exactly the right time.

"So, I had to catch the train as it was moving just perfect, before it hit the light,” Ballew said. “It was kind of hard or that'd mechanical light would be in the picture.”

She shared the photo online and it became an instant hit, getting thousands of comments and shares. 

Rita and Jack said they never expected their hobby to get this kind of attention.

"I never expected it to go almost viral,” Jack Ballew said. “It went crazy, and I didn't expect it at all," Jack said.

Rita said she has always tried to use her hobby for good. She also spends time volunteering at animal rescues, taking photos and helping animals find their forever homes.

"I feel like, with a good picture, the dog or cat will stand out more, so I volunteer and do that," Ballew said. 

Ballew said she wants to keep taking pictures as long as she can, saving the little moments for people to remember forever. 

"I believe in pictures for a memory,” Ballew said. “It's like we can look at our pictures and remember things we might of (sic) forgotten. Pictures are important to me.”