16th Street Baptist Church
The iconic 16th Street Baptist Church's neon sign at dusk. The church is located in Birmingham, Alabama's historic civil rights district. On January 1...
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The iconic 16th Street Baptist Church's neon sign at dusk. The church is located in Birmingham, Alabama's historic civil rights district. On January 12, 2017, President Obama designated the district a national monument. It was tranquil when I took this photo in 2014, but not on September 15, 1963, when a bomb killed four little girls attending Sunday school (Addie Mae Collins, age 14; Carol Denise McNair, age 11; Carole Robertson, age 14; and Cynthia Wesley, age 14) and injured 14 others. The church was officially designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006.
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Sep, 2016Views
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Picturing Negative Space Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
All Star
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Impressed
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The_Rampant_Lion
July 21, 2017
One of the most iconic structures from the Birmingham of old. I know things haven't improved much outside of the confines of this city that was once the epicenter of hate. This image (a gorgeous representation of the Blue Period) is powerful and simultaneously tame. The rebirth of Birmingham is underway and we are lucky to have this church that stands across the street from the Civil Rights Museum across the street from the park. Great capture and thank you for sharing it!
JBordons
July 22, 2017
Thank you, Jason. As I walked around the church and took this photo on a summer evening, I felt a rush of emotions, from sadness and shame, to hope and reconciliation. It stands as a reminder of the past, how far we've come, and how far we have to go.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This neon sign is on the southeastern corner of the 16th Street Baptist Church in downtown Birmingham, AL. It was bombed by members of the Ku Klux Klan on September 15, 1963, killing four young girls and injuring 22 others. This tragedy increased awareness and support of the struggle to end segregation. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted less than a year later.Time
Dusk.Lighting
The clear royal blue sky at the end of a hot, clear summer day bathed the scene in blue and complemented the sign's color. It was dim enough to see the glow of the neon lettering.Equipment
Handheld Sony NEX-7 with Zeiss 24mm f/1.8.Inspiration
I wanted to visit and photograph the iconic 16th Street Baptist Church, considered ground zero for the Civil Rights Movement. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006 and is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage.Editing
Post-processing was limited to cropping, the addition of vignetting, and mild adjustment of brightness and contrast.In my camera bag
The camera bag and equipment I take with me is usually geared toward the photographic opportunities I anticipate. In this case, I hadn’t planned this end-of-the-day side trip, and was traveling light. The only lens I had with me—a 24mm lens—was wider than I would have preferred, although, its f/1.8 aperture was helpful in the low light.Feedback
I wish I’d had a tripod and given myself more time at this historic site to capture more perspectives.
