Occupy Denver warm themselves and heat food over a fire in an old barbecue grill in their camp at Denver’s Civic Center, Oct. 28, 2011.
Occupy Denver protesters have occupied two park areas in Denver since September, 2011, including Lincoln Park (the State Capitol’s West Lawn) and Civic Center. They’ve been evicted from their spots twice by Colorado State Patrol troopers and Denver Police officers in riot gear, and more than one of their marches or demonstrations has turned violent. There have been hundreds of arrests, some injuries, at least one case of arson and millions spent on police overtime and park cleanup since the Occupy protests began.
I haven’t made it down to cover every single happening, but I have been at or near the camps for both of the major evictions and several other incidents, including one that lasted only minutes but was dubbed “Occupy the Toilet” by one protester. Initially I covered the protests and their participants with my digital camera, but decided to do some of the work with film. My portraits are an attempt to show a variety of the types of people who seemed to be the most tenacious, showing up day after day or sleeping in Denver’s Civic Center.
Denver police officers use their cars to divet traffic on Broadway near Civic Center, where Occupy Denver protesters are occupying the street and park, October 29, 2011.Denver police officers in riot gear herd Occupy Denver demonstrators out of Broadway to clear the way for traffic to flow once more. Earlier violence had them all on edge, Oct. 29, 2011.A flag-carrying drummer rallies Occupy Denver demonstrators in front of riot-equipped police in Denver, Oct. 29, 2011.Occupy Denver protesters set up tents and reestablished their dining area in Civic Center about a week after Colorado State Troopers removed them from Lincoln Park across the street following a march that included as many as 3,000 people and some clashes with police on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011.Police were still blocking traffic on Denver’s Broadway at Colfax Avenue as late as 8 p.m. after an Occupy Denver march and some clashes with officers on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011.A day after violence marked a 3,000-person march by Occupy Denver demonstrators, a lone woman holds a sign on the southwest corner of Broadway and Colfax Avenue in Denver, October 30, 2011.Nov. 5, 2011: Law enforcement officers cross Lincoln Park in Denver to move Occupy Denver demonstrators away from portable toilets placed in Civic Center during the morning’s Veteran’s Day Parade so the toilets could be removed by sanitation crews.Law enforcement officers explain to Occupy Denver demonstrators that portable toilets placed in Civic Center during the morning’s Veteran’s Day Parade must be removed by sanitation crews. Protesters briefly attempted an “Occupy Porta Potty” maneuver, Nov. 5, 2011.Occupy Denver demonstrators warm themselves over the barbecue-grill fire pit after a tense day with Denver police. The fire was a gathering place for people discussing the day’s events and passing marijuana pipes, Oct. 29, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.Portraits of the people demonstrating and mingling at the Occupy Denver encampment on the edge of Civic Center. The variety of people includes young and old, black and white, homeless and affluent, veteran and objector, from many walks of life. Taken after the march and the Veteran’s Day Parade, Nov. 5, 2011.
These photos were all taken with my Minolta SR-T200 using Ilford Delta 100, and developed in my kitchen. If I add more in the future, they may use different films.
Photoshop processing included: Adjusting exposure with levels to compensate for underdeveloped film (still learning); minor use of Spot Healing Brush to eliminate the worst dust from the scanner bed.
