In 2008, I began photographing Kensington Avenue and its surroundings, making portraits of residents I met during chance interactions on the street. Working with a 4x5 view camera, I deliberately chosen a slow photographic process in order to slow down the rapid speed of life in the neighborhood. Kensington Avenue is in a state of perpetual hustle. A man I photographed by the name of Big Mike wrote in my journal, “Gotta get money by any means necessary.” This motto is a reality for many of Kensington’s residents who struggle to survive the neighborhood and themselves.
