Neon at the Bel-Aire Motel, Muskegon

Captured during blue hour, this photograph documents the aging neon of the historic Bel-Aire Motel sign. Once a beacon for motorists along the highway, the sign now shows clear evidence of its years: missing marquee bulbs, dim letters, and neon tubes that no longer fire uniformly. These imperfections lend the structure a distinct character, revealing the long service and gradual decline of a mid-century roadside icon.

Technically composed to balance exposure between the bright neon and the darker surroundings, the image retains detail in both functioning and failing segments of the sign. The row of motel rooms in the background, lit by small porch lamps, reinforces the setting and frames the sign within its lived-in context. The result is a study in light, decay, and persistence - a quiet homage to Michigan’s fading motor-lodge era.