Lights, Camera, Dirt, Headlights and Neon: Photographing at the Jericho Drive-In Theater

Over the span of two consecutive Saturday evenings, I visited the Jericho Drive-for the night’s double feature – Men In Black 3 and some other movie that I can’t remember the title of right now.

I have an idea for a photograph at the Jericho, and if all goes well, I’ll get something that’s competition-worthy.

Or at least I hope so.

Here’s the plan.

When it comes to Capital District cinemas and theaters, I equate the Madison Theater with the classic “neighborhood” cinema and the Spectrum as the local “art house” theater.  With that, I consider the Jericho to be the classic Capital District “drive-in” theater.  Those of you who would argue that I should go to a movie at the Malta or the Hollywood can hold your breath. From the neon sign to its hand-hung movie marquee, the Jericho still exudes that classic “movie under the stars” vibe.  All it needs is those old iron “hang from your car window” speakers, some mosquito-shooing citronella candles, and when the second feature starts … when the second feature starts … we’ll be dancing to the rhythm of our beating hearts.

On hot, muggy nights, one should be able to capture the paths of light between the projection booth AND the movie screen.  And I wanted to capture those lights with my cameras.  This is tricky.  I have to get the shutter speed just right, and hope for enough bugs and dirt and dust to fly into the projection lights.

Before the movie starts, I look around the Jericho, trying to compose the best angles for shots and whether there were any decent cars.  I also spoke with the owners of the Jericho, and they assured me that so long as I didn’t photograph too close to the projection booth, I’d be in good shape.  Last thing the patrons need to see is a silhouette of my cameras over Will Smith’s face.  Agreed.

The movie started.

Nikon F100 camera at the ready, packed with black-and-white efke 25 ISO film.  Vivitar 19mm f/3.8 lens, with the throat constricted to f/11.  Vanguard Traveler 4 tripod set to go.  I bracketed each shot at 15 seconds and 30 seconds, then relocated my camera to new locations throughout the drive-in.

And I got these.

As I started shooting, another car drove into my frame.   In the 30 seconds that my camera lens was open, you can see his headlights crafting a curved light trail as he found a parking spot.

This is the next picture on the roll.  It’s 30 seconds later and he found a parking spot.

That’s the very next shot. Notice he pulled right into the spot where his headlight’s light trails led him.

The sun is going down, so I got this picture – along with half of the moon – on my May 26 trip to the Jericho.

Even with 30 seconds of exposure, you can make out some of the opening scene from Men in Black 3 on the screen.  I’m not enamored with this shot, but it does allow me a nice view of the sunset and the clouds surrounding same.

I then went outside the drive-in and snapped my final pictures on the efke roll.

With the camera still on the tripod, I carefully removed the roll of efke film, and installed a roll of Kodak Elite Chrome 100 film.

The goal – to not bump or jostle the camera in any way, while still snagging a decent photo that the same exact location. Looks like it worked.  This is important – especially for a shot I’m working on for this upcoming July.  More information on that as I get closer to that date.

I then grabbed the Nikon D700 out of my car and put that camera on the tripod. Going back into the drive-in, I shot these pictures near the projection booth – not directly in the path of the beam – and I got my light rays .

All in all, I think everything worked out well.  My thanks to the owners and staff at the Jericho Drive-In for letting me traipse all over the grounds and get these shots.

And if I do this again, I’m definitely going to recruit some classic cars to park at the Jericho for the night.  Especially some muscle cars, mid-60’s to early 70’s era.

So if anyone’s got the following cars in “show ’em off” condition from between 1964 and 1973 – Ford Mustang, Ford Thunderbird, Mercury Cougar, Pontiac GTO “The Judge”, Chevrolet Corvette, Dodge Challenger, Plymouth Roadrunner or AMC AMX – let’s talk.