"Neon New York", the new book from Beth Beckman, was derived through a dedicated summer's walking journey through every avenue and street of New York City. The obsessive pictorial journal includes over 300 photos and an introduction detailing the journey:
"I never thought I would complete this.
This book is the remnants of my summer love affair with New York City. A walking tour that started at the very tip of Battery Park to 90th street, walking every street in Manhattan all while documenting the neon signs found along the way.
The idea started out innocently enough on June 4th, a beautiful spring day on the Upper West Side. After brunch I was strolling down Columbus Avenue when I saw the neon that changed all my plans for the summer: Teriyaki Boy. The sign then triggered a conversation with my friends. I snapped a picture of Teriyaki Boy. My journey had begun....."
The 35 chapters range in categories such as Laundry Day (cleaners, tailors, Laundromats), Eye Guys (sunglasses, glasses and optometry), and Risky Business (lips, peep show signs, video stores). All chapters highlight only unique and interesting neon signs; not including typical or generic OPEN signs, beer/liquor advertisements, orATM signs.
A fascinating pictorial documentary of New York, "Neon New York" proves to be in the "never been done before" category.
"Neon New York" is Beth Beckman's first photography book. Beth has also written a short fiction piece titled "A New York Monday" published in The Truth Magazine. She currently works in the design industry and has long been an amateur photographer and writer.
