Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Date: 2/16/10 • Standard Print (w & h): Image: 51.7" x 33.0"
This image of a restaurant front on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia is composed of 10 individual shots taken at 200mm. I shot these images two different times, and this composite is made up of those taken on the second morning. I took them at 5:45 AM when it was still dark, so that I could avoid reflections on the doors. As is was, I had to climb up and shoot from the top of a large snow bank to avoid the reflection of the lighted GNC sign on the other side of Chestnut Street. The colored interior against the white stucco exterior caught my eve, but the depth of the image as your eye travels back through the restaruant is what I tried to record. While I was working on the composite, it occurred to me that this slick, upscale eatery had something in common with the greening movement that is all the rage–both draw you in, catch your interest, but can be superficial or even deceptive.