South Side

My grandmother was born in South Philly. I can remember her saying this for as long as I have been alive, but it hasn’t had much meaning until now. What I have learned about South Philly is that it has always been a place where new immigrants settle. Initially, in the late 19th and early 20th century, Italians, the Irish, and the Polish populated the area. Then, Blacks emigrating from the south moved in. In the present day, you have pockets of immigrants from Vietnam, Cambodia, Russia, and Mexico, among others. It’s a pretty diverse place, although the fabric of the neighborhood is still dominated by the Italians.

I always have a touch of anxiety when I start to photograph in a new place, especially if I want to photograph people. When I walk up to folks to ask if it’s okay to shoot them, that fear of rejection, not felt since junior high, comes welling up from no-where.

That is why I was so impressed with the people of South Philly. I gotta tell you – these people were the definition of friendly. For example, when I started talking to two older men standing outside a house (ie interrupted their conversation), they were gracious enough to not only pose for me, but to tell me their story. One of them, the older of the two, had lived in the house we were standing in front of his whole life (literally). After 10 minutes he said “hold on” and slowly disappeared into the house. He emerged a few minutes later holding his purple heart from WWII. “Do you want to photograph this?” (see photos 3, 4)

Then there was the young gentleman sitting outside on a stoop. He had been eyeing me as I walked down the street taking photographs, so I knew he knew what I was going to ask him, and I also knew he had already made up his mind. “Sure, why not.” Turns out he was sitting outside his family business, a pig cooking place (I’m sure there is a more technical name for it, but it’s beyond me). He told me all about how they get the pigs, prepare them, cook them in the brick ovens, and then ship them out to local venues. He invited me to come back when his father and brother were there so I could photograph them actually preparing the pigs. Really? (see photo 6)

Finally, I approached a group of three people sitting on the concrete side walk in lawn chairs. They clearly owned the corner. I think they were more amused by me than anything. Turns out, the house they were sitting in had been in the family since the late 1800’s. They told me about an upcoming Italian festival taking place on that street in October and insisted I come back. “And it gets really crowded, but you can use our bathroom if you need to.” By the time I was finished shooting them, 3 or 4 more people from the neighborhood had gathered round – curious as to who the newcomer was. (see photos 7,8)

So now I’m proud to say – I got roots in South Philly y’all!


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I am not afraid of heights

Sometimes the best view is from above.

Sometimes seeing life from a distance gives you needed perspective.

Sometimes it’s just cool to be on top of the world, or at least on top of Philadelphia . . . . .



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Red, White, and Blue: The American Dream?

This is why I love photography.

The American flag, a potent symbol of freedom, opportunity, and power, but also of the darker side of our countries history, is ubiquitous in the city. Philadelphia was, after all, the nation’s first city, the birthplace of the very ideas and actions that give our flag its meaning. I love being American and I love my country, but I have never considered myself terribly patriotic; it is hard to ignore the awful things that have been done to others, both in the country and around the world, under the auspices of the flag. I was surprised then, to find myself literally drawn to the flag. I couldn’t help but photograph it and before long had enough photographs to justify an entire post!

And all this looking the flag has got me thinking. In Philadelphia, the “American dream” is vibrantly alive for some, but will never be more than a distant dream for others. As an artist, each time I go out to photograph, I realized, I hope to visually represent this conflict. I view it as my responsibility.

And that is partly why I hold the flag, and my country, dear to my heart – because I know change, however complicated and difficult it is to achieve, is possible.



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“Art saves lives”

Walk the streets of Philadelphia for a day and you can’t help but notice the large colorful murals that dot the city. These are not random acts of kindness for our viewing pleasure. The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is the largest public art program in the country. The program was started in 1984 as the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network, part of the effort to eradicate the graffiti crisis plaguing the city. From the website:

“Jane Golden (founder) quickly befriended the graffiti writers and was impressed by their raw artistic talent and their self-taught knowledge of art history. She . . . began to provide opportunities for them to channel their creative talent into mural-making. Mural painting also provided a support structure for these young men and women to refine their artistic skills, empowering them to take an active role in beautifying their own neighborhoods.”

Since it began, the program has created 3000 murals in the city. Each one represents the story of community members in the neighborhood it resides in. There is a social mission behind the organization which is part of what makes each mural special. For example:

“The Mural Arts Program has also become a national leader in arts in criminal and restorative justice, currently offering educational programs in local prisons and rehabilitation centers using the restorative power of art to break the cycle of crime and violence in communities.” There are also free educational programs to get kids involved in designing and creating murals.

Photographing art is hard. My goal was to capture how these amazing murals integrate seamlessly in the city landscape. Graffiti still exists in the city, and I captured a bit of that as well.

Comments, as always, appreciated.



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theme(less)

I usually set out to photograph with a theme in mind. Inevitably, I see things that have nothing to do with my theme, but beg to be captured nonetheless. This is a small collection of the theme(less) photographs from my last outing.



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Northern Liberties (part un)

Northern Liberties is a neighborhood just north of the eastern portion of center city Philadelphia. It is a really interesting mix of old and historic but run down, and new slash innovative. Large improvement and revitalization projects have been undertaken in this area in the last few years, attracting a young, hip, artist crowd. But you still have the gritty feel of economic depression.

Full disclosure: this is my impression having lived here for just 6 weeks (wow, 6 weeks!) . . . it may change in another 6 weeks.

Quite simply what drew me to the area was that it was difficult to describe, difficult to explain. So I will just leave it to the photos. Keep in mind all of these were taken within 3 blocks of each other. I know I didn’t quite do it justice, hence the part un. I will need to complete the job with part deux.

Comments, as always, appreciated.


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