1000 words

There’s a gap where we meet, © 2010 Kasia Swierczek

Photographer Kasia Swierczek.  Join the LOOKDC group, today!

Danny Harris is a DC-based photographer, DJ, and collector of stories. In September, he launched People’s District, a blog that tells a people’s history of DC by sharing the stories and images of its residents. Every day, People’s District presents a different Washingtonian sharing his or her insights on everything from Go Go music to homelessness to fashion to politics.

“I grew up in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. When I graduated from college, I couldn’t get into graduate school and rather than be drafted into Vietnam, I joined the Navy and went to Officer Candidate School. I spent a year watching the war and two years in Scotland as a diplomatic courier. I came to Washington in the early 70’s. I had G.I. money and went to get my MBA in computers at American University. My first job in town was in the information business. I was a paper boy and delivered the New York Times at 5 a.m. everyday.

“I always knew that I wanted my own business. I would sell hot dogs on the Mall if I had to. I started a few businesses that failed. Then, I became a consultant. Funny how when people fail, they become consultants! So, I started with a phone and a desk down at Foggy Bottom. I was getting free government information and selling it to Fortune 500 fat cats. It shocked me that a schmuck like me from Wilkes-Barre could make a free phone call and turn around and sell that information for thousands of dollars to some rich person who was too lazy to get it. It was basically a shoe shine business. People spend $5 to shine their shoes when you can get a $2 can of shoe polish at CVS that will last your whole life. That mentality is what this town is all about. After helping rich people for a number of years, I figured that I would spend the rest of my life helping the rest of the country find out how to get useful government information.

“Now, I look back on my failures and realize that they were the result of me not doing things my own way. I thought if I failed that I would have a permanent ‘F’ on my forehead, but people don’t give a shit. They are too worried about themselves. It took me a couple of failures to figure that out. When I started this business, I wanted to have fun. I figured that the worse that would happen would be failing again. When I started having fun, things became different. I realized that I was good at acting foolishly on television. My parents did not admit that I was their kid for the first ten years of my career! They wanted me to act like Henry Kissinger. I wouldn’t sell shit if I acted like that. Life is trying to realize who you are. The more you go through this education system, you are told to be like everyone else. We should be bringing out the best in everyone and encouraging people to do what they are really good at.

“To me, that is what the question mark suits are all about. About ten years ago, I was in a down cycle and bought a cheap suit and had someone embroider a question mark on it. I always wanted to have a suit like that. Had I been a teacher or accountant, I would have gotten the same suit. To me, the philosophy behind the question mark is that we live in a society where we have more accessible information than at any other time at history. You can go to Google and get a million answers. The answers are easy, it is the questions that are hard. I really believe that we need to struggle in life to ask the right questions.”

Learn more about Matthew Leskohere.

Cherry Blossom Parade © 2009 Paul Sharratt

DC Photographer Paul Sharratt‘s photo, Cherry Blossom Parade was selected for the 12th International Krappy Kamera Competition  at Soho Photo in NYC.  The juror was Daile Kaplan of Swann Galleries.  The show is at the Soho Gallery, 15 White Street, NYC, opens March 2 – April 3, 2010 with the reception on March 2nd 6-8pm.

Results Gym #1.  © 2010 Mike Hicks

DC Street Photographer Mike Hicks works primarily in black and white, using a Leica with a 40mm Summicron Lens.   Join the group LOOKDC.

Results Gym #2.  © 2010 Mike Hicks

A portrait by photographer Josh Yospyn, taken during the December snowstorm with a Mamiya RZ67 using color film.  Join the LOOKDC group.

Untitled, © 2010 Joshua Yospyn

Diamond, left, is pictured with her cousin Lavaya.

Danny Harris is a DC-based photographer, DJ, and collector of stories. In September, he launched People’s District, a blog that tells a people’s history of DC by sharing the stories and images of its residents. Every day, People’s District presents a different Washingtonian sharing his or her insights on everything from Go Go music to homelessness to fashion to politics.

Lavaya – “I’m seven. Today, my Dad is taking us to the president’s house and the Washington Monument and the library. I think a lot of work happens in the president’s house. He makes laws there that impact everybody. The president’s house is a big place that has two parts. One part for living and one part for working. I hear that each president gets to keep a room so that all the presidents can live together. My favorite part of Washington is Barack Obama. Did you know that he can speak seven different languages? He speaks English, Hawaiian and Illinois, but I forget the rest.”

Diamond – “I’m seven, too. I know that the president also has his cabinets. His cabinets are full of people who help him. The cabinets sit at the table with him and they coach him a lot. But, these aren’t cabinets like in a kitchen. In his kitchen cabinets, he probably has food and cereal and other good stuff to eat. My favorite part of Washington is Michelle and the kids. I think that Michelle Obama sleeps a lot because she is so tired after taking care of Sasha and Malia. I think that Barack and Michelle think their girls are really special and call them both angels.”

Photographer Aziz Yazdani used a Leica M7 and Fuji Neopan for this night shot outside the Ottobar in Baltimore.

Outside Ottobar, © 2009 Aziz Yazdani

Ojo Latino is a series by Néstor Sánchez Cordero. Nestor writes:

“The tragedy in Haiti really got me down because they are my brothers and sisters….Today I went to drop a few things, like diapers, baby bottles and flashlights, among other essentials, at the Haitian Embassy on Mass av. and got these shots. By the way,the Embassy is calling for volunteers, Monday January 18, to keep sorting stuff out, L’Union Fait la Force!”

This photo is from the annual Procession of the Lord of Miracles, a Peruvian street parade through Adams Morgan, held in October.   People wear purple clothes as a sign of gratitude for a received miracle.  Local ubiquitous Photographer and blogger Chris Chen shot this with a Rolleiflex TLR on Fuji Pro 800Z film.