LOCALIZE IT: Capturing 100 years of Route 66 in images, see tips from AP photographers

EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:

Route 66 marks its 100th anniversary this year. Despite losing its status decades ago as a main artery from Chicago metropolitan Los Angeles, it hasn't lost its allure to tourists worldwide or its cultural cachet.

With neon lights, kitschy motels and attractions, culinary offerings and roadside diners, each town along the route has its own history and magic.

This unique guide features first-person experiences and insight from Associated Press photographers on how they captured images of Route 66 and suggestions they have for others looking to do the same. They discuss how they approached the project, what they found along the route and what made for memorable moments.

READ AND VIEW AP’S COVERAGE OF ROUTE 66

Route 66, a quintessential American road trip heavy on kitsch and history, turns 100

Eight states, three time zones and a ton of history: Take a trip down Route 66 as it turns 100

Photos show iconic stops along historic Route 66

CR Video: Route 66, a quintessential American road trip heavy on kitsch and history, turns 100

Cruising America's Main Street (Interactive digital presentation on apnews.com)

FIND YOUR STATE: CAPTURING VISUALS ALONG ROUTE 66

ILLINOIS, MISSOURI, KANSAS: AP photographer Jeff Roberson

This story was such a fun opportunity to hit the open road and meet a lot of amazing people. My biggest obstacle was having to cover 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometers) in roughly four days. I left some wiggle room in my itinerary for the unexpected, but planning and making contacts ahead of time was crucial.

Route 66 is still a big part of the tourist economy in the Midwest where I live. Along the route, everywhere you look, businesses play up their connection to it. Some of it is marketing, and some of it is sincere pride in a shared history and connection to the land. I wanted to photograph both.

You’ll find it’s hard to avoid the literal Route 66 sign photos. They are everywhere. Try to look beyond that to the landscapes and people, and examine how those have changed or remained the same.

A good example of this — and where my favorite photo was made — is at Nelson’s Old Riverton Store in Riverton, Kansas. Visitors can buy Route 66 merchandise, souvenirs and a great made-to-order sandwich. The interior has changed little since 1925 and the building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

At one point, I noticed a crack on the floor that had been painted to look like a road — Route 66. I spent quite a bit of time trying to make an interesting photo of the crack, which appeared about 20 years ago and was subsequently painted. I wasn’t having much luck when a 2-year-old girl, Oakley Wooten, carefully balanced herself while walking on it. A found moment — exactly what I was looking for.

OKLAHOMA, TEXAS: AP photographer Julio Cortez

I had a list of places I wanted to check out. But I also wanted to put myself in the driver’s seat of someone doing the journey for the first time. What would that person want to jump out and see? What places were still operating?

In Oklahoma, I found a drive-in theater in Sapulpa that was full of cars, even on a Wednesday night. I ran into a tourist from British Colombia and her dog in Luther, Oklahoma, taking a rest and photographing a sign welcoming visitors.

In Texas, where everything is bigger, I found a steakhouse that offers people a free meal if they can eat 72 ounces of beef and side dishes in under an hour.

Some places can’t be missed — Cadillac Ranch. But even others that don’t seem interesting could surprise you. I was going to ignore the Round Barn in Arcadia, Oklahoma. But as I drove by, I noticed a woman looking out one of the windows. I pulled over but missed that image.

With patience, I photographed a different person at the window, then went inside and interviewed David Dobbins, who was traveling with his wife, Robbin, from Iowa. The couple met Shelley Graham and Jim Ross, who authored a Route 66 100th anniversary book, at the barn. Robin Dobbins recently was gifted the book, so meeting the authors made for a special treat. That sort of serendipitous moment made for fun photos with special meaning.

NEW MEXICO: Multiplatform journalist Susan Montoya Bryan

Route 66 was never — and still isn’t — just a line of pavement. My goal was to find those people who could best tell the story about what the road meant for them and their communities in a visual way.

I was fortunate to meet Laguna Pueblo artist and poet Max Early, who wrote about Route 66 and its passage through Laguna lands. We toured his home and I captured video of his surroundings to pair with him reciting his poem. It was a unique way for others to hear how he views the route — more than half of which crosses through sovereign tribal lands.

Another highlight was Albuquerque — home to the longest urban stretch of Route 66 still intact. It’s a visual gold mine, with neon signs, old motor lodges and unique cityscapes. I wanted to encapsulate the 18 miles (29 kilometers) with a time lapse. After several passes, I stopped to photograph what caught my eye.

As you’re thinking about making images, aim to provide context and details that highlight those elements that make your subject matter special. A close-up of a neon sign during the magic hour can be beautiful. But think about how you can frame it to show it’s New Mexico — or wherever you happen to be.

ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA: AP photographer Jae C. Hong

I researched the main draws in California and Arizona, but my main rule was simple: Chase the good light and expect accidental discoveries to capture the real vibe of the road.

I didn’t want to just take pictures of old buildings or rusty cars. I wanted to find the human side of Route 66, the emotion and culture to show this isn't just a place from travel books. Real people live and work here every day.

I thought of this entire project as one big portrait of Route 66. I wanted to see how the road has changed, so I looked for contrasts. For example, the ghost towns, but also what is thriving right now.

Two of my favorite shots were total accidents, just from exploring side streets. In Holbrook, Arizona, I found a mobile barbershop — literally a barber working out of a trailer next to a mural celebrating the historic Mother Road. It was such a cool, modern twist on a historic town. Then in Williams, I walked past a Jiu Jitsu studio with students wearing uniforms with the Route 66 shield on them. It was so intense and real compared to all the tourist gift shops nearby. Both times, I just walked in, introduced myself, and got photos that showed the real community.

PHOTO SKILLS: CAPTURING NEON LIGHTS, NOSTALIGIA, PEOPLE

NEON LIGHTS: If you want images that really pop with color, it's best to shoot right at or after sunset while there's still some ambient light left in the sky. Be patient, wait for people to enter the shot so it helps viewers relate to the scene. Focus on the details like the bulbs. A fancy camera isn't necessary. Many cellphone cameras make working with difficult light easier, leaving more room to concentrate on composition.

NOSTALGIA: Look for the ghosts of the road. Think of the abandoned buildings, faded billboards, rusted metal, empty parking lots or crumbling structures like wrinkles on a face. They show the history of Route 66. Some have been restored and are now gleaming with midcentury Americana. Look for creative ways to frame your images, like through an old gas station window. Look for people doing things that harken to a different time, like enjoying a drive-in movie theater.

THE PEOPLE: Everyone has a story, and they're eager to talk about the Mother Road. Build a connection to better understand the emotion and culture that is still alive on the road today. Wide shots are for showing their environment, while detail shots can show working hands greasy from fixing flat tires or covered with flour from baking pies at a cafe along the route. The people combined with their setting is what makes it a true portrait of Route 66.

Localize It is a resource produced regularly by The Associated Press for its customers’ use. Questions can be directed to the Local News Success team at localizeit@ap.org. View guides published in the last 30 days here.

Rana Bal gets a haircut from Daniel Bailon inside a mobile barbershop in Holbrook, Ariz., a town on historic Route 66, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Alex Lara, left, and Rosie Diehl practice jiu-jitsu at Route 66 Jiu Jitsu Academy in Williams, Ariz., a town on the historic highway, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

The neon sign in front of the historic Hiland Theatre glows along an urban stretch of Route 66 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

David Dobbins, of Ankeny, Iowa, peeks out a window at the Round Barn along Route 66 in Arcadia, Okla., during a stop on his Route 66 trip with his wife, Robin, Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Oakley Wooten, 2, walks on a crack that formed inside the historic Nelson's Old Riverton Store about 20 years ago and was subsequently patched and painted to resemble Route 66 which passes by outside in Riverton, Kan., Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

NEW YORK (AP) — Stock markets are surging worldwide, and oil prices are plunging back toward $90 per barrel after President Donald Trump pulled back from his threat to force a “whole civilization” to die in the war with Iran.

The S&P 500 leaped 2.6% after Trump, Iran and Israel agreed to a two-week ceasefire, just hours before a deadline Trump had set for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and allow oil to flow freely again from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1,383 points, or 3%, as of 9:35 a.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 3.3% higher following even bigger gains in European and Asian stock markets.

To be sure, stock prices are still below where they were before the war. And oil prices are still higher because the threat remains that the war could continue and keep oil produced in the Persian Gulf area blocked in the Middle East.

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has already topped $4.16 in the United States, according to AAA. That’s up from less than $3 a couple days before the United States and Israel launched attacks to begin the war in late February. If oil prices stay high for a long time, it would push up the price of nearly everything that’s moved by truck, plane or boat.

“There is a reason to be optimistic, but it is still too early to tell, because, as you know, after all, it is Trump,” said Takashi Hiroki, chief strategist at MONEX.

So far in the war, Trump has set several deadlines for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and has threatened big repercussions if Iran doesn’t, only to delay them.

It’s similar to a year ago, when Trump initially threatened stiff tariffs on imports from other countries on “Liberation Day.” After a couple delays, his administration eventually negotiated lower tariffs with many countries, though they were still higher than from before his second term.

With uncertainty still remaining, “the mood remains one of cautious optimism rather than outright celebration,” said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade. “The ceasefire is only two weeks long, and markets will be watching closely to see whether shipping through the Strait of Hormuz normalizes as promised and whether the fragile truce can pave the way for a more durable peace agreement.”

Still, financial markets made big moves following the ceasefire announcement.

The price for a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude oil plunged 17.5% to $93.15. Brent crude, the international standard, tumbled 16.6% to $91.11. It had briefly topped $119 when worries about the war with Iran were at their highest.

In Asia, where countries are more reliant on oil from the Middle East, South Korea’s Kospi stock index surged 6.9%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 leaped 5.4%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng jumped 3.1%.

European stock indexes rose nearly as much, with Germany’s DAX returning 5.2% and France’s CAC 40 rising 4.9%.

On Wall Street, companies with big fuel bills roared back to trim some of the sharp losses taken on worries about oil prices staying high.

United Airlines soared 13.7%, for example, which would count as a decent year for the stock. It cut into its loss for the year that came into the day at 20.1%.

Delta Air Lines climbed 11% after it also reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Norwegian Cruise Line Holding steamed 11.9% higher to trim into its 16.1% loss for the year so far.

In the bond market, Treasury yields eased as worries about high inflation and oil prices ebbed.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.25% from 4.33% late Tuesday. That’s a notable move for the bond market, and lower Treasury yields give a boost to prices for stocks, bonds and all kinds of other investments.

The drop should also help ease some of the quick recent rise in rates for mortgages and other loans taken out by U.S. households and businesses, which have been slowing the economy.

AP journalists Yuri Kageyama, Matt Ott, Mayuko Ono and Jon Gambrell contributed to this report.

Currency traders work at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

U.S. President Donald Trump is seen on a screen as traders work at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A person walks by an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index in Tokyo Wednesday, April 8, 2026. (Yuya Shino/Kyodo News via AP)

John Mauro works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Ed Curran works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)