Desert Mission Food Bank

I was contacted by the Virgina G. Piper Charitable Trust to do some photography work for the non profit Desert Mission Food Bank. My work was in part with the Picturing Maricopa project of 2009. I made a few phone calls, introduced myself and scheduled a few photography assignments.

The Desert Mission Food Bank is basically a grocery store that supplies fresh food to those that can't afford it. What I found, was an incredible group of people who are committed to serve humanity on it's most basic level.

These are just some of the pictures.

Blessing of the Altar

Roman Catholic High Mass and the Bishops blessing of the altar.

Bus Stop

For some reason, I enjoy taking candid pictures from the the front seat of my car. I don't have to approach people and explain my intent. What a relief it is to just see and shoot! It's a little like shooting fish a barrel. I know that's a bit of a cop-out but I still enjoy it for its candid reality. Capturing society going about daily life is an interesting challenge for me. Just as long as the subjects are not recognizable, I have no problem with the drive by. For me, it's about the way people fit into the environment and there interaction with it.

This early morning image is at a North Phoenix bus stop. I saw this unidentified man with his bike and his back to sun. I think it was all the rectangles and the vertical elements that originally caught my eye. I don't always see the elements at first. But, I get a feeling that triggers a reaction in me to make the picture. It's often the case that I see the graphic strengths of the image in post production. Of course, I'm not always happy with what I shoot but I shoot it anyway and then I decide later to keep it or delete it.

Parking isn't free anymore

Detail shot of the pay as you park box.