Detroit, Michigan
It’s time to talk about my favorite North American city. Going to back to 2015, I have made at least 10 trips out to the 313 (and it’s possible I’m forgetting one or two). It has been a regular part of my travel calendar and a catalyst for so many experiences throughout my adult life. There simply haven’t been many stretches where a Detroit trip wasn’t on the upcoming schedule. Over the past decade I have, simply, fallen in love with it. A curious thing to many (to put it as politely as possible), but so natural to me. With the most recent trip in early October possibly being the best one yet, I feel it’s finally time to share a little bit about why Detroit is so special to me. And yes I promise to work in some photography content.
Detroit. Freaking. Michigan. Let’s talk about.
So how did it start? Quite simply, the Detroit Red Wings. As a lifelong fan I had always dreamed of catching a game at Joe Louis Arena, but at the same time was also intimidated by the idea. Travelling alone in my younger years, to an unfamiliar place… and an unfamiliar place with a certain reputation, didn’t seem feasible. Well, after meeting another Wings fan in the Portsmouth area with a similar idea, we decided to pull the trigger and make it happen for a game in the second half of the 2014-2015 season. They lost that one. Badly. No worries, we did it again the following year. And they lost that one… badly! Regardless, the tradition was born. Year after year, game after game, loss after loss. In fact, up until October 12, 2024, I was in attendance for twelve consecutive losses over all those years. Not a single win. Many blowouts. Some heartbreakers in OT. But now? That curse, and the long running joke that came with it, was finally put to rest a few weeks ago. And it was glorious. Red Wings 3. Nashville Predators 0. October 12, 2024. But I digress. The Red Wings were just the catalyst for my connection to the city. Things took off from there, quickly.
The thing is, we didn’t just go out for the hockey games. Over time the trips got longer and the adventure expanded. I would love to sit down with you and share all the reasons Detroit is so important to me in detail, but for now here is just a list of random things that have highlighted those trips: Closing Joe Louis Arena, opening Little Caesers Area, a Detroit City FC game, a Lions game, numerous Tigers games, my marathon PR in 2018, the Hockeytown 5K (finishing in Joe Louis Arena), Dequindre Cut, Belle Isle, the Riverwalk, the Guardian Building, Fisher Theater, the Motown Museum, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Zoo, Corktown, Greektown, The Belt, Eastern Market, Shinola watches, John K. King’s, coneys, pizza, Grey Ghost, breweries (Batch, Motor City, Atwater, Detroit Beer Co, Brew Detroit…), the Detroit Shipping Co, Checker Bar, very blurry nights, impossible mornings (sometimes in unexpected places), culture, history, grit, pride, resilience… Detroit Vs. Everybody. *exhales* All those things and so much more, spanning a decade. The Red Wings are still part of it, but now only one part among many others. Yes, my attachment to Detroit has grown quite strong.
This probably comes as no surprise, but my camera came along for most of these trips. But I’ve never had a plan with photography in the city… whatever caught my eye in a given moment I would capture. I always pack light, a single camera body with maybe two lenses. Usually just one. For this last trip I brought the Z 6II with the 24-120 f/4 and 50 f/1.8. The previous trip it was the same camera with the 40 f/2. You get the idea. As for the subjects? Well, sometimes it’s the architecture. The streets. The city at night. The decay. The touristy shit. But the overall theme is just one of contrast. It’s a complicated place with vacant lots and the remnants of abandoned buildings interspersed with pockets of growth, modernity, and skyscrapers. I liken it to island hopping. One block may be empty, but a quick right hand turn may drop you in the center of the action. Entertainment can be found in the most unassuming of places. The architecture of the classic towers that dominate the skyline is unlike anywhere else (with the obvious exception being the hideous RenCen). The city is diverse in every sense. Every street, every neighborhood holds a different attitude, tells a different story. That contrast is what stands out to me when I’m walking around with my camera. And as photographer, especially an urban photographer, where else could you ever want to shoot?
Detroit, Michigan. It’s a city I love and have grown comfortable in. It’s a place I never want to stop exploring. I know it doesn’t make a ton of sense to many, but it doesn’t have to. My experience is my own, and I appreciate that. But someday? Someday I’d like to show it to you.
Let’s Go Red Wings.
