Life on the Line is a joint photographic project documenting the once-active branch of the Jamaican railway from Spanish Town to Port Antonio, which was operational until the early 1990s. Photographers Alan Smith and Radi Konstatinov set out to explore and capture what is now largely unseen along the route. As they walked the tracks, their focus expanded to include the railway’s forgotten remnants, the surrounding landscapes and the people along the way.
The project juxtaposes the railway’s past role as an economic lifeline with its present state, overtaken by nature and time. Photographs reveal overgrown tracks, crumbling infrastructure, and the lush, untamed scenery that now defines the line, offering a glimpse into its changing historical significance and enduring presence.
Life on the Line provides a striking visual record of the railway’s legacy and the transformed landscapes along its path, inviting viewers to reflect on a faded yet resilient piece of Jamaica’s history.
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Join us on our journey across Jamaica following the old railway line, and discover the unique
and beautiful experience of Life on the Line.
• THE PHOTOGRAPHERS •
ALAN SMITH
Born in Canada to a Jamaican father and a Canadian mother, Alan Smith found art at an early age. After spending his formative years growing up in Jamaica, his passion for drawing led him to study Illustration, Graphic Design Advertising and Photography in Canada.
Jamaica was always home, so in his early 30’s he came back to Jamaica, offering his services to the commercial and fine art markets.
Montego Bay is still his home.
RADI KONSTANTINOV
Bulgarian by birth, Radi Konstatinov is a Jamaican national whose travels and multicultural aesthetic heavily influence his work.
Holding an MFA in Photographic Studies and a BA in Philosophy he started work in Washington, DC as an event and commercial photographer before moving to London where he spent 10+ years in the photography industry.
He is currently based in Athens, Greece.