Cityscape, Architectural & Industrial Photography
Elvert Xavier Barnes Photography . Writings . Ads
Architectural Photog
Knew Then - Know Now
Elvert Xavier Barnes
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After 'going off' on a female lantino customer and a female black clerk who were 'watching me' the way folks do when they see 'black men' not only in the store but in the street too. Or when I visit their homes that they invited me to. I tuned and said "as a 51 year old black man I'm 'sick and tired' of shopping in Safeway and CVS in my community and finding that the older I get and the longer that you know me that your disrepect for me is worst today than what it was for all the years before". And while time may have changed ... as a 51 year old black. "... not enough for me!". You'd think that the older one gets 'the more he'd be respected.'
While waiting for the subway on the platform at the Waterfront Mall and in an attempt to 'shift my focus' in a different direction than in the past I'd contemplated heading out toward Anacostia which, for many years now, I've wanted to photogragh in a similar way as I have done 'west of the river'. And then I remembered that I wanted to take a few more shots of the 1100 block of Eye Street in NW as well as the White House Christmas Tree Pagent on the Ellipse. Which I've captured most years since 1992.
I'd deboard the subway at Farragut North. Walk up the escalotor and head south along Connecticut Avenue to Lafayette Park. And as I crossed H Street entering the park I'd observe that construction has begun on the Inauguaral stage. Which in years past I've always made a point to photograph. I now remember that when photographing the construction process of the Inaugural stage in December 1992 and January 1993 that it was so cold that the batteries in my camera would freeze. And as I walked through Peace Park speaking to Conista along the way who for many years has held vigil in protest against nuclear wepaons I'd look around for the police or a Secret Service person so as to inquire of the 'new rules' as pertaining to photographing the Inaugural stage.
In the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue and diecctly in front of the White House I'd approach a tall handsome US Park policeman informing him that I was a freelance phbotographer and though the sun was 'not quite right at the moment' and as I had done in years past, at some point, I may would like to 'snap a few shots' of the progression of the Inaugural stage and, but, over a period of time. And, therefore, but due to Homeland Security am I now allowed to and/or should I first touch base with Secret Service. He said 'its of to take a few shots' . I thanked him and since the sun was 'not quite right' I'd headed toward the Christmas Tree Pagent whcih is on the south side of the White House on the Ellipse. Along the way, and as I often do, I snapped a shot of a homeless person who was wrapped in a blanket in the doorway of Riggs Bank at the corner of New York Avenue and 15th Street.
Once at the Ellipse I'd take three or four shots of the Christmas tree which I've never really liked. And, in fact, but as Steve and I would later discuss in a telephone conversation the tree at the US Capitol, historically, is much better. Which, over the years, I sometimes have also captured and on at leaast two occaions have used as images for my holiday cards. And immediately but as always is the case when I snap shots in the vacinity of White House or at festivals white folks and Aisians with cameras will 'hand gesture' , wartch and police me the way they do 'whenever they see a black man'. And though 'time may have changed' each year that I've taken pictures of that 'ugly tree' and though the faces have changed the 'hand gestures', the body language, the behaviors and reactions toward but, more devastingly, the impact upom me ... as a black man ... be the same. And I said to myself "It's a camera. Not a gun!". And, then, but as I often will do I began focusing on the variaous 'sports scenarios' that were 'at play' on the Ellipse.
I'd then walk up 17th Street and turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue and head east. Hoping that the position of the sun would be more condusive ... and though I'd prefer shots with the White House as a backdrop the sun was still just not 'quite right'. So I'd snap a few shots of the Inaugural stage 'under construction' first facing east and then facing west. Not quite what I wanted, but, as a documentary photographer my focus is more about 'capturing a moment in time that can not ever be gain.' And while the moments in time may change, the 'hand gestures, the racism and impact upon me does not."
And as I walked east along the Avenue wanting to get to Filenes I observed one or two roller hockey players were just arriving and on many occasions, in recent years, I had photographed and as a result have accummulated an unique collection of 'roller hockey' at play in front of the White House. And as I waited for the players to 'gear up' snapping a few shots of the process white folks and Asians would stand behind me and one hockey player with a cell phone in his hand would gesture, police, watch, oversee, and photograph my every move. "Though the times may have changed' as a 51 year old black man 'the changes that have come, quite frankly, have not been enough for me'. And since my work was not, yet, done I 'd then head toward 1100 Eye Street. And as I turned the corner of NY Avenue and 12th Street ... and with tears in my eyes I kept saying "the whole god damn block is gone ..."