Vintage Motel Camping Sign Black and White Roadside Photography
Vertical Letters and a Worn Arrow Against the Sky
The tall letters of this old motel sign rise above a smaller camping panel, with a worn arrow cutting diagonally behind them. I photographed it in Western Canada, using black and white to draw attention to its uneven surfaces and strong lettering. A narrow strip of trees anchors the bottom of the view; almost everything else is sky.
I came across the abandoned motel during a drive through the West. The sign was what made me stop. Even with its weathered finish and exposed tubing, its message was still easy to read. The vertical arrangement gives each letter a separate shape, while the lower panel changes to rounded lettering inside a broad rectangle.
Looking upward let me keep that contrast clear. Light picks out the edges of the metal and the pale faces of the letters, leaving darker bands along the sides. The arrow crosses the main structure rather than sitting neatly beside it. I liked the resulting mix of straight lines, angles and smaller curves: practical roadside lettering with an unexpectedly elaborate outline.
There is a familiar feeling to signs that mark a place to stop on a long journey. Here, I was interested in the physical object that remained, rather than imagining the travellers who might once have used it. Its surface, proportions and position against the clouds were enough to hold my attention. The photograph keeps that encounter simple: one weathered sign, seen from below, still carrying a clear invitation along a Canadian roadside.
© Dan Kosmayer, 2015
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About My Fine Art Photography
Every photograph in my collection comes from my own travels, explorations, and years behind the camera.
I create my work as photographic art rather than mass-produced decoration. From street portraits and abandoned places to landscapes, architecture, and the unusual subjects I discover along the way, each image begins with something that made me stop and look.
My photographs are available in multiple sizes so the same image can work in anything from an intimate wall space to a large statement installation.
