I had a lot to think about on Saturday so I decided to take a few back roads and clear my head. I was listening to Dean Martin, he’s great for thinking, so I found myself in a bit of a romantic mood. I hope that translates well in these pictures.
I found myself pulling into the Cokesbury Hills Motel. I was on a back road on the outskirts of town I had only driven once or twice. I remember passing this place on my way to a photo shoot location and not giving it a second glance. The problem with the sign is the background is fairly dull and I couldn’t get high enough to try all the angles I would’ve liked. I still enjoy the look and feel of the sign though so I got a few snaps then wandered over to an old fence.
The fence had a lot of growth nearby and this leafy bush jumped out at me. First I noticed the color of the leaves and the beauty of the plant. The tiny barbs and thorns weren’t noticeable until after I got my camera set on it and really started studying the plant. A lot of things in life are like that, beautiful but with risk or baggage. Sometimes you still have to go for it though. *click*
When I saw this I fell in love with it. I’m not entirely sure what it is, I think some broken inverted part of a bottle, but I absolutely love it. (***UPDATE- Thanks to Dezra, Michael, and Ian Macky we’re now know this is a neon sign insulator. Ian actually runs the website that Mike share the link to! I love how everything came together***) I don’t know how it got hung on a chain link fence but with the rusted metal ring and the discolored glass, it fits perfectly. A few twigs from the neighboring plant found their way over to the fence too. They look good together.
Before I go here is a general update on the Blog. Firstly, all of you have been phenomenal. I’ve gotten so much feedback on this blog and I’m blown away by how many people have connected with the What Shootabout is all About page. I’ve had a handful of responses with people interested in helping out with some guest content so we should have some of that by this weekend, if you’re interested email arleyseth@gmail.com and let me know. Please subscribe, comment, criticize, or just talk to me and let me know what you like and what you don’t. Finally, look below at a few of the blogs I enjoy and let them know you heard about them on shootabout!
Carrie An amazing Reno photographer who I’m practically begging to write a guest piece. Really though, great pictures, you’ll be glad you checked her out.
James Some great writing with a big side of photos. A really great read.
The Viking and his Kitten Fantastic travel bloggers, possibly an upcoming guest writer here at shootabout too
Don’t forget to Follow @96Arley
ShootAbout 
Wow! Thanks for mentioning us! And don’t forget, you can be a guest blogger on our blog as well!
My pleasure, and I’m looking forward to it. We have a historic site nearby that I think would be interesting for your readers. I’ll share some history, some pictures, etc. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
I just came across your blog for the first time. Truly inspiring. Please keep the gorgeous pictures coming free and fast.
I’ve got a few shoots planned for a little later this week. I’m glad you found me and I look forward to hearing from you again 🙂
Nice images!
Thanks Chillbrook, glad you stopped by
Thank you for the suggested blogs! I love getting connected with new people on here! Great finds on your treasure hunt! Love the last pic too
Thanks and I love sharing the other great blogs I find on here. Glad you stopped by!
back roads are a gifting muse
Definitely. You can find so much inspiration in the places that no one tried to make inspiring.
Here Here! Back roads ARE a gifting muse. Well stated.
cheers.
love the deep colors in that second shot. the red is gorgeous and plays so well against the green. and the focus/dof is amahhzing!
DoF is my specialty 🙂 thanks for stopping by
LOVE your photography!! LOVE the old hotel sign! Don’t you just love shooting old stuff :-). Can you imagine what it would have been like brand new? I like to shoot those subjects, too. Great stuff you have 🙂
I hadn’t actually thought about that. I bet it used to be a pretty ritzy place. All decked out in lights (not neon, hadn’t been invented yet.) All the big out of towners would fly into the local airport in their Piper Colt and catch a ride with their college buddy in his Lincoln Continental to the Cokesbury Golf Course. They’d grab a burger and fries and leave a nickel tip each since they were big spenders. Play a round of 18 and crash for the night until his buddy gave him a ride back to the airport the next morning.
These photos look great, even tho I’m only viewing them on my phone. Looking forward to getting a better view of them later on.
Thanks, glad you found a chance to stop by even on the go 🙂
Beautiful macros. My crapalicious camera can’t do anywhere near as well. Someday I hope to get a real camera and take some shots like these. Especially like the bottle.
Thanks, I think the Bottle is my favorite here too. I use a Nikon, they have a number of great starter dslr’s you could check out. Hopefully I’ll have some links on the page one day with reviews and such but all that’s still a ways off.
I love these out-of-the-way places! The sign is beautiful and nostalgic. As to the bottle, I really think it’s a glass covering for something electrical. If you read the verbiage on the lip, it says “standard 1500v….” (or 7500v, I can’t make it out). Why it has a handle is a mystery to me. It’s really cool, though.
Great catch, I hadn’t noticed that. I might just have to research this some more 🙂
I believe they are called insulator caps? I see them in antique stores often. Haven’t seen one with a handle on it like that one, but I’m sure they come in different designs, like most anything else.
Great pics and great blog! And thanks for the ‘like’ on my photo.
Mike
I love having followers who know more than me 🙂 thanks so much!
PS: Here’s a good link to them….
http://glassian.org/insulator.html
You guys rock, I’m crediting you both in the post
I love the last shot – there is such a story buried in there
The best part of the story is, we don’t know it 🙂 I love pictures that make you use your imagination 🙂
I really like the fence picture too!
Thanks, I really like it too
WHOA! These are nice!
Aroooo, Stuart
Thanks! Glad you like them!
I like how lights goes through this broken glass…looks like ice…clear vision coming back from being defragmented..
ok…now I am being weird:)
lol, thanks for commenting, no problem
Arley
Thanks for visiting my blog. Strictly a hobby for me. I guess if my day job weren’t so interesting, I might consider photography. All the best.
Thanks Victor, you piqued my curiosity, what’s your day job? Or can I find it on your blog? 🙂
Brain surgery – no kidding. It’s harder than it looks. There are a couple brain pics on my blog. Hunt them down in the gallery.
You look at life through different lenses and I like your lenses.
Thanks Mona! I’m glad you approve 🙂
I love it!! Nicely done!!
Thanks Sophie!
Ah, I loved your top shot. Hooked on vintage, retro signage. Swanky. OH. My goodness, I can feel the goosebumps! Bravo. Well done. Cheers! Theadora (Thanks for sharing!)
I’m glad you like it so much!
Love these shots! You have a good eye for great detail. Love the sign! That bottle is awesome! The leaves….great color capture with the dark field.
I think you said it well….sometimes we go by without a second glance.
But when we do take that second glance, that can lead to some amazing photos…as you’ve shown here. I’m glad you stopped by my blog, so I got a chance to come here!
And I’m glad you visited me too Judy. Thanks for the kind words
Really enjoying these photos. Came across your blog following your link back from mine and very pleased I did. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, glad you’ve enjoyed it!
Wonderful shots! That last one is intriguing and beautiful.
Thank You, I’m glad you enjoyed them
That bottle is pretty great. And the washed out colors in the sign fit that scene perfectly.
Thanks, I really like the bottle shot too 🙂
I enjoyed looking through your posts and your wonderful photos.
Thanks for liking my recent post.
You’re welcome. I love exploring other blogs
I absolutely love what you see through your camera!
Thanks, I find that the world looks a little different through the view finder. I can just crop out the parts I don’t want 🙂
I’m new to photography and I JUST figured that out!! So much I don’t know yet but I’m learning!
It’s a journey. Enjoy every second, we’re all still learning 🙂
Exquisite photos; I really enjoyed them. When you mentioned listening to Dean Martin, I remembered his TV shows when he slid down a metal pole and at then end of each episode, told his audience “I’m gonna go to the couch now.” His songs bring back the 1960s to me and a delightful inspiration!
I wish I had been alive to feel some of the magic of seeing him live. He is one of my favorite “crooners.” I listened to him with my dad when I was a kid but this was already the 90’s
The 7500V thingy is a neon sign insulator; it would have supported the end of a tube.
Fantastic! thanks Ian
Wow, thanks Ian. I checked out your website and it looks like you run the site that Mike shared the link too. I love the way all that fit together!
Ooo! I’m in the love with the bottle inverted thingi as well! Absolutely beautiful! 😛
Thanks, glad you like it
you claim to not be pro, but you have a photographers eye my friend!
I’ve always been turned off by the title pro. I’m not saying it’s bad for everyone but when I started to consider myself a pro a stopped shooting for me and started shooting for others. It doesn’t happen to everyone but I’ve found that when I cling to my hobbyist passion, I have a lot more fun and I get the kind of pictures I like to look at
Such a great sign! Especially now that I know what the place was about, it’s easy to to create an image of its heyday in my mind. Glad you shared this!
And I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by
Great photos! 🙂 Loved the one with the leaves, great DoF!
Thanks, I’m glad you liked them
Thanks for stopping by my blog and clicking that ‘like’ button! My photos are not nearly as good as yours, I mainly just document and sometimes get lucky. Not like you, you know what you’re doing and are Doing a really good job at it!
Your idea of a ‘shootabout’ is a lovely thing — we should all go on __abouts to clear our mind, our thoughts and to absorb what it out there for us. Whether we shoot, write, walk, think, whatever, going away for however long it takes is a great idea. Thanks again and I look forward to following you.
Don’t sell yourself short, you’ve taken some beautiful photos. Keep up the wonderful work and I’m glad you connect with the shootabout concept
one awesome sign, love it and the post
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it
First, thanks for following my blogs! But more importantly, by doing so, it helped me find yours. Great stuff you’re doing, and in my particular wheelhouse when it comes to taste.
I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I’m a huge fan of 3D modeling. I’ve dabbled in Blender but I always just end up frustrated and go out to take pictures 🙂 I should probably take a class, or just read your blog more 🙂 Anyways, thanks for stopping in and I look forward to seeing you around the blog!
Let me know if you end up using anything in my CGI blog. It would be interesting to see if instructions in Maya translate into Blender 🙂 Even if not, I do post on some general texturing, effects, and art-related topics so I figure there’s almost something for everyone involved in the digital arts.
I’ve heard they’re similar but Blender isn’t as nice or as clean as Maya. I’m sure the basics are really similar but I’ll have to study on it a while
I’ve been reading your blog on my Ipad with dirty glasses. Now I come to the computer after I called you Charley to find out that isn’t your name at all! I’m so sorry..
PS I do love your work even though I can’t see or read!!
Haha, I was gonna let it slide 😉 don’t sweat it, I’ve had my name butchered way worse before.
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Thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it
The last two so impressive… Fascinated me. Thank you Arley, with my love, nia
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme.
Did you make this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for
you? Plz reply as I’m looking to design my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. cheers
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