Midnight Oil Photo

Photographer’s Note

Here is an interesting fact: There are 32,000 7-Eleven convenience stores throughout the world - making 7-Eleven the largest chain store in all categories, beating the previous record-holder McDonald’s Corporation by approximately 1000 retail outlets.
Referenced from the Japan News Review.

About the Photo: I drive past this 7-Eleven everyday on my way to school and back. The only reason I ever stop there is to buy Slurpees (Slurpees are a partially frozen drink: Coca-Cola and pina-colada are my favorite flavors). If you aren't familiar with 7-Eleven convenience stores, just imagine Apu's Kwik-E-Mart from The Simpsons cartoon (its exactly the same).

syd1946, BlkDaffyDuck, jaywalker, bostankorkulugu, luisafonso, afshin339, yso, ribeiroantonio, Floydian, bombilla, Dpbours, Dyerco, JorgeCK, InasiaJones, DKarine, cherryripe, pboehringer, rigoletto, tehanu_f, Vato_Law has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

syd1946 (17807) 2007-12-19 0:49

Hello Ryan,
This is an excellent nightshot!I am amazed from the quality of the image...most of all how nice is the light exposure and the contrast with the dark part.i like your note also!

Thomas

jimmj63 (767) 2007-12-19 0:51

good shot in a very american station.
the note too is very american
compliments!!
ciao, giacomo

jaywalker (12186) 2007-12-19 0:58

Hi Ryan, A stunning B/W photo, the lighting is first class & perfectly managed, you have chosen a good POV, the van although not occupied adds a little life, overall a great shot, kind regards Wilson.

Leonie (8627) 2007-12-19 1:15

Hi Ryan,
Really? That is incredible...I was always associating 7Eleven stores with Thailand..in Europe they are not so spread as far as i know. Anyways excellent night shot...the atmosphere of nocturne roadtrips comes out great and the quality is excellent.
Cheers, Léonie

BlkDaffyDuck (385) 2007-12-19 1:25

Hello Ryan,

It's a very beautifull night shot. I like your composition which can well highlight the station. This seems lost in the middle of nowhere a little like an oasis in the desert.
Congratulation and TFS !

Regards,
Damien.

bostankorkulugu (33334) 2007-12-19 3:05

light control at its best... amazing night shot ryan... you ve managed to create an impressive image of ordinary daily life things in a very well organised compo... congrats...

korkut

luisafonso (858) 2007-12-19 3:08

Muito boa Ryan. É bom ver-te mais activo. Pareces um fénix renascido das cinzas. :) Adoro como envolveste a cena com um negro bem denso. A composição central faz todo o sentido e gosto muito de ver aquela "van" ali estacionada. Muito bem!

afshin339 (304) 2007-12-19 3:22

Hello Ryan
Really what a beautiful shot you have taken in midnight.Contrast between dark and light space is very fantastic and wonderful.Also details and sharpness are impressive.I like it very much.

Well done.
afshin.

yso (3142) 2007-12-19 4:55

Hi Ryan,
B&W is working fine to give a big contrast of this night shot, I like all the black space on top you let in the composition, well done !
Regards,
Yves

ribeiroantonio (21739) 2007-12-19 5:01

O mesmo na Austrália, estão por todo o lado mas poucos vendem gasolina. Gosto deste preto todo com o branco da coberta da estação de serviço a sair lá do fundo. Tem um ar muito espacial!
António

Floydian (30970) 2007-12-19 6:09

Hi Ryan,
Excellent shot, but more your treatment in a more dark reddisch toning, i like that a lot. The light which is spreaded out over the streets is wonderful and very natural. A very clever composed image.
Yes i know the 7-Eleven, been there many times.
Regards, Henk

baba_flies (7937) 2007-12-19 6:19

What an exciting shot, Ryan, and I like how the neon sticks out of the dark and that you left plenty of night around it. Who has not stopped at gas stations but at night they create a special mood and sometimes I really love to travel through the night, especially with good music ... as for example Midnight Oil :) Barbara.

Cormac (26447) 2007-12-19 7:11

I like this one Ryan, and I'm not totally sure why. It's not a spectacular or beautiful scene, but you've managed to present the normal, everyday place in a way that is very interesting. Taking the photo at night gives some interesting lighting, and it allows you to isolate the gas bar against the dark background. The positioning and framing is great too, with lots of deep black at the top of the frame, giving a spacious feeling to this. I've been experimenting with centred and symmetrical shots lately too, and maybe that is what I like about this. Great work!

rminkow (1566) 2007-12-19 7:29

Hi Ryan..nice black and white shot with a composition and lighting which is very striking and strong...nice work.

Roger

atlantida (2323) 2007-12-19 10:46

Search google images for 7 eleven and compare all of those to this one, u'll realize that this one is the best of all. I don't know what else to say, revealing beauty in ordinary things is impressive.
Gordana

ps There's a song called "Beds are burning" from a band named "Midnight Oil", it's very good.

bombilla (3402) 2007-12-19 11:33

It's the driver's oasis on the desert highway. Great one, Ryan. As some others have said -- the most ordinary made extraordinary. The minivan is a nice touch, somehow. This is an historical document. A postcard of something distinctly from our time. Best, -Hugh

Dpbours (210) 2007-12-19 13:36

Hi Ryan,

That is just incredibly strong!! Love it!
The nice toning to it. Not too obvious, though visible.

Though one comment I feel I've said before... What a pity with such a shot to not get any more camera settings or post processing information. I love to learn... Really :-).

Greetings, Dennis

Dyerco (8854) 2007-12-19 19:29

A good presentation in B&W with no noise in the sky area. Good light control.
Phil

bantonbuju (48334) 2007-12-20 9:11

fantastic! one of the best monochromatic photos i have seen in the whole year...plain, clear, simple...you say ypou pass it everyday? good that you stoped over one night without "passing by"...
excellent!
bw, j.

JorgeCK (2570) 2007-12-20 13:50

Hello Ryan,
Excellent Night shot. incrediable B&W with sharp image.
Congratulations
joRge

InasiaJones (19765) 2007-12-21 2:43

Hi Ryan,

Coming back from a trip through Europe, I have some travelling blues and didn't use my camera since my return, but this photo makes me want to go outside right now with plenty of batteries...

This is Americana. This is Mid West. This is highway. This is David Lynch. The black and white is so appropriate. Wouldn't have the guts myself, but like it a lot.

Pop culture meet cinematography meet Apu. A photographic road movie.

Bold and Classy!

André

kensimage (8539) 2007-12-21 22:12

A great composition and technically outstanding, Ryan. It really captures the "island of light" feel of these places. A little outpost of daylight, against the darkness. It's so mundane, and yet so artistic, with almost a surreal feel, like a Coen brothers movie. Great use of wide angle. Regards, Ken.

DKarine (3852) 2007-12-23 4:43

It is really one of clichs that europens us, we have United States. Taken out quite straight ahead of a detective movie, we almost expect to see come the bad guys, arms up to teeth.
The black and the white is completed and stresses the almost alarming atmosphre of your photo.
Bravo!
Karine

sagar (2295) 2007-12-24 5:55

Hi Ryan,
Wonedrful shot!!!!Strange little piece of beauty!!!!The bright under the wide darkness is special.
Merry Christmas,
Sagarneel.

cherryripe (18794) 2007-12-24 7:59

Hi Ryan
I still remember when the first 7-11 opened up in my suburb in Melbourne thinking how strange for shops to be open so long. Now many are open 24 hours a day. I don't think there are any 7-11s in Switzerland though.
I really like the atmosphere you've created thanks to the wide angle and lighting. The b&w works really well. It would have been nice to have a more interestingly shaped car.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas
Nikki

Merline (6574) 2007-12-24 8:03

Hello Ryan
they are even in Iceland, very convenient I must say:-)

Love your shot, what a mood and atmosphere, also great graphical impact. Superb light management, strong contrast between the dark and light zones, so sharp, very artistic.

I wish you and your beloved ones a Merry Christmas !
Very best regards
Michèle

pboehringer (770) 2007-12-29 18:27

Ryan,
a very interesting tweak to get a monochromatic shot of a place so common as a gas station. I didn't have a clue that a station could look so good. Maybe that is the trick in photography - to find a new angle and perspective to turn daily things into Art!
By the way, we're planning to have our next TE meeting June (12,13,14) at Point Reyes, about 30 miles north of San Frnacisco. Would you like to join us?
Happy New Year!
Peter

Bluejeans (31553) 2008-01-03 3:23

Ola Ryan ,
Que fotografia diferente uma estação de gasolina , ficou fantastica , boa escolha pelo preto e branco , parabens!!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

danielswalsh (13297) 2008-01-06 18:00

Hi Ryan!

Appologies for the long absence... I'm long overdue to get back into action here on TE! I'm not sure whether to say 'well spotted' or 'well executed', maybe just a good combination of each... I really like how the image just turns to black outside of the lit canopy, although ideally I think it would have been stunning had it been a really old/ delapitated gas station vs. a shiny new 7-11.

Either way- it's a great shot Ryan. keep up the great work!
Happy New Year!
- Dan

rigoletto (25938) 2008-01-07 12:55

When i saw it, i immediately needed to utter a silent "WoW" to myself. So simple and striking as well, the station looks like the "LHNER: Loneliness Headquartes of the Never Ending Roads". It is frigidly cold, i mean "cool".
Voila!

tehanu_f (6874) 2008-01-07 13:45

Wow! It's a splendid shot, a masterpiece out of such a mundane sight! Two thumbs up for your masterful light control and your eyes that can spot such incredible scenes. I love the title, too.
Congrats!
Fusun

nicoz (1963) 2008-02-20 8:08

Hi Ryan,
Brilliant light and compo! I don't really know to say, it's just well made, very graphic.
For once, I think that it looks better without a soul, just as you did.
Nicolas

Vato_Law (11636) 2008-04-09 14:09

Hello Ryan,
Only a very trained eye would create such an interesting scenery from an oil station.
I like how the focus is right in the Oil station while the surroundings is in deep black.
I like also the association between the atmosphere of the photo and title.
It must be the most 'charming' oil station that I've seen.
Cheers.
Paulo

guitianmiranda (3504) 2009-10-27 15:33

Great picture Ryan, this is like a frame extracted from a Cohen Brothers Movie like Fargo.

Best regards.