Artificial light
Above/featured: Shantung St. at Portland St., in Mong Kok, Kowloon: Hong Kong – 12 Jun 2012 (450D).
Like many, my preference in photography is for as much natural light as possible. However, there are always exceptions, and a big one is the introduction and/or necessity of artificial light within a scene or picture. Over the course of my photographic journey, I’ve come across some wonderful examples of artificial lighting. I hope you enjoy the examples I’ve provided below, including (my love of) neon signage.
“Zentralflughafen” (central airport) terminal building at former Berlin Tempelhof airport, Berlin Festival of Lights – 20 Oct 2012 (450D).
“Rats” by the Hassell Studio Group, near Pier 2 in Sydney’s Walsh Bay, at Vivid Sydney lights festival – 25 May 2013 (450D).
“Play” by the Spinifex Group at the Sydney Opera House, for the Vivid Sydney lights festival – 29 May 2013 (450D).
Rotating neon sign for Elephant Car Wash (now demolished), in Seattle’s Denny Triangle. Fortunately, the neon sign is safely in the collection of the city’s Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI). Photo on 10 Oct 2016 (6D1).
Visit to the Classical Gas Museum, in Embudo, NM – 11 Oct 2018 (X70).
Neon signs which once populated the Vancouver city skyline in the mid 20th-century are now considered “decaying sources of light pollution.” Sign for the former Smilin’ Buddha cabaret club: collection of the Museum of Vancouver – 15 Aug 2019 (X70).
限华 (限華, “Chinese only”), by Chinese-Canadian artist Paul Wong. “Whose Chinatown?” exhibition at Griffin Art Projects, North Vancouver – 1 May 2021 (X70).
I made all photos above between 2012 and 2021 with a Canon EOS450D/Rebel XSi (450D), a Canon EOS6D mark1 (6D1), and a Fujifilm X70 fixed-lens prime (X70). Acknowledgements go to Ann-Christine for LAPC no.166 in the week of 18-24 Sep 2021. This post appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com as https://wp.me/p1BIdT-lx4.
Fotoeins Fotografie 
22 Responses to “Artificial light”
Well Henry, you definitely shone a spotlight on the fun to be found with neon! I can’t decide if I like the Opera House in color. I think perhaps not, but for a special event it looks quite funky! Excellent examples.
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Hi, Tina. I was fascinated by the use of the Opera House’s white roof as a “screen” to display colours, patterns, symbols, and images. A part of my fascination with neon is definitely a yearning for nostalgia, because I distinctly remember seeing a lot of neon in Vancouver in my boyhood/adolescence. Almost all of that is gone, and perhaps, we’ll see a general resurgence/revival in neon signs. Thanks for your kind comment!
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Outstanding selections, and fun to scroll through. Donna
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Thank you, Donna!
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“rats” and “play” are beautiful art displays
And your post really has me thinking how far we have come from neon to LED!
And never realized the older signs are viewed as “decaying sources of light pollution” in some areas
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Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Priorhouse. While I don’t mind LED displays, I have a big soft spot for neon. By today’s standards for signage, I understand that neon signs are fussier and more expensive to maintain; yet, I’d like to see neon revived. Re: “Rats” and “Play”: I was very fortunate to have been in Sydney for some time to see many of the displays for the city’s light festival. Thank you very much for your comment and for stopping by!
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Thanks for the nice reply!
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Excellent as usual, Henry. Love the Hongkong one and the Rats. And how great the old neonlights are being preserved in a museum!
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Hi, Ann-Christine. I have a soft spot for the signage I saw in Hong Kong and Kowloon. For the Vivid Sydney lights festival, I spent some time staring at the small Rats floating on the waters of Walsh Bay, as the little devices changed colours several times in a cycle. Often, only their “eyes” glowed; some called them creepy 😅 I’m also glad some of the neon signs I showed are part of museum collections today. Thanks for your comment and for dropping by!
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Interesting, part of a museum collection?
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Yes! The Elephant Car Wash sign is now in the collection of Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), because the structure for the car wash has been demolished. The Smilin’ Buddha Cabaret sign is now a part of the collection of the Museum of Vancouver, because the original building no longer exists.
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Good!
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Ah, what a delight all those light signs.
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Thanks, Cornelia!
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Great selections. Love the Kowloon.
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Thank you, John!
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Simply wonderful Henry! I love neon and I’ve never seen the Sydney Opera House lit up.
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Thanks, Anne! I think there’s a lot to like about neon. For some of the other colours and designs on display on the Sydney Opera House, please check out: https://fotoeins.com/2013/07/08/vivid-sydney-festival-2013-highlights/,
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Amazing! No more words needed 🙂
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Hi, Alma. Thank you for your kind comment and for stopping by!
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Remarkable captures of these artificial lights around the world! The Elephant Car Wash is my favorite.
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Thanks, Amy!
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