Jonathan Grado

My dad almost opened a car wash in Brooklyn when he was younger (this was before he took over Grado Labs). I’m reminded of that anytime I drive by a car wash. So, frequently.

This one car wash I’ve been driving by a lot though has caught my attention for a few different reasons: love the colors of the retro awnings, the “VACUUM/FRAGRANCE”, and the fact they’re really the only light source in the area. Just like them hot donuts, I pulled over at night and got some shots.

This is one of the first night shoots I did with the Fujifilm X-T5. While taking photos at Mrs. Johnsons Hot Donuts was on a tripod, this was all handheld. The IBIS (in-body image stabilization) really came in handy here, as these shots were taken at pretty slow speeds.

One of these can be found in the photo series Provided You’re Still Here.