WIRED Article on my "Chosen Family" photographing signs

“a few friends and family members knew about my weird obsession … but for the most part I kept it to myself.” My friend Kim Haggin Rossi wrote a wonderful article (link below) for WIRED that was published yesterday. It talks about how so many of us found our "chosen family" on Instagram through our shared interest in taking pictures of signs. The article beautifully illustrates how so many of us from all over the country took a leap of faith to travel to a new place, and then immediately felt a sense of connection; friendships ensued. So, if you're wondering why on any given trip I bring cameras and disappear for a bit, this article demystifies this crazy behavior! It's truly incredible how we find "our people" through a shared passion, and create real connections in what appears to be an otherwise virtual space of the Internet.

Winner of "Best Exterior"

I just found out that my image in the Y/OUR Denver online exhibition was just featured in a recent article, "Y/OUR Denver Photography Exhibit Shows Beauty of Mile High Architecture", in Westword (Denver's independent news magazine). In addition, my "Breaking a Bride" image of the Research Bridge building at the former University of Colorado Health Sciences Center on Colorado Blvd and 9th Ave won "Best Exterior" in this juried exhibition! 

 Here is the article section verbatim about my contribution:

"Through the years, the competition has documented a changing Denver. Some buildings that were photographed for a specific contest may not be there by the time the exhibition is mounted, as was the case with Mark Stein's "Breaking a Bridge," which won Best Exterior this year. 'There is a lot of construction and change that has been occurring," says Johnston. "The image by Mark Stein is of the old University of Colorado Health Sciences Center that doesn't exist anymore. And so you're seeing pockets of the city that have holding structures that are not there anymore, but I think that's just part of the growing pains that the city is in. That's also the nice thing about the exhibition: getting people to sit, to look and think.'"

Article - Y/OUR Denver Photography Exhibit Shows Beauty of Mile High Architecture

Artopia Denver 2017 2017 is off to an exciting start as I'm preparing several Colfax Avenue neon sign photos for display at the Westword Denver Artopia 2017 on February 25th at City Hall. I'll have the honor and privilege of exhibiting my work in conjunction with four other Save The Signs artists. Many of my photos pre-date Instagram (@mark5280pix), and feature Colfax signs that are no longer in existence. Tickets are available by visiting: westwordartopia.com #artopiaden #savethesigns