01/23/2026
When I moved to Metro Detroit back in 2004 it was a very different place. I was attracted to its dark, moody, and evocative landscape, but it was dangerous. I imagined Batman sitting on the outcropping of one of the buildings watching over a nearly empty Woodward Avenue. I saw the cycle of crime and corruption. I was frustrated watching the beautiful infrastructure deteriorate. Ten years after my move, Mike Duggan was sworn in as Mayor. Around that time, I was asked to photograph the new mayor in his new office. In a full-circle moment, I was commissioned by the Mayor in late 2025, as he prepared to step away. During his tenure, the city transformed. He brought light to the darkness. In an incredible transformation. Detroit became a “must visit” city in global publications. People started moving Downtown. Businesses were eager to invest.
My question going into this last shoot with Mayor Duggan: How do I capture this evolution in a portrait? Downtown is the obvious choice, but I wanted more depth. I chose Gratiot. The Mayor asked me ‘why?’ I told him, it’s an area I never would have walked around when I first arrived, yet it was just across from Eastern Market. It has a view of the new Hudson building. There are new coffee shops, hip small businesses, and beautiful new trees. The growth from Downtown Detroit continues to expand.
I, admittedly, fanned out on the mayor. I told him how impressed I was with his leadership and how he transformed the city. I told him I am proud to be a Detroit-based photographer and I encourage my friends from the East Coast to visit. He told me I sound like a great spokesperson for the city (aww shucks!).
Detroit is my adopted city of more than 21 years. It’s a city of mavericks and characters like Mike Duggan who do things that most people can’t explain - like win an election on a write-in ticket and then revolutionize a city. It’s not perfect, it still has a little bit of the wild west in it, but that is also part of its charm. Thanks Mike Duggan - it was a great ride.
