The other day, I photographed the Colonial Cleaners neon sign with my electrified Revolog Tesla 2 film. Last Thursday evening, I went back for another shot.
The original plan was to test a couple of films as part of a splitfilm project; unfortunately, the project did not turn out as well as I had hoped – memo to self, not every expired film can still be developed.
But even though I did not have a successful run with the splitfilm, I did have the forethought to bring another camera and shoot the neon signage straight on. Yep. I brought my Agfa Clack camera, which was packed with Fuji Velvia 100 film.
On the tripod it goes.
And after a few tries… I got this picture.
Not only did I get the funky neon signage… I also noticed that the neon actually lit up the clothing inside the building.
I don’t know about all of you… but this looks kinda cool to me.
I mean, if I were to find more funky late-night neon in the area… maybe I could put something together that would look like a nice Albany-based collage, similar to my neon experiment a couple of years ago, The Beat of Officer Harris.
I guess… maybe… the idea of the “Single Shot: Half Shot” technique, where one roll of film was double-exposed by being shot in two separate cameras, did have its benefits two years ago, it did give me more experience with vintage film cameras. But that picture became more of a collage, a soupçon of starts without a completion.
I think the picture on top says more. You can see the dry-cleaned shirts, each one neatly wrapped and ready for pickup. And they’re all lit by the neon that blazes all night.
You know how I’m always saying that I’m on the right track, that I just have to keep experimenting and looking for the right concept?
I think in Zippers Replaced… I may have found it.
We shall see.
Chuck The Writer 