Public Park 1985-1986
As I was completing my Commuting Series, I began to crave making my photography a little easier (not a common impulse for me). I wanted to go back to a camera with predictable, precise controls, an accurate viewfinder and the more forgiving nature of color negative film.
I also wanted new subject matter where I did not have to be “on” all of the time. As I transitioned from Grad School to working as a full time dye transfer printer (as well as a part time photography instructor at three different institutions), I chose Belle Isle Park as a destination and a specific subject.
I wanted to get back to photographing people as my subject, at least part of the time. I still was drawn to the empty urban landscape.
The island offered solitude, beautiful light and people seeking a little peace in the midst of a gritty rustbelt city. The park had been seriously neglected because of the declining city economy during this era, but it was still a magical place to visit.
I often worked on a tripod for this project, regardless of light or weather. People were either drawn to my camera or walked around it. I could quietly respond to the landscape, or react to the random chance of a suddenly introduced human element. This also allowed me to continue to explore long exposure effects.
After all of these years, I’m having trouble remembering where and how I found the time to make this series of images, both in the shooting and the printing. I was definitely restless and obviously needed a lot less sleep back then.
