June 10, 2010

Skate Music Enthusiast



Canon EOS 7D | Canon 35mm f/1.4 | Available Light
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Movement is one of the most widely attended electronic music festivals in the world - and it happens right here in Detroit every Memorial Day weekend.

Over that same weekend, Detroit electronic music luminary Moodymann - aka Kenny Dixon Jr - hosts the Soul Skate party at the Northland Skating Rink at the northwest edge of the city's limit on the now fabled 8 Mile Road. Kenny's event is the natural confluence of soulful electronic house music and the skating tradition that runs strong in black American culture.


Kenny was nice enough to invite me to photograph the event.

You might not expect it, seeing as I've taken to a photography project that requires me to photograph strangers on a daily basis, but I am a somewhat of a reclusive personality. There are long stretches of time when I only want to be left alone to my thoughts - which almost exclusively centered around the ultimate meaninglessness of reality.

:|

It just so happens that I was going through one of these happy-fun-thought spells the night of Soul Skate. If It were up to me, I would not have gone - but Kenny has looked out for me and I wanted to look out for him by honoring his invitation.

The young woman picture above, Tawnya, was one of the first people I spoke to once I got to the event. She and her friend Kristin were very open and friendly; open and friendly enough that they actually made me forget all about how meaningless existence is.

Which, I suppose is the meaning of existence, right? To find purpose in each others company.

But I digress.

I made a couple of head-and-shoulder and close up frames of Tawnya. I really like faces and that tends to be my automatic focal point. She was wise enough to suggest that I switch my attention, though.

"Did you get the boots?!"

Yes ma'am


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6 comments:

Tafari said...

Such a fun photo!

I wanted to go to Soul Skate but I was like blah after being bored out of my mind at the DEMF. From what I hear, Soul Skate was kick ass...

And I see that you are reclusive because you never called me back about lunch. o_0

The People of Detroit said...

Yea... I know :/

I'm working on that, though. How was your weekend?

mgindi.tumblr.com said...

fuck man, i wish i didn't fucking miss this. i'm on my way out, gonna try out my black leather motorcycle jacket so i'll have to read the story later.

but i will say this: this photo is quite possibly one of the best yet. fucking FOR REAL. when i saw this, i didn't know you took it initially. i mean, i knew it was you because i can tell your style, but i haven't seen anything indoors so far. this is fucking incredible. i love it so so so much. i wish her toe wasn't cropped because it makes a kind of tension between the edge of the frame and the viewers eye, but fuck dude, i love this fucking photo.

your project is pretty damn solid. i'm glad you're doing this every day. you're gonna have an amazing book by the time 6 months is up. you're an inspiration my man. please keep on keepin on.

chat soon! if next week doesn't kill me... sigh.

mgindi.tumblr.com said...

ok so i had to read it anyway.

i love the way you write too. you're fucking amazing noah. life isn't meaningless - you're doing incredible things with your project even tho its a selfish project. you're doing it for you with your own purposes, to some extent, but you're bettering the world and don't even realize it.

so shut the fuck up and just know you've got an excellent brain up in that head.

The People of Detroit said...

Maegan, you are the best. In true New York style, you tell me when things are wrong and rave when they are right.

I'm so incredible glad that we met, sis. You have been such a positive force in my development, so helpful with photoshop tips and just an all around good person.

Can't want to link up with you again! Got vacation time in July!

Tafari said...

Weekend was mad crazy but cool! Already looking forward to the next. Work! Argggghhhh!