Category: signs

3

Grain Belt Beer Sign Details

Remember the sign from yesterday? That was a 28mm shot, this one is 500mm — a little more detailed. Speaking of details, I took this shot while walking around the river area with my fellow blogger Dusty Lens. He's posted another photo of this Minneapolis Icon and filled in a few details about it's future. Turns out, you can buy this baby, 'cause she's up for sale! The heirs of the William Eastman family are looking for a buyer willing restore the neon lights. Not sure why Grain Belt isn't jumping at the opportunity with a "save the sign" campaign; raffling off riverboat rides and getting tons of free publicity. I know a few photobloggers who would help for the cost of beer. Maybe one of the local tech schools could do it and build an promotional campaign around it — how cool would a video mix of the lit sign, inspirational stories and students working glass be? A couple old-timers watching on with a teary eyes... Anyhow, here's some actual journalism about it: Historic Grain Belt Beer sign up for sale | Minnesota Public Radio NewsQ.

5

Bright Colors in a Brown World

The iconic Grain Belt Beer sign sits just across the Mississippi from downtown Minneapolis next to the Hennepin Ave Bridge. The sign used to be lit up at night, I wish they still kept it lit, that would be so much fun to shoot at night.

3

Nighttime Holiday

A sleepy Holiday Gas Station lights up the nighttime air.

1

Existentialism at the Arcade Bar

Whilst wandering the wild and woolly wastelands, encountered the Arcade Bar, just East of downtown St. Paul. I'm torn between two explanations: either the Arcade is what is really going on, or they don't make question marks for these types of signs. Note that the totally awesome Arcade Bar neon sign in safely encased in plexiglass.

1

Eye on the Prize

The Media is watching you. Sure it's hip edgy alternative media (owned by the Star Tribune) but it's still watching you, waiting for it's chance — you'll slip up eventually. Backstory on this series: On February 26th, Minneapolis had seven inches of snow drop in a couple of hours. I ventured out in the evening with one lens: a 50mm f1/1.4 — ISO 320, wide open at f1/1.4 between 1/20 & 1/80 sec. With all the variables removed, I was free to explore all the compositional opportunities of shooting hand-held in the dark during a snowstorm.

1

Lake and Hennepin

A quiet, snowy Thursday night in Uptown, Minneapolis, on the edge of the Great Northern Plains. Backstory on this series: On February 26th, Minneapolis had seven inches of snow drop in a couple of hours. I ventured out in the evening with one lens: a 50mm f1/1.4 — ISO 320, wide open at f1/1.4 between 1/20 & 1/80 sec. With all the variables removed, I was free to explore all the compositional opportunities of shooting hand-held in the dark during a snowstorm.

3

Danger - Ice Not Safe

Fools be wary, the lake plays for keeps.

4

Hard Rock Knob

Across the street from the First Ave Star lives the Hard Rock Knob.