Penumbra
The definition of penumbra is 'almost shadow' or
'almost dark' (or light). Penumbra is typically used
to describe events in astronomy, such as when an
eclipse occurs.
In photography, penumbra is a unique opportunity to
capture texture and atmosphere in an almost
occult-like light. A strip club has always struck me
as kind of sad and desperate. I have been meaning to
take this photo for years but the highway has been
re-routed and it is especially tricky to get to. This
isn't exactly the effect I was looking for (drizzle
and water puddles would have been ideal), but I liked
the emotion the headlights provided.
Jake's strip club is located in Coates, Minnesota. It
had a litigious relationship with the community and
for years the town continually passed laws to close
it down. In 2002 the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled
finally that the town was within it's authority to
close Jake's. In an unwise effort to vote the local
politicians out of office, Jake's owner had 92
patrons (sometimes called rummy's) fill out voter
registration cards, using the strip club as their
home address.
You don't mess with the feds. It is never a good idea
to break federal voting fraud laws and especially in
such a stupid manner. Several hundred thousand
dollars later, the case was finally settled. The bar
never did reopen and it has been vacant ever since.
No doubt it will be torn down and the opportunity to
capture Jake's in penumbra light will be gone
forever.