Neon

I am perversely attracted to neon. The bright light, strong color, interesting designs, and the way they bathe the scene in saturated color. When I see a nice neon sign I just want to point my camera at it.

Often I feel silly doing it. Where's the creativity in taking a picture of a sign? But, like sunsets, it may usually be easy, but I like the resulting images. Crank open the aperture to get some nice defocused backgrounds, and away I go. Lots of them end up on the proverbial cutting-room floor for being boring, but I end up with lots of images I rather like.

If you point a camera at a neon sign you're getting a lot of light, and probably fooling your light meter to boot. You probably can't guess the right exposure, but using automatic mode and dialing in a stop or so of overexposure usually gets it right.

It's best to do this at night, of course. I am as much a “night person” as you're ever likely to meet – I think the technical term is “vampire.” At night the city is full of light and shadow, color, mood and mystery, all of which disappear in the harsh light of day. I try to capture the mood of the city, the experience of the nighthawk, the life the city takes on after midnight.

Shadowy figures bathed in neon light; what are they doing? Where are they going? How do you get the shot, at a tattoo parlor of all places, without creating a confrontation?

This is one of my favorites, taken outside a bar; I call it “Pickup Line.” In New York City bars, smokers are welcome to light up in designated areas known as “outside.” This has created a whole new social scene, as the sidewalk becomes an extension of the bar, a place for quiet conversation with an automatic ice-breaking topic. I wonder how many people smoke more, or haven't quit, because of the new habits created by this policy.

What sort of place lies downstairs, beneath the glow, open so late? Would you dare enter? The neon sets the mood of the night, the color, the energy, the mystery. Ugly sodium vapor lights can't compete.

This shot attracted one of the most random comments I've ever gotten on Flickr:

This Spartan Bail Bonds storefront is the nicest window display on 81 Baxter Street, in Downtown Manhattan opposite the Manhattan criminal court and the Manhattan Detention Center jail. Situated between Little Italy and China town the owner keeps the windows and sidewalk clean and clear. For a bail company this storefront really brightens-up the street 24 hrs a day 365 days a year unlike the other store fronts on the block which are mostly dingy and dirty.

I guess it's true, but I've wondered since it appeared why someone chose to post such a great caption on one of my photos. Perhaps he, too, is a vampire, and simply appreciates some nice neon light.