Shutter Mike Photography

This Arizona photograph was taken at Usery Mountain Regional Park which covers about 3,600 acres just east of Phoenix, AZ.  It is classic Sonoran Desert with giant saguaros like in the photo, desert wildflowers in spring, blistering summer days and abundant wildlife.  The scenery goes on for what seems like miles and days which makes for some awesome photography opportunities.

I can sum up Jason Corneveaux’s photography in one word – amazing.  I came across his photography and website via a Google alert for “Arizona photography” and I was blown away.  His work is something to aspire towards.  It also showcases Arizona and it’s incredible beauty very well.  Having exhausted my adjectives for him (and no, I do not know him) I will leave you with one final gush over his work – a must see photo blog and definitely one to bookmark.

Part IV of the best signs to photograph in Phoenix, AZ focuses on the Melrose District in central Phoenix.  All of these signs can easily be accessed from 7th Ave. between Indian School and Camelback.  The signs in Mesa and Phoenix from past posts can be found in part I, part II and part III if you care to review other spots to try out.  To help you out on this photo outing I have a Google Map that marks each of the signs in this post.

Unlike the signs on Main St. in Mesa which were exclusively neon and the signs on Grand Ave. in Phoenix which are mostly neon but not in as good condition as Mesa, the 7th Ave. signs are more of a mix of styles.  They also, for the most part, are not as old as those in past posts, but they still have character and colors that are worth photographing.

The Wagon Wheel Bar (with Free Parking) is no longer a bar.  Last I was inside it was an antiques and collectibles store.  But they have kept the original sign in front of the building, albeit the elements have take a bit of a toll, but that does add some character and make for a more interesting subject.  The building behind the sign, by the way, is a small but rather old strip mall consisting of about 4 small stores.

In the same strip mall is the Melrose Pharmacy.  The sign for the pharmacy along with the Wagon Wheel Bar are, in my view, the two best one’s along 7th Ave.  They are probably the oldest and most photogenic of the Melrose signs (although it is worth taking a walk down 7th Ave to check out the others as well).

Pretty fancy sign for a dry cleaner.  But it is a great neon sign that makes the Paris Laundry and Dry Cleaning stand out on 7th Ave.  It is almost “Vegas-esque” with the bright blue backboard in a non-conventional shape and white neon letters.  Getting the perfect shot of this sign was a little difficult however.  This photograph was taken looking north and because I was so close I was not able to crop the roof line of the dry cleaning drive-thru out of the shot.  But even though the sign is the same from the other side, the roof line was even more prominent from a close angle.  Taking the photo from further away with a telephoto lens would have helped.

The thing that makes this rather ordinary sign for Diamonds Chinese Food Restaurant stand out is the ornamentation.  Both the roof line of the restaurant itself in a “traditional” Chinese temple style and the decoration down the sign post are what make this sign different.  Unlike the Paris Dry Cleaning sign above you probably don’t want to try to crop these things out of  your photograph as they tend to make the sign more interesting.

Also, as with the Wagon Wheel Bar sign, don’t discount a particular sign as not photo worthy because of wear and tear.  The less than perfect condition of the lower portion of this sign adds something to the overall story.  The “Chinese” part of “Chinese American Restaurant” has almost faded completely away, making Diamonds Chinese Food an American Restaurant.

With “vintage” right in its name, the sign for the Melrose Vintage shop can’t be overlooked.  This sign has the same roof line cropping issue as the Paris.  Again, another lens and alternate distances from the sign itself could probably have resolved this.  But that aside, I think the muted tones of the arrow and the main oval make for an interesting contrast with the “flashiness” of a neon sign with a giant lighted arrow.

The Winning Photograph "Morning Surfers" by Carrie Mundy

The Aaron Brother’s “Show Us Your America” that I posted about a while back has ended and they selected winners int he art and photography categories.  ( I tend to think art and photography are one in the same – but I know they mean art in the sense of painting, sculpture, et al.)  You can read the press release here.

“Carrie Mundy from San Diego selected as favorite photographer and Deborah Argyropoulos from Marina del Rey chosen as favorite artist.”

As I mentioned in today’s Photo of the Day post, Camelback Mountain offers some great photo opportunities.  So if you live in or are visiting the Phoenix area, be sure to check this Phoenix Photography Spot out.  Here are a few more photographs of the views from Camelback Mountain.

A hike up the Echo Canyon side of Camelback Mountain offers some amazing Phoenix photography opportunities.  The views of the city of Phoenix to the south and west, Paradise Valley to the north and east and the red rocks of the mountain itself are spectacular.  However, you are not going to get those amazing shots without a little work.  This is not a hike for the faint of heart.  The trails are very well maintained, “stairs,” railings and fencing have all been installed.  But the stairs are sometimes steep and you need the railing to pull yourself up (and back down) some very steep inclines.  So start early, take plenty of water and make sure you have enough time to enjoy (and photograph) the views.  It is well worth the strain you may put on your calves and lungs.

This piece of public art had some controversy surrounding it when it was first installed in early 2009 as do many public art works.  The issues ranged from the spending of taxpayer money to “what is it supposed to be?”  The artist, Janet Echelman, said in a Newsweek article about the piece:

“It’s good for art to make us think, to give us a shared experience that creates a dialogue, makes us talk to each other, including strangers.”

Here are the details of the sculpture:

Total cost: $2.5 million

Dimensions: 145’ height x 353’ width x 289’ depth

Materials: Painted galvanized steel, high-tenacity polyester braided twine netting, and color lighting

I will be going into details about Las Vegas’ vintage signs in an upcoming post.  There is a whole CIA-like clandestine world around them that most visitors to Vegas never discover.  This particular sign is out there high up above Fremont St. for all to see.  It is one of the restored classic Vegas signs.  To find this particular sign head off the strip going north on Las Vegas Blvd until you get to the old downtown area and Fremont St.  It is east on Fremont between Las Vegas Blvd. and 6th St. (Note that it is probably best to go during the day as the area is a little “rough.”)

This is post number three in the series of Phoenix area sign photographs.  You can go back and see part I and part II if you need to catch up.  Although there is no need to view them in any particular order.

Mesa’s Main St. has a good number of signs so I had to split the Main St. post into two.  These are a continuation of the vintage and vintage-like signs along Main St. in Mesa, AZ between Lindsey Rd. and Dobson Rd.  I created a Google map to pin point the exact locations of the signs in this post.  You can view that here.

The El Captain Lodge is not technically on Main St.  But it is only a few feet down a  side street and the glow of its neon sign can easily be seen from Main, so I’m making an exception.  One thing I really like about this sign is that it specifically points out that the motel has TV.  Today it would be very odd to find a motel without a TV, even the most budget among them.  But I imagine in the 1950s when this motel was flourishing, TV was a big selling point that may have set them apart from the dozens of other Lodge’s that dotted the highways.

Very near to the El Captain Lodge is the Hiway Host Motel.  Its sign features the classic “space age” look of the 1950s with the blue star burst above the glowing orange Hiway Host name.  In the daylight the turquoise blue of the sign is very reminiscent of the motel’s heyday 50 to 60 years ago.  Like the El captain above this sign makes mention of the special features of the motel, in particular “phones.”

Unfortunately, the Kiva Lodge’s Indian chief head sign was not lit up the night I set out to photograph.  I do not recall ever seeing it lit in fact, so I am not sure it is operational anymore.  But this is one sign, almost more than any of the others I have featured here, that really speaks to the period.  Arizona was still the “wild west,” especially to visitors coming from the Eastern United States.  “Cowboys and Indians” were a big draw.  Although the sign might be deemed a little offensive by some today, I think it is a classic and even without being lit up, I am glad it is still in good repair.  Note the “refrigerated” above the word kiva.  At the time, refrigeration, or air conditioning, was a very important feature in that would draw in weary travelers crossing AZ in the summer heat.

The sign for the El Rancho Motel is rather simple compared to the others along Main St.  In fact, I am not certain of its age and therefore its “authenticity” as a vintage motel sign. However, like the Hambone Bar and Grill and Bill Johnson’s Big Apple Steakhouse, even if they are not true “period” pieces they went to the extra effort to make the sign fit the theme of Main St.  And for a rather low budget motel, that deserves some extra props in my book.

Main St. in Mesa, AZ may not be the best neighborhood (or parts of it anyway) anymore.  But it is a little bit like a trip back in time with its classic neon roadside motel  signs glowing in the night.  It is a great spot to practice your night time photography.  You will have to play around with things like shutter speed, aperture and ISO to capture the signs at their best at night.  The dozen or so signs are an awesome subject for night time photography in Phoenix.  But don’t forget about them in the day as well.  They take on a whole different look.

Up next is the Melrose District in central Phoenix.  This is a short strip of 7th Ave between Camelback Rd and Indian School Rd. that features a great assortment of classic signs.