Category: Photography

Madonna: Madonna (1983)

When this album came out I was still living in Tucson. Reuniting after a six-month separation my first partner, Dennis, had moved back from Austin a month earlier. We wasted no time in planning out our renewed life together, deciding to move to Phoenix so he could attend ASU. On a recent up there for a job interview, I met Steve (no not that Steve), a man whose townhouse (and bed) we’d both eventually end up sharing. Advice to my younger self: don’t do it. Anyhow…

Some visuals to go with the musical soundtrack…

I drove past this house for years on my way to work. I learned that it was originally built by the Ronstadt family (as in Linda). It sat unoccupied, in ever-increasing decay for years until that spring, when repairs began. Being a big fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, I always loved the design. It wasn’t one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s works, but it definitely reflected his influence.

Just the summer monsoons. I miss that about Tucson. Phoenix doesn’t get anywhere near as much rain in the summer.

So yeah, I’ll just throw this out there. I’m tempted to say I didn’t know what I had when I had it, but that would be a lie. I knew exactly what I had and I used it to my advantage whenever I could. Those blue nylon shorts (with the liner strategically cut out) got me into trouble more times than I care to divulge.

Funny thing is that now, some four decades later, I cannot imagine actually sitting out in the sun for hours on end for no reason other than to get a tan damage your skin. Especially in Arizona!

This was a little photoshoot Dennis and I decided to do downtown a few weeks after his return. It was in a mixed use shopping/office complex called La Placita Village. After years of neglect and disuse, the place was torn down in 2018.

Pictures from the barrio, taken the same day as our photoshoot.

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