Monday May 9th
Woke up as the crack of dawn this morning to drive into Louisville from visiting family in Columbus. Got into town around 9 am and checked into my Airbnb off Bardstown Rd. in the Highlands. Seems like a pretty nice area, different from my stay in right in Downtown last time I was here. After checking into my Airbnb I went out while the light was still somewhat decent, not midday nasty harsh light just yet, and headed towards the West End. I drove by a mural I had seen a dozen times but figured I needed to start with anything, photographically speaking, and move on and up from there. So I took a left with the intention of going around the block and back next to the mural. I realized after taking said left it put me right in front of King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church where I had photographed multiple times my last time in town and there was a car or two outworn so I decided to pop my head in. Opening the door I walked into the sanctuary to find an open casket with a young man inside. I met the mortician outside and explained the project, he send me along to the pastor, who I had met before, who said “Yes, anything you need. You’re welcome to stay for the service” or something to that extent. I figured this was a good start but unless I got the family’s permission I was on track to getting beat up or cursed out if I were to start photographing the service. Moreover, worse than getting beat up or cursed out would be any further pain my presence would inflict on the already grieving family so I found the mother and explained the project to her. I made my case as to why I think it’s important to include in this project, to show that young men are having their lives cut short by gun violence and documenting the problems disproportionally facing communities of color was something I cared about including in the project and she understood and gave me the green light.
Getting the A-OK was exciting but any excitement was pretty quickly cut short by the screams of agony and pain by visiting friends and family. The young man Lamont “Bud” Eugene Hobbs Jr. was shot and killed 12 or so days prior and the grief was palpable. You don’t forget a mother screaming in pain at the sight of her dead son.
Later I drove around and took a photo of CC and Weez, and CC’s son Armani. Cute little family.
Took a few other so-so pictures while cruising around but the physical and emotional exhaustion was enough to render a very early night.
Tuesday May 10th
Started today cruising around the west ending the morning. I stopped by a mural that read “My Brother’s Keeper” and met a gentleman outside who explained it was a drug-free house for men trying to live clean and free of substance abuse. I took a few photos of him in front of the mural and gave him my card, I explained the project and hoped to take some more photos at the house but he has yet to call. He pointed out across the street was a school where many immigrants and refugees took English classes which I bookmarked in my head to return to.
Across from said school was a place called The Black Market. Love the name. Black Owned, I think mostly black supplied, store in the West End. Jasmine was great to talk to and I took a lot of portrait of her as well as a woman who was painting a giant mural on the side of the Market.
Later in the day I went out and photographed a barber giving a hot shave to a client as well as a politician who posed for a portrait with her daughter and a photo of her mother. I spoke with her over the phone about how I wanted to show if possible as many generations in one photo. Although the grandma wasn’t in the photo or physically there it was a good starting point for that idea and I think there’s a lot more that can be done in that realm. They were good sports though and I promised to send the photo soon after.
Wednesday May 11th
This morning I went straight to the Catholic Charities school for English as a second language classes across from the market where I spent part of yesterday. The head of the school was very helpful and introduced me to all the teacher and an interpreter was able to explain the project and my presence to the class that was the most fresh and didn’t have a great grasp of english to make sure that anyone that didn’t want to be photographed, the few muslim women I later befriended, wouldn’t be photographed. I was happy to learn almost everyone had no problem with my being there or being photographed so I spend most of my morning hopping from classroom to classroom.
I went to Popstar nails after talking with a women who founded it, she was doing a pedicure and we mostly just shot the shit. Made a few pictures but mostly just talked. Following that I linked up with the sculptor Ed Hamilton at his studio and watched him as he worked with clay and mostly just talked for a couple of hours. I made a few portraits, dragged in my lights from the car, and he was nice enough to take a short break from working a couple times to pose for a few photos. I think he’s done this a handful of times, he had a few go-to poses but I kind of which I got him in a much more casual relaxed state.
This evening when poking around the west end I saw so many folks out on their porches just chilling that I thought I should start taking as many photos of folks out on their porch as possible for a series. Every photo has been taken, so I’m sure there’s some photographer out there who’s thought of this before me, but hey, why not have this be part of my contribution. I think there’s a ton of different things that can be learned looking at people on their porch. Who they are, where they are.
Thursday May 12th
Started today at a record store, Better Days Records, I think was the name. Walked in and was the only person there and the owner was organizing CDs or something towards the back. We got to talking for a bit and I think I recorded part of the conversation because it was just genuinely interesting. They have Better Days East and West, two locations serving two different populations from the sounds of it. There was much more Rock and Pop and stuff at the other store, in a much whiter part of town, and here was much more soul music, jazz, rap and RnB.
I met a man who made a memorial to his two cousins in an empty lot across from his home. He posed for a photo with his arms down like the Virgin Mary statues just naturally gesturing towards the memorial. I didn’t even need to direct him or anything it was just so natural and perfect.
Later in the afternoon I linked up with Ed Hamilton who was speaking in front of his statue of York to high school students from the Newcomer Academy I think, the school for students who are new to the states Bob had reached out to before. I spoke with someone who was on one of the email chains and reiterated how important it could be to include the stories of these students into this project and he said he would speak with some student and teachers about it but couldn’t promise anything.
Wig store across from the barbershop where the hot shave was got back in touch with me, turns out its the barber’s wife’s store. So I poked around the wig store for a bit and took a portrait or two of the owner.
Following that I went to the studio of music producer AP. who I got connected with through another DJ I wasn’t able to photograph. He gave me a short tour, there were places to shoot music videos but I was most interested in the studio itself. He sat infant of the computer and played some of his songs which were a lot better than I was actually anticipating. I can be a music snob at times but they were pretty good. Toe tapping.
AP and I drove over to another music producer’s studio which was much more…rustic? Less fancy than AP’s but seemed more DIY and had a different feel to it. They proceeded to smoke and I headed out eventually.
The only other real stop after that, following a long stint of looking for folks on their porches and striking out, was swinging by a clothing store called Tay Way. Small and inside a hair salon but Tay was really nice and offered to model a few items and I made a few portraits of her amongst her clothing.
Friday May 13th
Woke up and went to get a coffee closer to the U of L campus and found some dudes chilling on a porch and asked to take their picture, they obliged, one guy had a ankle monitor but I got to talking to one of his friends who involved with some car clubs and I explained I have been trying to find a meet up and people doing donuts and shit to photograph and he said he’d give me a shout about a few meet ups this weekend so hoping that pans out.
From there I went to a tattoo studio. I hadn’t thought of really swinging by any tattoo places but had the itch and thought it might be something that would look cool in 50-some years. The owners were super interested in the project and gladly let me hang out for a while.
Met a woman with curlers in her hair and talked her into letting me make a quick portrait in a light patch in her backyard.
Met a woman working a corner and chatted for a while. She had a tattoo of her son, and infant’s face, tattooed on her arm and she looked a little rough. She told me that her son’s father had just overdosed.
I stopped by All or Nothing Boxing academy, a place I’d tried to get into the first week I was here but never materialized. They were doing youth classes so there was a handful of kids running around with gloves, ‘training’. They all were very interested in the random guy with cameras so I explained what I was doing and they let me hangout for a bit. Also met some women smoking blunts in a car outside. Gun on their lap they explained their reason for carrying, safety.
Following the gym I drove around for a while and stumbled upon a girl being photographed by a ton of family in her front yard prior to going to prom. I explained the project took a few photos and gave them my info if they wanted any of the photos.
Lastly I went to a dance class/open dance night, mostly older folks, at a dance studio a little further from the city center and west end, mostly white folks in the class.
Saturday May 14th
Spent most of the morning driving around the west end and was relatively quiet. Not many folks to add to the porch series but took some photos of crosses on an overpass and more industrial areas directly west of Downtown. Rain started to roll through midday and after photographing for a bit inside a laundromat I called a woman from King Solomon who had mentioned a Senior Pageant….which just sounds like a gold mine for good pictures. She said I could come by and photograph as long as I got permission from all the participants.
I showed up about a half hour before kick off and it seemed much like it was advertised. A senior beauty pageant for church women over 65. There were only 5ish contestants but everyone seemed like they had been looking forward to this for some time. They were escorted in by family, girl scouts, even a cop, and asked a series of questions before the judges deliberated. The friend who I was pulling for, and I thought was a shoo-in after she sang a song, no other contestants dared doing that, placed 3rd. The woman who organized the whole thing was the winner drawing a few questioning looks and remarks but hey there’s always next year. It was a spectacle and a great time I haven’t looked at many of the photos yet but I think some should work well.
Sunday May 15th
Meeting with Bob today around noon before departing. Over all I feel like this trip was more productive. The funeral on the first day might have been the photographic high point but overall I feel like there was so much less getting the lay of the land because it was familiar. I was able to follow up with some folks I met last time. And so many people offered connections in Lexington which I hope is my next assignment. In addition, I feel like the porch series, although not the world’s most groundbreaking idea I’m sure, kinda basic, will be fun to continue wherever I go next, even maybe at home in Pittsburgh.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.