Chicago Neon

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

I posted this earlier, but it apparently got buried in another, loosely related thread (or people simply didn't like it and didn't comment).

Although any critique and comments are welcome, I am primarily interested in how people are perceiving these images, rather how to improve them.

What I see in them is, first and foremost, their graphic quality, and then the contrast between the ornaments of the old architecture and neon. In the first image, I see an interplay between colors and planes, almost cubist in their flatness.


Chicago Neon by Slobodan Blagojevic, on Flickr

This one reminds me of a Persian rug, by its dominant russet color and abundance of patterns and shapes (if you abstract the word, of course).


Chicago Neon II by Slobodan Blagojevic, on Flickr

So, do you see anything remotely similar to what I see, or the reaction is more like "yawn... yet another neon-sign photo"?

[seamus finn]

No yawns here, Slobodan - beautiful images, especially the first one. Sharp as a tack, really graphic, lovely colour and yes, in 1 the interplay you mention is very interesting. Splendid!

[RSL]

Slobodan, I love 'em. The graphic contrasts are marvelous and push the marquee into a wonderful dream world beyond mere kitsch. The pictures remind me of when I was a teenager growing up on the outskirts of a Detroit that was still beautiful and urbane. Thanks.

[Rob C]

You blew it Slobodan: in all proper pics of this type at least one character of the titles is missing or, better, hanging sideways.

As cityscapes, you have done the Photoshop version of fashion pictures: perfection.

(Apart from such failings, I like them very much.)

;-)

Rob C

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

You blew it Slobodan: in all proper pics of this type at least one character of the titles is missing or, better, hanging sideways...

Well, Rob, I tried to compensate for the theater's overzealous maintenance: the beginning and ending letters in the second image are both cut off*, due to a too-tight focal length. How's that for imperfection?

* Actually, I was betting on the Gestalt principle of Closure to enable the viewer to decipher the whole word

[aduke]

I like the second one. Especially the interplay between the round letters, the round neon medallion and and the stone(?) medallion on the building. Also the light on the medallion on the building. It might be interesting to see a square image, the same width as the current one, but that includes the medallion and what appears to be an arch above it.

Alan

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... It might be interesting to see a square image, the same width as the current one, but that includes the medallion and what appears to be an arch above it...

You know Alan... you might be absolutely right! In retrospective, I should have turned the camera vertically and take several hand-held pano shots, to reconstruct them later into a square. Damn! I guess frozen fingers had something to do with it :-(

[wolfnowl]

I really like the second one, and saw the 'carpet' reference before reading your comment on it.  I like the first one too, but the roofs of the vehicles doesn't do much for me.  I'd either extend it down to include more of the vehicle or chop off the bottom of the image to exclude them.

Mike.