• Home
• Back to Book
• Upload Your Image
• Top Twenty Images

Assignment: Searching for the Lost Art of the Neon Sign

Don't be bashful! If you want comments, give comments. You don't need to be an expert photographer to express your opinion about the work of others. You don't need to go into great depth. A simple remark about cropping, composition, color, subject matter, etc. can be of just as much help to a budding photographer as an in-depth critique.

I can’t imagine that there’s a city or town anywhere in the world that doesn’t have some interesting neon signs hiding somewhere — whether it’s at the local pub, pizza joint, or perhaps at a motel. So for this assignment, pack up your camera (and maybe your tripod) and head out in search of that eternally colorful and bright beacon of the night: the neon sign. I think neon is one of the most beautiful and yet underrated (and sometimes it seems, forgotten) art forms, and I’m betting that you can prove me right.

I found the neon horse shown here while driving up Route 1 in Florida — on a nighttime shooting trip when I was specifically looking for neon signs. I nearly drove off the road when I saw this, because I was having a slow night and would have settled for a good beer sign in a bar window. This sign remains my all-time favorite neon shot. Taken with a 105mm Nikkor lens, 1/15 sec., f/8, at ISO 800 with a tripod.

Remember to visit www.pwassignments.com after you complete this assignment and share your favorite photo! It’s a community of enthusiastic photographers and a great place to view what other readers have created. You can also post comments, and read encouraging suggestions and feedback.

03/27/2008
( 1 comment )

03/23/2008
( 2 comments )

Hungry?

03/19/2008
( 0 comments )