Hotel Van Zandt Blue Hour – Austin, Texas

After the happy hour on 6th Street, I headed southeast towards Rainey Street. East 6th Street was prepped for crowd control with metal fencing meant to corral the onslaught. Except, there was nobody there. For the first few days, when tech and media dominate, the action is on Rainey Street. I think they prepped early for the 2nd half when SXSW music starts.

I reached Rainey Street just in time for Blue Hour. The bold yet minimal HOTEL neon called out for a photo. Set against the blue sky, Hotel Van Zandt looked inviting and slightly distant at the same time. Part of the Kimpton hotel chain, it’s a stylish boutique hotel that fits in with the trendy Rainey Street vibe.

After a few months of practice, I was fully accustomed to shooting the Fuji GFX 50S II hand-held in marginal light. Making high-quality images without a tripod gives extreme freedom. Particularly when attending exhibits and happy hours at SXSW. I shot this one a 1/4 second, underexposed not to overwhelm the delicate neon.

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