“Hotel”: Fuji Provia 100F slide film photo

Ramada Denver Midtown hotel neon sign
Moments before sunset, the neon sign on the roof of the Ramada Denver Midtown hotel at North Speed Blvd. and I-25. (Daniel J. Schneider)

The Ramada Midtown Denver was built in 1957, according to Denver Real Property records, which puts it right near the end of the neon age in the United States. By 1960, neon sign use was declining dramatically.

The hotel is on the southwest corner of Zuni Street and Speer Boulevard, just off I-25 in Denver’s Jefferson Park neighborhood.

It’s the first neon hotel signs I’ve photographed using film, following quite a few with digital.

To get the shot: I stood on a steel railing on a steep hill above the I-25 onramp across Zuni Street from the hotel. Since taking the photo in May, I noticed that the “O” in the sign has burned out or otherwise been damaged, so I’m glad I got it when I could.

I made this picture using Fujichrome Provia 100F professional color film with my Minolta XE-7 and my MC Rokkor-PF 58mm f/1.4 lens. According to my notes, it was taken at f/1.4 and 1/125th sec. Scanned with my Epson Perfection V600; some scanner dust removed with Photoshop.