shadowy streetscapes of palm springs' modernist architecture by moonlight

shadowy streetscapes of palm springs’ modernist architecture by moonlight
(above) ‘1995 camino monte’
all images © tom blachford

dimly lit under the shadowy light of a full moon, melbourne-based photographer tom blachford captures classic modernist houses in palm springs, california. without post production or artificially staged lighting, the images are merely composed by the glow radiating from the celestial body in the sky, and variously toned lamps, which illuminate from within the interior spaces of each domestic dwelling. ‘midnight modern‘, which has been shot over two separate trips to the picturesque site, explores the relationship between the moonlight, the geometry of the tract houses, and the mountainous landscape that exists in the background. structural lines formed by the architecture of the residences meet organic curves created by the surrounding panorama, creating a distinct and dramatic interplay between natural and manmade.

image of ‘1110 abrigo Rd’

‘with our eyes and brains simply unable to process the dimly lit scene resulting images leave you as the viewer confused as to how such an image could exist before us but never be seen.’ the photographer explains. ‘time is compressed from 30 seconds into one viewable moment. the stars blur into dashes to remind us that even seemingly immovable steel and mountains are actually spinning on a grand scale as our earth rotates on its axis, and in turn around the sun.’

image of ‘470 W vista chino’

image of ‘470 W vista chino’

‘470 W vista chino’

‘470 W vista chino’

‘470 W vista chino’

‘1030 W cielo’

‘1030 W cielo’

‘1070 E apache’

‘1070 E apache’

‘1070 E apache’

‘2311 N indian avenue’

‘1056 E san lorenzo rd’

‘1056 E san lorenzo rd’

‘1020 via vadera’