Shutter Mike Photography

I tried adjusting the ISO on this photograph of the Eiffel Tower (Vegas’s version that is).  Because I did not have a tripod with me when walking around the Vegas strip at night I could not use too long of a shutter speed.  Even with the Sony Alpha’s image stabilization I would not have been able to hold the camera steady.  So one option is to increase your ISO.  Remember from my post on ISO that the higher the ISO the more sensitive to light the senor will be.  This allows you to speed up your shutter speed in order to compensate for a lack of a tripod.   One drawback however, is an increase in digital noise (grain in film photography) when the ISO gets higher.  At ISO 800 as this photo was shot at, and the relatively small size of the photo, the noise is not too noticeable.  If I were to blow it up for printing, you would see the noise much more.

This is part 2 of my posts on “vintage” signs that are worth photographing in the Phoenix area.  Part one focused on Grand Ave from downtown Phoenix to Glendale.  Part 2 heads out to the East Valley in Mesa, AZ.  It is appropriate that all of the signs in this post are on Main St. given the “All-Americaness” of a Main St. in the US and the truly American invention of the roadside motel and neon sign.  Mesa’s Main St. is dotted with several classic roadside motels from the middle of the last century when a family road trip was the ideal summer vacation.  There are several other businesses along this stretch of Mesa that followed suit with the classic neon signs of their motel neighbors.  That makes for a great photography outing in Mesa day or night (although I shot all of these signs when they are at their best – glowing at night).

When heading out to Mesa if you stick to Main St. between Lindsey Rd. and Dobson Rd. you will be able to capture most of the better signs that are still actively maintained and lit most nights.  Check out my Photography Guide Google map that pin points each of the signs in this post.

Also, if you are going to attempt the night shots be sure to refer to my posts on improving night photography and ISO.  Keep those tips in mind so that you get the best photos possible.

Click on any of the images to see a larger version.

This sign is one of my absolute favorite.  It is also the first one you will come to if you start at the east end of the route at Lindsey Rd (see Map Guide).  It belongs to the Starlite Motel and features a woman diving into a swimming pool.  The sign lights up in four stages starting with the woman at the top jumping off, then she is in mid dive, and finally hitting the water (the 4th light is the water at the bottom that lights up when she hits it).

Here are a few tips to help you photograph this vintage neon sign:

There is a parking lot to the west of the motel on Main St. that for me, was the ideal spot to shoot.

If you want to capture all of the steps lit up at once make sure your shutter speed is slow enough.

Play around with different shutter speeds, apertures and ISO to get the ideal shot.

A little post processing editing may be necessary to get the coloring and balance just right.

Am I allowed two favorites?  The Pat’s Bicycle Shop sign features an in-motion arrow and a classic bike with the word “Schwinn” next to it.  I also photographed this particular sign during the day and posted it as a Photo of the Day a while back.

The same general night time photography tips for the Starlite above apply to photographing the Pat’s sign as well.  The parking lot in front of the store is ideal for capturing the sign.  If you want to get more than the sign itself try from across the street with a telephoto lens.

The Ham Bone Bar and Grill sign is next door to Pat’s Bicycle Shop.  It is a combination of neon and the more common lighted panel so it strays a bit from the “vintage” concept of the other signs in this post.  But it is representative of a business that is trying to maintain the look and feel of the area with a classic style sign.

The Sally’s Fabrics sign is not what you would expect for a fabric store.  It is rather large and of course neon and has been described as a “Vegas style sign.”  Although it might be a bit subdued for Vegas.  I was not able to find anything on its history, but the store itself has been around for quite some time.  So even if the sign is not technically vintage, I give Sally’s Fabrics props for maintaining the look and feel of its Main St. neighbors.

Bill Johnson’s Big Apple Steakhouse has been part of the Phoenix area for about 45 years.  The signage on Main St. just west of Stapley in Mesa doesn’t seem to date back quite that far, but the steakhouse has gone with the neon theme of Main St.  The steer in the middle is more contemporary in its design, but you still get the overall effect.  The “Let’s Eat” sign at the left is not the restaurant’s main sign, but as I was photographing from across the street in the Sally’s Fabrics parking lot I was not able to get a  good shot of the main sign.  You win some, you lose some.

Stay tuned for the next installment in the classic signs posts in the Phoenix area which will have more from Main St. in Mesa.

San Francisco is one of my favorite cities, especially for photography.  The possibilities for photo worthy subjects seems endless.  The Golden Gate Bridge is probably one of the most photographed icons of America and certainly of San Francisco.  But there are always new angles to explore and details that are worth a new look.  That is the case with most any subject.  Thousands may have photographed it before you, but not with your perspective.

I don’t know the exact name of this building (although it looks like it may have been part parking garage).  But it is on Las Vegas Blvd., a good drive north of the infamous Strip, just south of Fremont St.  I love the repeating lines and the mid-century modern styling of the facade.  Stay tuned for more Vegas photographs.

This might seem like a peculiar “best” list – signs?  But if you really look around, you will start to notice things that are just part of everyday life that are really worth taking a  second look at through your camera lens.  I personally think signs, older signs in particular, are often works of art.  Most modern signs seem to have been  made at the quickie sign shop and are void of personality.  But vintage signs made a statement about the business they represented.  I think that makes those that have been preserved, which unfortunately are far too few, a very interesting subject for some creative photography.

Phoenix as a city is relatively new.  It has seen a growth spurt in the last few decades.  As seems to often be the case, metropolitan growth in the Phoenix area put progress before preservation in many instances.  As far as signs go that means many were lost and some were “modernized” and just lost their original character.  But if you appreciate things a little vintage and want to capture some photographs of signage in the Phoenix area you are not completely out of luck.

The signs in this first post are all along Grand Ave from the downtown Phoenix area at 7th Ave. and Van Buren St. through to Glendale at 75th Ave. and Olive Ave.  (Note that Grand Ave. cuts across the city diagonally)  Check out the Google Map I have set up for details on the locations of each of these signs.

Depending on where you are in the valley you may want to start at whichever end of Grand Ave. that is closer to you.  But for the sake of this “tour” we will start downtown at the three-way intersection of Grand, 7th Ave, and Van Buren.   The Best West Inn looks like it has seen better days and the neighborhood is one you might want to avoid after dark.  But the signage on the roof for the City Center Motel, as the Best West Inn was once known, is an awesome classic space-age sign.  The motel itself also boasts some great mid-century modern roadside motel architecture.

Also check out the Friendship Inn Motel across the street.  The sign is not as interesting and I suspect not the original.  But the building is a nice find if you are into classic motels.

Heading northwest up Grand Ave. (remember it cuts through Phoenix at a diagonal) to Fillmore St. you come to Smith Radiator Exchange, or what used to be Smith.  I believe the building now has another purpose, but the old neon sign still sits atop the roof.  The rusting metal adds character to this vintage sign and presents some good photo opportunities.  I only have a close up of the sign here, but getting it in the context of its neighborhood could add more to the photographic story of this old sign.

Grand Ave. has a lot of character if you take the time to search it out and really see beyond the surface.  What may seem like another run down part of town has some gems for a photographer.  I am only highlighting what you might find here.  But keep an eye out for a lot more.

Next on my list is Mel’s Diner at Culver St.  Although it was not filmed here, it is said that this was the inspiration for the late 70’s TV sitcom Alice which took place in Phoenix.  The diner only became Mel’s in name long after the show ended however.  Reviews of the food at the diner are mixed, but you don’t need to order up any eggs and grits to capture the classic diner sign out in the parking lot.  If you’re brave stick around until dark to see how the setting sun and night lights change the sign.

Cross I-17 and you will come to one of my favorite Grand Ave. signs, Mr. Lucky’s on the north side of the street just past 35th Ave.  I came across this one by chance, not knowing it was there before heading out on my Grand Ave. tour.  I am still not exactly sure what Mr. Lucky’s is, a bar or nightclub it seems.  But the sign looks like a vintage Vegas casino and it is just a fun classic sign that has a lot of photographic potential.  The colors are vibrant (although they were undoubtedly much more vibrant before years in the harsh Phoenix sun) and the grand scale of the size set it apart from some of the other signs I have listed.

After Mr. Lucky’s we have two more classic roadside motels.  Back in the 1950’s and 60’s, before the freeway system cut back and forth across Phoenix, Grand Ave was a major travel thoroughfare with motels, inns and motor lodges up and down its diagonal stretch through the city.  Today most of those have fallen on hard times and few are operating motels anymore.  Or at least not the kind of motel you would want to spend too much vacation time in.  But they have manged to hang on to their classic signs, vacancy add on and all.  The first you will come to is the Crystal Motel. It even boasts a rare amenity in those days, refrigerated, i.e air conditioning.

Finally (at least as far as this list goes) is the Two Palms Motel just before you hit Olive Ave.  This sign is in pretty good repair and would probably be worth a trip out at night to see if it looks as good lit up as it does in the day light.

Don’t limit yourself to just the signs I list here, or even to just signs for that matter.  Take some time to really explore areas like Grand Ave that you might otherwise have driven past without noticing.  Notice it through your camera lens and it can be a whole different world.

Check back soon for Part II of my vintage signs posts for another area of Phoenix that you may not have noticed before.

Red Headed Woman. 2008 © All rights reserved Daniel Gordon 2009

Should you happen to be in or near New York City the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) opened its annual contemporary photography exhibit New Photography on September 30th.  It runs through January 11, 2010.  The exhibit features the work of six young artists whose styles range from abstract to representational.  The exhibit attempts to answer the question “what it means to make a photograph in the twenty-first century.”  The six artists displaying their work in this installation are, Walead Beshty, Daniel Gordon, Leslie Hewitt, Carter Mull, Sterling Ruby, Sara VanDerBeek.

For those of us in Phoenix the Phoenix Museum of Art has a portrait photography exhibit in place until January 10, 2010.  Face to Face: 150 Years of Photographic Portraiture examines the photographic portrait.  According to the museum’s site it explores “the stories portraits can tell, the ways photographers convey the essence of their subjects and the impact of the relationship between photographer and subject.“

When I first started this blog I did a post featuring some photography I did of the mid-century modern architecture that is scattered around the Phoenix area.  I love this architectural style and period and think Phoenix has a good representation of it.  The city was “coming of age” in the 1950’s and 60’s when modern architecture was very popular and architects were exploring beyond the traditional.  This style is ideal for photography, especially if you are an architecture buff as I am.  The lines, shapes and overall form of the structures allow for some great compositions and plenty of room for creativity.

If you are interested in what Phoenix has to offer in terms of mid-century modern photo ops I have created a Google map pin pointing some of the buildings that I feel are most representative of the style and photogenic.

View Mid Centruy Modern Phoenix Buildings in a larger map

Hoover Dam holds back the Colorado River at the Arizona/Nevada border.  By doing so it generates 4 billion kilowatt hours of electricity a year, enough to provide power to 1.3 million people annually.  The structure is impressive with its 4.3 million cubic yards of concrete and Art Deco design aesthetic.   Although traffic over the dam is often congested with people going to and from Las Vegas it is well worth parking the car and getting out to photograph the dam and its supporting structures.  Aside from the dam, the surrounding landscape and Lake Mead, which was formed behind the dam, also offer some great photography opportunities.  To avoid getting the quick tourist snap shots that often result from a trip to a monument such as Hoover Dam be sure to take your time to explore the details and possible shots.

As with any hobby, amateur photographers could easily go crazy buying all the latest and greatest photography gear. Have you ever seen an avid woodworkers home shop or a scrapbookers hobby room?  They are filled with special tools and equipment designed to make the end result better.  But does the latest laser guided table saw really result in better crafted furniture?  Do the titanium sculpting scissors make a better laid out scrap book page?

The same questions can be asked of photography gear.  Is it the photo gear that improves photography?

There are three factors that lead to a good photograph in my view.

1. The equipment and gear used
2. The technical knowledge of the photographer
3. The artistic eye and ability of the photographer

Having all three is an asset for creating better photographs but not necessarily essential.  In the end you can have the most expensive telephoto lens on the market today, the fanciest tripod, and a top of the line camera but if you do not know how to operate any of it or if you just do not have an artistic photographer’s eye none of it is going to produce better photography.  It is not the gear alone that makes the photographer.  In fact a talented photographer can often take a master shot with the simplest of photography gear.

All the latest and hottest gear is fun to have.  But before spending a fortune equipping yourself spend some time improving your skills.  Study the art of photography – formally or on your own – and practice, practice, practice.  That will make you a better photographer who can then improve upon your art with all the great gear available.