Axeman

Canon EOS 7D | Canon 35mm f/1.4 | Available Light

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Full Disclosure: This photo was taken in Royal Oak, Michigan - a suburb about 4 miles north of Detroit proper.

Granted, the purpose of this project is to intimate the people who live in or otherwise have a relationship with the city of Detroit.

However, I don't intend to adhere to that criterion religiously.
If I happen to encounter an interesting person in my travels in the city's suburbs, I will very likely take their photo.

I make this exception for this reason: I think it is important to remember the suburbs of Detroit have their fate inextricably tied to the fate of Detroit proper. Conversely, I think its important for Detroit to see the suburbs as partners not adversaries.

Put simply, the metropolitan Detroit area will fail or prevail as a whole. So, although Detroit is the nucleus of the region, I believe it is wholly appropriate to look in on the satellite communities that surround Detroit and influence its trajectory. And now, to the photo:

When I want to clear my head and get some exercise, I ride my baby about 12 miles from downtown Detroit to the aforementioned city of Royal Oak. I saw the brother pictured above during one of my recent expeditions.

Like I was saying earlier, I plan to focus mostly on people I encounter in the city. However, if I see someone who stands out from the crowd, I see someone who stands out from the crowd.

Amid petite, blond housewives jogging merrily with their infant children propelled ahead of them in those lil three-wheel sports strollers, this brother sauntered; smiling widely at people he passed, standing about 6'3", built like an action hero, with a  "ax " slung over his shoulder.

He stood out.

Turns out that although he was in Royal Oak - where he likes to play with his informal band on the corner of S. Main St. and 4th Ave - he does in fact have a relationship with Detroit. When he's not playing the guitar, he does personal protection services for a bonafied Detroit legend: the incomparable Aretha Franklin.

Aside from keeping one of Detroit's gifts to the world safe, this brother also aspires to do a documentary project of his own. He wants to videotape the perspectives of Detroit's elderly residents.

I told him I see a lot of prospective candidates for his project on my bike ride to Royal Oak up John R avenue in Detroit.  He said he also sometimes rides that route and had noticed the same prospective interviewees.

You may notice that I keep referring to this gentleman as "this brother."  That's mostly because I'm terrible with names. I'm the kind of person that will ask a person's name and then forget it also as soon as the sound waves from their reply overrun my ears. I'm just a spaz like that.

I'm pretty sure he said his name was Jahiem.

What's that? Why don't I carry a notepad?  Good suggestion. I'll have to make a note of it.

[View the weekdaily blog and meet more of: The People of Detroit ]