Northeast Minneapolis Dive Bars on 35mm Film: Night Photo Series
Northeast Minneapolis Dive Bars on CineStill 800T: A Night on Two Wheels
Northeast Minneapolis, or “Nordeast” to the people who live here, has some of the best dive bars in the Twin Cities. They have neon in the windows, worn wooden doors, and regulars who have been on the same stool for decades. I wanted to photograph them the way they feel at night, so I grabbed my Canonet QL17, loaded a roll of CineStill 800T, and went out on a July Saturday night.
The Setup: One Bike, One Camera, 90-Plus Degrees
It was a sticky Saturday night in July, with temperatures still above 90 after dark. I skipped the car and rode my bike from bar to bar. Biking in Northeast is the best way to see it. You can hop between spots without hunting for parking, and you notice the small things in between, like a flickering sign, a mural, or a group laughing on a stoop.
The plan was simple: stop at as many dive bars across Northeast as I could, shoot long exposures of each exterior, and see who I’d meet along the way.
Some of my favorite parts of the night weren’t in the viewfinder. Outside nearly every bar, there was someone stepping out for a smoke or grabbing a ride. Small conversations started as people got curious about what I was doing. I’d explain the project, and the conversations started easily.
Why CineStill 800T and the Canonet QL17?
CineStill 800T is a tungsten-balanced 35mm film that handles low light well. It renders neon and streetlights with rich color, and its signature red halation glow around bright lights suits dive bar signs perfectly. Under bar lighting, it makes the whole scene look like a movie still.
The Canonet QL17 is a compact, fast-lens rangefinder from the 1970s. It’s light enough to carry on a bike all night, and its manual control lets me set slow shutter speeds for long exposures.
Shooting on film also slows everything down. With a limited number of frames on the roll, you think about each shot before you take it.
Long Exposures: Letting the Night Soak In
Long exposures let the film collect more of the light a scene gives off. Neon signs glow, headlights streak, and the warm light of an open door spills onto the sidewalk. The slower the shutter, the more the night shows up in the frame.
On film, there’s no instant preview. You press the shutter, wait, and trust your read of the light. You don’t know what you’ve captured until the roll is developed, and that anticipation is part of why I love shooting this way.
Tips for Shooting Night Photography in Minneapolis
If you want to try something similar, here’s what worked for me:
Match your film to your light. CineStill 800T loves tungsten and neon, which makes it great for bar exteriors.
Bring a way to stay steady. Long exposures need a stable camera. A small tripod, a ledge, or a bike seat can all work.
Be friendly, not pushy. A smile and a quick explanation go a long way when you’re photographing near people.
Pack for the heat. On a hot July night, water and a light bag make a big difference.
Travel light. A bike, lights, tripod, one camera, and a few rolls is plenty for a night out.
See the Series and Bring It Home
The full Northeast Minneapolis dive bar series is on my site, and select images are available as fine art prints. If you’re a local business owner, bar owner, or neighborhood organization interested in a print or a collaboration, get in touch at through my contact tab.
Final Thoughts
Northeast Minneapolis is full of places that feel lived in, and its dive bars are some of the best examples. One hot July night, a bike, and a roll of film showed me the neighborhood in a different light, and the people I met outside those doors made it more memorable than I expected. The film look really brings you back to late nights vibes before cell phones and $6 dollar canned beers