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Photos Bring NYC's Neon Nights To Life
By
Scott Heins
Published May 2, 2016
Modified May 2, 2016
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Franck Bohbot
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By
Scott Heins
Published May 2, 2016
Modified May 2, 2016
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Like scenes from a modern noir film, Frank Bohbot's images of New York City conjure up allure and heartbreak. The Paris-born photographer spent 18 months capturing nighttime scenes across Manhattan and Brooklyn, and has compiled them into a project dubbed Light On.
Bohbot's work is first and foremost a study in signage, and features many instantly-recognizable storefronts including Katz's Deli and the Sunshine Cinema, but pay attention to each frame's shadows and open space. Light On isn't just focused with dazzling neon—it's also a study of snowstorms, puddles, fire escapes, and, occasionally, people. It's as if you gave William Eggleston an unlimited Metrocard and forced him to stay up all night.
There are jazz clubs, delis, porn shops, theaters, and a wide variety of bars featured in his photographs, each captured after the sun has gone down and only moody, unnatural light remains. Through Bohbot's eye, modern New York appears like a deleted scene from Blade Runner or, perhaps, Refn's Drive. It makes sense, given that Bohbot describes himself as a documentarian who found his way to photography through the world of cinema. Click through the gallery for a sample of the project, and there is much more on his website.
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Scott Heins
Scott Heins is a freelance photo and video journalist based in New York City, and a frequent contributor to Gothamist + WNYC. His work often centers around labor rights, housing, and policing. In 2018-2019 he traveled to four states while covering a wave of public school teachers strikes, with work featured in The New York Times, The Intercept, Getty Images, Splinter, and Bloomberg Photos. Scott is a dues-paying member of the National Writers Union's Freelance Solidarity Project.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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