Earlier this summer I drove four hours south of Chicago to Neoga, Illinois, a town of fewer than 2,000, to photograph a story for The New York Times about a former elementary school that's now home to a topless gentleman's club.
So why would the Times want to cover this story? Some residents and alumni of the school find the current use of the building offensive, and a handful of protesters sit across the road next to a small cross in silent protest to the goings on inside.
Neoga is in rural Cumberland County, where agriculture and manufacturing are the main sources of employment, and where Christianity and military service are held in high regard. Support for the military is evident in the first photo, an interior of The Depot restaurant (where waitress Michelle Porter makes the best Oreo pie I've ever tasted).
When I got the call from my editor about the story, I was told that getting photos would be tough. Articles on this story in other papers showed photos of the empty dance hall, which was once the cafeteria. The owners hadn't granted access to the dancers or club during operating hours, but I drove down there hoping my access would be better.
I arrived in the early afternoon and toured the former school with co-owner Bob Kearney, an out-of-work electrician who says he's created nearly 30 jobs by opening the club. Since the club wouldn't open for another five hours, I asked if I could return half an hour before the doors opened to talk with the dancers. Mr. Kearney was amenable, and the women were all willing to be photographed on the condition that they be identified by their stage names only.
Using aliases can be a tricky line to toe, but the editors were aware of the difficulty in gaining access and agreed to the compromise.
It was a little tricky photographing in a topless club for publication in a newspaper, but I like a challenge when I'm shooting. Knowing the limitations and overcoming them is part of the creative process, and I'm happy with the results. Enjoy.
To read Malcolm Gay's article, click here.
0 comments:
Post a Comment