The Happy Gentleman

Early Projects...

Before moving to Houston, Kristen and I worked for a short time on a project about roller derby. The main idea was a set of interviews and portraits unfolding the story of a derby league. Kristen and I were not so interested in the sports achievement angle, but in how derby connected to the life and identity of the individuals who granted us access.

We learned a lot about interviewing and the logistics of this kind of work from the project. Recently Kristen and I have been discussing starting a new project in Houston. Sorting through old paperwork and hard drives, I found this portrait. 

 

 

Road Side Memorials

I have grown accustom to seeing these memorials along highways and in the shadows underneath over passes, but it's still fairly uncommon to encounter them next to a sidewalk on a city street. Many of the ones I've seen appear to be makeshift, constructed (I often imagine) in the heat of the moment or for a one time visitation. But this one reflects a more fixed and permanent plan. The cross is marked by the remembered person's name and flowers appear rather regularly by its side. 

Though it's about a block from my home, I have yet to catch a glimpse of who replaces the flowers. In absence of knowing this person, the memorial strikes me in different ways. Sometimes walking by, it pushes thoughts of the transient and arbitrary nature of our existence into my mind. Sometimes it simply fills me with an odd voyeuristic compulsion to catch a glimpse of the memorial's caretaker.  Yet other times I find myself daring myself to touch the memorial--the same way you dare yourself to touch the body at a wake. 

Photographing Lucas

It's been a couple of weeks now, but I had a chance to photograph a gentleman named Lucas. He's a dancer and choreographer here in Houston. He was pleasant enough to open his routine and day up to me. 

 

Portraits of Belinda

I had the opportunity recently to photograph Belinda Smith in her studio at Winter Street. In the last few weeks, I've become interested in photographing artists and dancers. Belinda was nice enough to let me photo her while she worked. 

 

Portrait Experiment I

Tango II

Ocean: Rhode Island