The book Faceless Faces in Public Places presents people exhibiting determination and hope as they interact with their daily environments amid the angst of this unprecedented era, capturing the affection they show for their communities and the vital nature of place even during a pandemic. The collection, with over 80 black-and-white photographs, is composed of street photography showing adults and children wearing protective masks as they go about their lives in local neighborhoods within the Washington, DC, urban core.

As a photographer, I was initially drawn to the visually jarring nature of people wearing masks—not in a hospital or health clinic but simply walking down Main Street going about their lives. It was disturbing to see the many people in public areas who chose not to wear masks when in proximity to others. For this series, I chose to photograph only those who were wearing masks.

In hindsight, my focus on those wearing masks feels as if I have perhaps portrayed an idealized notion of the world—where every person has taken responsibility for their role in the pandemic and has made the choice to live a new kind of life, displaying hope and concern, against the backdrop of familiar places that are somehow not at all the same.

While I wish this pandemic had never occurred, the making of the book has been a very rewarding personal and professional journey that I am thrilled to share with you. The Faceless Faces project gave me a framework to continue my decades-long work of telling placemaking stories. Even in the pandemic, people and place still interact.

I not only had the privilege of capturing scenes of grace and beauty amidst these uncertain times here in my beloved DC metro area, but I also had the opportunity to collaborate with many friends and associates I admire. They have helped me to shape the book - the critical selection and sequencing of images to create a pace to the narrative, the whole design and layout, and the printing and distribution process.

The project has received coverage by media outlets and reaction to be book has been very positive, including awards from several national photography competitions.