Portland Neon: Show Me Your Favorites

admin — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:32:03 +0000

At long last I’m finally ramping up on a photography project I’ve had in the works for a few years now. The idea is to build up a catalogue of the best neon signs in and around the Portland area with the ultimate goal of publishing a brief book on the subject. About three years ago, before I switched to an all digital workflow, I shot slides of about a dozen signs. Now I’m going back to get images of those in digital format and then expand the collection to include one or two dozen others.

The problem is that beyond the obvious candidates, there are many signs I forget about because I don’t see them very often or that I’m not aware even exist. That’s where YOU come in! I need your help in locating the best examples of vintage (and modern) neon signs so that I can add them to my list. If your suggestion makes it into the project, I’ll give you credit in the book!

Here’s the signs I’m already planning on shooting followed by examples of shots I’ve already taken.

The List So Far:

1. The Capitol Hill Motel

2. The 6th Avenue Motel

3. The Palms Motel

4. Portland Outdoor Store

5. Renner’s Bar and Grill

6. The Baghdad Theater

7. The Laurelhurst Theater

8. The Moreland Theater

9. The Academy Theater

10. The “Made in Oregon” sign (before and after the renovation?)

Examples:

The newly restored Hollywood Theater sign.

A detail view of the neon sign on the Capitol Hill Motel.

The sign at Renner's Bar & Grill in Multnomah Village.

An elaborate neon at Chin's Chinese in Portland.

Sort of an 'inverse neon' treatment at the FARM restaurant in Portland.

Broken but still beautiful - a detail of the neon sign on the Cameo Theater in Newberg.

Mod'rn Muse » photography

Portland Neon: Show Me Your Favorites