Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker...

Tower Liquors, Phoenix, AZ, 2010 by Richard M. Coda

I remember that line from one of my favorite movies as a child (and as an adult)... Willy Wonka.

One thing that sticks in my mind about that movie is the color... it is everywhere and not shy. Anyone who knows me as a photographer knows that if I shoot color film it has to be ABOUT color. Everything else is a bonus.

While my wife and daughter were at a Reba concert last week, I took the opportunity to try a little night color photography. There are these two liquor stores in Phoenix that have the most amazing colors at night. Tower Liquors (above) has more earth tones and a pastel quality to it. I had tried photographing this last fall with the 8x10" camera and transparency film but was off in my exposure and did not like the result. So I went back last week and tried using 4x5" color negative film to try and bring out the pastel qualities more. I think it worked.

I scouted the other liquor store, The Liquor Wheel, but it was too busy (constant drive-thru traffic) and I'd have to be across the street about a hundred feet away. I could use the 450mm lens to bring me in, but this is also not in the best neighborhood. This store has more cool tones in it and looks like a Christmas tree all lit up. I may try it again with some backup.

Inspirations #19: George Tice & White Castle

White Castle, Route #1, Rahway, NJ, 1973 by George A. Tice

OK, I have to admit... coming from Jersey I am a BIG White Castle junkie. I can remember my parents taking us to the Castle as children, when they still had car-side service and the burgers were a nickel. In 1982 at college (Rutgers) we used to have "Castle Runs" during study breaks. The Castle was about 10 miles away so whoever had the fastest run for the week got free burgers on Saturday night. I actually made a video of this for a class I took as a Senior. The video was called "Castle Run" and was loosely based on the movie "Cannonball Run". "Video" in those days was Sony Beta 3/4" tape. The camera was huge. Because the camera had to be connected to the actual tape recorder we couldn't take it with us on the run... so we were only able to tape the preamble (ordering) and the actual carnage (eating) after the burgers had arrived. I thought it was missing an external microphone, so I told my roommates that they could say whatever they wanted. Imagine my horror when my teacher said to turn the volume up for my final presentation - it had an internal microphone. At least he had a sense of humor and I got an A. Fast forward and castles became a rare treat. I knew my girlfriend (now wife) loved me when she went to Passaic, NJ to get me a "sack" for my birthday. After marriage we moved to Jackson, NJ and the nearest Castle was 50 miles away. My prayers were answered, but too late, when they built a Castle a few miles from our home just a year before we moved to Arizona. Now, I make my own Castles for Super Bowl every year... but we use filet mignon sliced 1/4" thick, steamed over a bed of carmelized shallots, with Tillamook Cheddar and thinly sliced sweet baby gherkins, on a potato roll. I call them "Chateau Blancs!" Uuu-uum good!

Ah, long live the good old days... it's too bad that everything has to be modernized nowadays. These old White Castles were really interesting architecturally. They are all boring, plain vanilla today.

Anyway, back to photography. If I could add just one photograph to my collection it would be "White Castle" by George Tice from 1973. Aside from the food connection, this is a beautiful example of night photography and the print is luminous. If you ever want to see what a print from a master printer looks like... see a George Tice exhibit.

Chicago Hamburger Company, Phoenix, AZ, 2009 by Richard M. Coda

This was the first night photograph I had taken in almost 30 years. I did pick this particular image as my first due to my fondness for Mr. Tice's image. As did Mr. Tice, I used an 8x10" camera for this. With TMax 400 film the exposure was 27 seconds at f/45-2/3.

This week, my night photography subject will be a Taco stand in color on the 8x10" I can't wait!

Night...

Turn out the lights and step out into the night
And the world is busting at its seams
And you're just a prisoner of your dreams
Holding on for your life `cause you work all day
To blow `em away in the night
"Night" by Bruce Springsteen

I'm not usually out at night where I have the time to do something for myself, so I have taken the opportunity to try something new. I have been playing around with night photography while my daughter is at her life drawing class. The last time I did night photography it was a failure. There was a total eclipse of the moon and I set my 4x5 up in my parents' driveway (this is a long time ago) and focused on infinity and left the lens open, covering it with the lenscap and making an exposure every few minutes or so... I can't even remember.

Burton Barr Central Library, Phoenix, 2009, by Richard M. Coda

I have always wanted to photograph this unique looking building but never had the time. One night, after an event at the Phoenix Art Museum, which is a block away, I saw it lit up and thought it looked more unique... almost alien-like. I arrived at just the right time... everyone had just left work so there were no cars or light trails to be bothered with. You can actually read some of the book spines in this image! I used the 8x10" camera and TMax400 film. The exposure was 53 seconds at f/32. The hardest thing about night photography is focusing.

Star Spangled Banner, Phoenix, AZ, 2009 by Richard M. Coda

I had passed this very large billboard many times during the day. There is no illumination on the flag side. There are lights on the opposite side, however. This billboard sits on the line inbetween a hair salon and a Chinese Restaurant. When I arrived there was a parking spot in the perfect location to shoot from, which I took. Again, using the 8x10" camera, I wedged my tripod between my car and the car next to me, hoping that the person would not leave soon. This is a very active parking lot at dinner time. Many cars came and left during the time I was there. I had the camera pointed upward so I wouldn't have to deal with headlights coming right at me. Now, as there is no illumination on the flag side this image was extremely hard to focus. After 10 minutes of trying to focus with the light dwindling by the second, I decided to focus on the middle and just stop down. I ended up with an 18 minute exposure at f/45-2/3. I think the image has promise. These are just negative scans. Hopefully I can get to printing them soon and make a really nice print.

I have one other night image but I will keep it for the next post as it is also an Inspirations post.