Circumstances are keeping me out of Detroit for the now. I don't mind really because I'd like to pursue other subject matter and sometimes wonder if my photos aren't doing a disservice to the city. I don't want to be the cynic who stands at the border of the city (like Eight Mile from the M&M film) flinging mud and other debris at the city, an urban area with a major hurt already. As the wealth of our nation continues to shift from the middle to the top, what happens in Detroit does have an effect on my life, personally. I'm shocked by how few people are cognizant of this, how complacent we have become, preferring to follow gossip over real hardcore news. But our corporate media fails us miserably on that account. A semi-final round of "American Idol" trumps an in-depth investigation into the corrupt illegal trading practices executed by Wall Street any day.
But I'm drifting away from my photo blog. Or am I? Isn't what churns in my mind influential of where I point my camera? Perhaps our photo galleries reveal a lot about what goes on in our inner worlds.
I was thinking about that the other day, about how I find photos...Sometimes I have a core center that influences what I look at, what catches my attention, and sometimes my visions are consciously fueled. For instance, on a certain day I may suddenly become aware of geometric shapes, or a particular color, and scan for interesting images that fit that mold. Like if the concept of 'triangle' was firmly planted in my conscious mind before I went out for a shooting session, my scan would filter in objects that fit, and I'm certain I would find interesting images who have as a key ingredient, the triangle. Or maybe an idea, like examples of contrasting the haves and the have nots (yeah, that's a theme of mine), how the rich and poor differ. I once contemplated doing contrasting images to my Detroit photos, combing the 'burbs. The wealthier burbs are well guarded and patrolled and I can get away with trolling the city for photos easier in a place like Detroit.
Well, sometimes. Then there was that time a few years ago where I was photographing out of my car in an area of the city that is mostly abandoned warehouses. Someone thought my activities were 'suspicious' and notified the police. I got a call a few days later and was grilled on a hot flame about who I was, what I was doing, what I intended to do with my photos, if I was married and working, etc. This 'interview' spanned two phone calls, probably totally at least half an hour. I wonder whatever happened to all my answers? Where did they go? Can I leave the country? Do they know about my suspicious behavior in Canada? Does Interpol have me on a list somewhere? Would a specific event trigger a visit by the police to my door at a future date? Will I be executed at dawn without a fair trial?
And the other type of photography I do is to just roam around and see what I can find. Of course, when I do that, I'm sure those filters I mentioned are influencing what I see, but this style is a bit more freestyle. I used to do that in Detroit at least three times a week, about 3-4 hours per session. That's a lot of gas, and tire repairs. And engine work. What I did was very expensive, but you can't tell that from looking at my photos.
So for now, no serious Detroit. My circumstances are different now and that just isn't going to happen.
But I still like to take pictures!
I started photography many years ago (decades even) and I'm usually comfortable shooting in cemeteries. I think such photos cause some people discomfort, confronting the concept that we all must die.
Sorry you people who like Detroit but not the cemetery.
My Fuji is back from warranty repair.
Where is my enthusiasm?
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