coming SOON...

"HISTORIC signs of detroit"

PHOTO book!

For years, people have asked me if I am ever going to put together a photo book of Detroit...and here it is! The current working title is:

Historic Signs of Detroit: Over 100 Signs and Stories from Detroit's Commercial Past

Detroit's historic signs, such as ghost signs, neon signs, and storefront signs tell the stories of businesses, brands, neighborhoods, and generations long gone. For almost 20 years I have photographed the city's fading ghost signs, neon signs, and vintage storefronts along with the city itself. This upcoming photography book will preserve these remarkable pieces of Detroit's commercial history through striking images and the history behind them.

WHAT IS A GHOST SIGN?

A ghost sign is a name used to describe hand-painted old, faded advertisements on the sides of buildings (one in my book is on a water tower!), some dating back to the late 1800s. Many of these ads are disappearing - fading from sun and weather, demolished buildings, owners painting over them, etc. I have seen many disappear here in Detroit. However, there are still brand new ones being revealed as old buildings are demolished (see the video below for an example). That is why I feel it is more important than ever to document these signs for the future.

WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER

DETROIT PHOTO BOOK?

What is different is these images were captured with artistry in mind, and many were taken with a drone, giving a unique viewpoint few have seen of these signs. I am also revealing the locations of each sign (believe me, not many do I have done extensive research to bring them to you). I have also captured video clips of many signs which I will share over time on my Youtube channel and various social media outlets.

Drawn to the stories hidden within Detroit's disappearing commercial landscape, I have photographed over 100 of these of historic signs across the city — several of which no longer exist today. Historic Signs of Detroit is the culmination of this passion project for preserving the city's visual history through photography. If you love Detroit history, I think you are going to love this book!

WHAT CONTENT IS IN THE BOOK?

This book is intended to be a photography book, first and foremost. The plan at this time is to also include historical information about each sign/building, a street address for the sign, whether the sign still exists, and the date I photographed the sign. So, those who want to have their own "sign scavenger hunt" could easily do so with this book. I also plan to include an active map of all the locations as well (the book will provide a QR Code/link to the map so you can click and see a photo of each sign along with historical info).

HAVE YOU ALREADY WRITTEN THE BOOK?

Right now, I have compiled the list of all the locations with their respective street addresses and have started researching the signs. 99% of photos have already been taken, even though I have some I recently captured to process (and I am even still finding and photographing signs!). What feels like the biggest piece still to do is the historical research.