August 7th - September 1st. LUX, Phoenix AZ.

Library Portraits

The Phoenix Burton Barr Library has been a site for my portrait work since the fall of 1996. The architect Will Bruder designed the space with abundant access to indirect northern and southern light. It is a pleasure to read by this light and an even greater pleasure for me to photograph people in this space.
It is important to me that the people I photograph are relaxed. Libraries are perfect for relaxation. People speak in low and calm voices. The climate is comfortable. The social environment is class-neutral. While there is the presence of uniformed security, the presence of a “proprietor” is ambiguous.
This series of photographs focuses on people who enjoy the library as a sanctuary where they can relax and process their thoughts. I find them there, writing letters, sitting eyes closed and listening to music, reading the newspaper or books from the shelves, or quietly trading stories with others.
As I set up my camera and take a few pictures testing the light, we make small talk about what we do. They come from environments which can be hostile and unpredictable, but they are all unique, and within the still and quieting space of the library, their shoulders unburdened, they offer an intimate autobiography.