Exclusively, Rochester

I’m not much of a tv guy, unless I have a hankering for a baseball game, want to dive into a YouTube rabbit hole or binge some movies on Criterion. When it’s warm, on Friday and Saturday nights and I’m not at a Red Wings baseball game,, I can be found outside starting with a cold brew from Java’s and reading a book, then making my around downtown making photos. I usually have a good time, make some photos, talk to strangers, make new friends, sometimes stopping for a beer at a bar and listen to whatever band is playing.

While at Java’s, Jon Gary saw me and stopped to chat. Jon has a show coming up, you should check it out. Information on is on instagram, which I linked to. Anyways, I invited Jon to walk with me. I’m not much of photo walk guy but Jon’s good company. On my way to Java’s I saw Trillium Health was having their annual White Party at Mercantile on Main, which is across the street from my apartment building. So, I suggested to Jon we walk there to get some shots of people having fun. Jon set up talking nice photos of happy fancy dressed people walking out. I like to be on the fringes hoping for sweet body language and making photos of the valet guys running. Literally everyone we saw inside and outside the event looked amazing.

Anyways, Jon and I were making photos and talking to people. At one point, I was invited in by someone who I believe is on Trillium’s “Executive Leadership Team,” which I declined. I had nothing white on. All in all, a good time until the Mercantile on Main security guard asked us to stop taking photos and then right after some random hot head guy came barreling out of the party telling me if he can’t make me stop making photos, because I was making people uncomfortable, the cops will. He tried threatening me by getting as close as possible. He explained in his tough guy voice that I was taking photos of a “very exclusive event” and was making people feel uncomfortable. I neither backed down or returned the insults. I just said I will not stop respectfully making photos on a public sidewalk and to call the cops. Of course, I asked the tough guy if he was a representative of Trillium but he didn’t answer. The coward couldn’t even have a respectful conversation or look me in the face when he realized Jon and I wouldn’t back down. He pretended to motion to some probably pretend goons inside to come outside with him. The rational part of me just thinks this hot head was an outlier and definitely not typical of the people enjoying the party, a staff member of Trillium or representative of the values of Trillium.

This post isn’t about making photos in public. I get some people act as if they are constitutional scholars but they have a third grade level education when it comes to the constitution and basic human rights. I also understand people do not like having their photos taken. I get all of that and choose who I make photos of and how I make the photos wisely. I’m overly cerebral when it comes to photography.

This post 100% about the Rochester / Western NY attitude towards the haves and the have nots and to the people who live in Rochester. It’s about all these new venues popping up for people who certainly do not live downtown, while rents rise, stores with basic necessities do not exist and opportunities for small businesses to succeed are frowned upon. I’m not against progress, but I am against people coming into my neighborhood and even the apartment building I live in, only to act as if I am ruining their evening by existing and being near their exclusivity. I do wonder who else this tough guy tries to act tough to when he enters downtown, or even in his own neighborhood. I also wonder who he calls the cops on if he felt he could do it to me, some dorky white guy.

At the end of the day, seeing people having fun at an event for a great cause in my neighborhood felt nice. The irony, both Jon and I have shown at a gallery inside Mercantile of Main. All of my photos and some of Jon’s were candid photos of life in Rochester. Other than Mr. Big Shot and “security” it was a fun night and I appreciate people who come downtown, spend their money and are respectful to everyone. But let’s calm down with this exclusive bullshit. Cities are meant to be open, lively and safe. If that version of Rochester bothers you then stay out.