Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Neon Lights







There are people that enjoy their jobs so much that they "Don't work a day in their life". I know that to be true because I feel that way myself. It's a double bonus when I get to photograph those people. Dave Buck is the owner of Signs of the Times (www.signsoftn.com), a sign shop in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Dave  is a true artist who has a passion for neon signs. When anyone in the Southeast United States needs a new neon sign, or needs one repaired, Dave is your guy. Because of the intricacies of the process, there are very few neon  sign makers in the United States. They are very labor intensive. I saw him give a short program on how neon signs are made, and it fascinated me. I had to spend some time at his shop photographing him and his passion.

Dave is one of the nicest people you would ever meet, and he didn't flinch when I moved all my gear in to his place for a few hours. I was mesmerized watching him create.  His movements as he heated the glass and bent it, and repeated the process was as a virtuoso musician performs a work of Mozart. With all the flames and chemical gases it was not easy getting my camera and lighting in the right spot, but it was worth it. Dave also does vinyl and many other types of signs, but I wanted to just capture the neon process on this trip.

After 2 hours of photographing, I took away a new appreciation for the art of sign-making, and for people like Dave who make their work their passion. I can imagine all the artists before him creating neon signs all over the world. What would Las Vegas be without the neon sign? Although there are much cheaper "neon knock-offs" available now, there is something special about a crafted neon sign that makes you smile.

If you are looking for a sign for your business or your man-cave, give Dave a call at 615-962-4256.

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