Suburbia at night

[marton]

I'm interested in the burgeoning new suburbs in my local area. The almost complete lack of character these cookie cutter houses possess, but night time does good things to even the most mundane of things.

[pearlstreet]

Love these.

[drmike]

The hedges in the third one are delightful.

[N80]

I grew up in the burbs. These are haunting.

[chuckn]

I like these too. # 4 has my vote. I like the lines of the sidewalk and the "great shadow shape" the house makes.

Chuck

[marton]

Thanks for the responses

I've got an entire folio of these in print, around eighteen or so, some are on my walls. I don't think I'll ever get tired of houses at night. The first guy I ever saw do this subject was Robert Adams and his Summer Nights Walking series, but Todd Hido really woke me up to this type of photography. Hido's stuff is just gorgeous.   

@chuckn - That's what I like about it as well. Particularly the orange reflections within the 'great shadow' itself.

[RPark]

Nice work all around.

[Telecaster]

Good stuff. You oughta get together with Bob R and work as a nighttime duo. 

-Dave-

[James Clark]

Thanks for sharing - I agree - good images

Also, I had never heard of Todd Hido, but looked him up.  That's some very special work in a genre that generally isn't my favorite.

[brandtb]

Great series...the framing, composition/content...and especially the colors

[RSL]

Good work. But if they're that mundane why shoot at night when their mundaneness fades? Shoot during the day and make the most of their character.

[James Clark]

Why try to create meaning in banality when innumerable other "artists" have already tried to convince us that there's something special where there's not?

The Hido work - especially in the fog - that was  referenced answers  "why" quite beautifully.

[marton]

Good work. But if they're that mundane why shoot at night when their mundaneness fades? Shoot during the day and make the most of their character.

Thanks. I explained that in my op.

I may or may not choose to do day shots another time. 

[marton]

Why try to create meaning in banality when innumerable other "artists" have already tried to convince us that there's something special where there's not?

The Hido work - especially in the fog - that was  referenced answers  "why" quite beautifully.

Yeah, he does great work. On the point of meaning in banality - the banality of it all is the meaning itself and I don't think it has to be special for its meaning to be obvious. In fact, I don't even believe a subject has to have any meaning particularly. I've shot the most banal subjects for that very reason. I'll upload some at some other time.

[James Clark]

Yeah, he does great work. On the point of meaning in banality - the banality of it all is the meaning itself and I don't think it has to be special for its meaning to be obvious. In fact, I don't even believe a subject has to have any meaning particularly. I've shot the most banal subjects for that very reason. I'll upload some at some other time.

Probably "meaning" was a poor choice of words - I agree that "meaning" need not be high up on the list of things necessary to an interesting photograph.  I think that you've found a "less standard" approach to a familiar subject and the results are strong.  I just don't know that the world needs yet another commentary on the ennui of suburbia.  That's just so last decade

Then again, looking at some of my own favorite images, I guess the world is flush with pictures of water too, so who am I to say? 

[marton]

Probably "meaning" was a poor choice of words - I agree that "meaning" need not be high up on the list of things necessary to an interesting photograph.  I think that you've found a "less standard" approach to a familiar subject and the results are string. I just don't know that he world needs yet another commentary on the ennui of suburbia.  That's just so last decade

Then again, looking at some of my own favorite images, I guess the world is flush with pictures of water too, so who am I to say?

Good point I think. However, it also applies to any area of photography you care to name. We can simply blame post-modernism.   

[BobDavid]

Good stuff. You oughta get together with Bob R and work as a nighttime duo. 

-Dave-

I think Marton's intentions are different from mine. I tend to be awake while others are not. Most of my pictures are of places familiar to me. I often drive along quiet roadways without radio or other distractions. I keep the windshield free of dirt, grit, dead bugs, and tree sap. When I catch a clear view of something special, I investigate it. Often, I'll return and photograph the same place under different night sky conditions or from different perspectives. Sometimes it takes two or three outings before I am able to capture what I see in my mind's eye--patience.

I've lived in Central Florida since 2003. For the past two years, virtually all of my pictures have been taken within six miles of the Gulf of Mexico. My true objective is to create photos that tell a story. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes not. I enjoy the process, and it is a life-affirming activity.