DIFFERENT WORLDS, NEW PEOPLE.

I was sent to photograph a professional women’s group having a prayer for the city of Detroit early Saturday morning at Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit for the Detroit News. I looked around for awhile and couldn’t find anyone praying. Then I saw 2 women who looked like they might be praying and it turned out to be them. So I figured there would not be very many people at the event and I wasn’t sure what I would get photo wise. James, who lives on the streets (above photo) came up and asked what we were doing. We told him and he decided to pray with the two ladies. After he was done praying he wanted to show me his art. He did. Including a painting of a half naked woman.

“I did this one for a woman I was with!” he laughed!

And the painting of the sun seen in the photo above. So I bought it for $5. I’m going to hang it in my house. Then he went on to tell me stories of how long he had been on the streets, what he does for money, pointed out where he sleeps and how he should listen to his mom because if he would have a few years back he wouldn’t have ended up in prison. He said 5 years for being mixed up in an armed robbery. I don’t know which things he talked about were true and which were not but he was looking to talk and we had a nice 15 minute chat. A few more people showed up for prayer, no more then 9 total and I made a few more images. Then back home to the burbs to help my wife set things out for a garage sale. This job lets me meet a bunch of people who I would otherwise never meet. It’s always been one of the coolest parts of the job. It’s also always been weird how I can be in different worlds in a matter of a day. Have a nice Sunday.