Alleys & Ruins no. 60, Canyons (2004, Chicago, IL, 10:30pm)
In late 2003, I moved to the states and hit the road. I found myself in a different city every week, doing art shows. This was the engine that allowed me to expand the Alleys & Ruins series across the continent.
It took a while to get my rhythm, but eventually I developed a routine. During my shows I would meet people, and I’d often find someone interested in going on a night shoot with me to some location I had usually already scoped out.
I start off with a bang. After finding someone to go with me in Chicago, we head off at night to Canyons.
To get the shot, the camera has to be very low to the ground. I place some cardboard on the wet alley so I can lie on my back. As I squeeze my body between the cardboard and the camera to see through the viewfinder, the guy I brought along excuses himself and walks away.
I crawl back out and watch him walk right out of the alley and out of sight. I think he’s abandoned me – he was a vital second set of eyes looking out for threats and he just left.
But 10 minutes later he comes back with a six-pack of beer. That makes me very happy.
His name was Neil Moldenhauer and he hadn’t bailed, he just thought we needed supplies. That six-pack was the beginning of a brotherhood. When I eventually moved to Chicago in 2010, Neil became my best friend.
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