Patrick Joust's album of Baltimore streets at night include abandoned streets with pops of color and light. He plays with nightlife without actually photographing streets of people. Joust uses the colors of signs and streetlights to enhance and create dynamic compositions. For this particular album, he went out in the streets in the middle of the night which helps the silence and loneliness of each image.
First, the dark alley way with tires piled on top of one another can be compared the urban poverty of individuals being crammed together in low quality areas. Conceptually, he could be shining a light on the areas that need the most attention. Joust's image with the car and flashing police lights in the distance focuses on the violence of urban cities. In society today with police brutality and violence that play a large role in the United States, this image fixes the mood to listen to the cry for help. The emptiness of the car with the lights shining through the windshield portray a sense of death and fear.
Dark corner stores with bright neon liquor store to the average person would scream ghetto and low income. The brightness of the sign can read hope and happiness to an alcoholic feeling down or needing to relieve stress.
I think that Patrick Joust has a way of taking average scenes and making them electric and mysterious. These images are horrific in a way of the fear of being alone. The illumination of his images speak to me about violence and the hope that is lingering in the world today. The color plays a major role by his really cold blues and warm yellows. I like the contrast that he displays in his pictures.
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