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Signs Of Arizona

This summer we've spent a week at a weird resort place called Lake Hawasu City in Arizona close to the border with California. Imagine humid 110F outside, dusty palm trees, pinkish desert valley doted with trailer parks and some far away mirage of mountains. In the midst of all that is a real London Bridge proudly bulging over lake surrounded by pseudo English village complete with pubs, red double-decker bus and red phone booths. Now add to this already curious roaster Venetian gondola boats loaded with drunken new Russians singing "babushka" songs, stoned local youth madly zipping around on water scooters, some small time businessman hitting on skinny chain-smoking waitresses with teeth problems and you'll get the picture.

We did car trips to Lake Mead, Kingman, some caves, rode over stretches of Route 66 and then, finally, escaped to Las Vegas. In between Moscow, Russia where I was born, Israel that I consider home far from home and NYC as a final destination, Arizona stood out as a real America. America with capital A. America carved in stone of Hollywood film rolls circa 40s and in pages of censored Russian translations of old Southern writers. 		I shoot a lot of photos. Instead of typical tourist snapshots I've chosen pictures that signify (hence "Signs" title) to me loneliness, emptiness, weirdness and lost glory. That's all amid great open spaces washed up in brutal sun. It's a deserted land of endless trains and cars that never cease to rest. So I didn't select pictures that seemed most cute, technical or original. I was in a mood of "Paris, Texas" (movie by Wim Wenders) or paintings by De Chrico and Hopper.

Those curious about equipment are in for a big disappointment. I'm a total photo idiot that likes to snap like there's no tomorrow. No SLRs, no slides, no tripods, no rules of thirds, no nothing. Just Olympus C-3020Z digicam with some manual control aspirations. Then some cropping and fussing around in, of all image programs, ACDSee6. I'm sure all that shows up in technical quality (or better lack thereof) of my photos.

Anyway, thanks for watching and maybe something will resonate...

All is ahead... or so it seems when you're young
Sign Of Possibility

All is ahead... or so it seems when you're young

 Sign Of Lost Steam
Sign Of Lost Steam		 Sign Of Prohibition
Sign Of Prohibition		 Sign Of Emptyness
Sign Of Emptyness
Sign of Lonely Laundry
Sign of Lonely Laundry		 Sign of Endless Welcome
Sign of Endless Welcome		 Mr. D's on 66
Mr. D's on 66		 End Of Day's Road
End Of Day's Road
Bail Bonds 7/11
Bail Bonds 7/11		 Bail Bonds Temple
Bail Bonds Temple		 Court building
Where All The Bails Go

Court building

 Dine Now Or Be Hungry Next 200 Miles
Dine Now Or Be Hungry Next 200 Miles
Sign Of Fancy
Sign Of Fancy		 Desert Signs
Desert Signs		 Sign Of Old Commerce
Sign Of Old Commerce		 Sign Of New Commerce
Sign Of New Commerce
Nevada Time
Nevada Time

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JB 01-Aug-2009 23:07
Did you know there's a Miami, Az. ?
Guest 14-Apr-2006 04:59
here's where i do live.i love arizona! thx for dis gallery
Rheta Schoeneman 09-Nov-2005 07:48
anyone have or seen a photo of town sign for Why Arizona?
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