The UNT CoLab hosted a book signing for 72-year-old film photographer Richard Doherty on June 27 to celebrate the release of his book “Framing Oak Cliff: A Visual Diary from a Dallas Neighborhood.”
Doherty’s book, published by the University of North Texas Press, features three collaboration essays and his photographs capturing the Dallas neighborhood of Oak Cliff, where he has lived for over 40 years.
“I’d make portraits of people I met on the street, I’d make portraits of neighbors, I photographed my family in the book because the work really is personal and it’s about my vision of these places and these people and my representation of them,” Doherty said.
Doherty presented all 116 monochrome photos featured in the book at the event and explained the stories and his reasoning behind photographing them.
The photographs in Doherty’s book range from 1983, when he moved to the neighborhood, to 2022 and capture the history of Oak Cliff in a “visual diary” of the neighborhood.
“After seeing his work, I’m now seeing how hard photographing a neighborhood like Oak Cliff has been,” university alum and film photographer Don Tortellini said. “The community has changed over time and the approach to photographing over time [has changed], and people are a lot more reserved to having their photo taken so it’s a lot harder to photograph and capture those images.”
Doherty said he chose to move to Oak Cliff after being offered a professorship at Tarrant County College because he was attracted to the diversity and uniqueness of the neighborhood.
“I’ve lived in [Oak Cliff] for 42 years, same house,” Doherty said. “I’ve always been committed to the neighborhood, to the community, to this place and they will carry me out of this house feet first. I really love it, and I love my community.”
The passion for one’s local area is shared by UNT CoLab Administrative Coordinator and instant film photographer John Eric Muñoz, who similarly photographs Denton through his project Instant Denton.
“I would think that if you didn’t enjoy living in the place that you were in, you wouldn’t take the time to get out and photograph it,” Muñoz said. “I’m excited to see how that comes through in his work and his love for Dallas or Oak Cliff specifically.”
Most of Doherty’s photographs are shot at eye level or lower with a wide-angle lens because he prefers the perspective it provides and the “starkly visual” black and white photos offer.
“I like it because it’s graphic and makes the viewer concentrate on the formal aspects of the frame as opposed to the pretty colors,” Doherty said. “It’s more about the texture, the line, the shape, the form the image takes on rather than the distracting element of color.”
The three essays featured in the book are written by best-selling author Bill Minutaglio, curator John Rohrbach of the Amon Carter Museum and curator Christopher Blay of the Houston Museum of African American Culture.
Each essay would describe either Doherty’s photography or the history behind Oak Cliff. Minutaglio wrote a 5000-word essay on the history of Oak Cliff.
“For me, it’s incredible because it frames the landscape that I’ve worked in all these years and it gives people the historical background and the sociological background of this unique part of the city,” Doherty said. “It’s always been more ethnically, racially and economically diverse than any other section of this city, and he talks about that.”
Doherty only wrote his book’s preface and introduction, but is grateful for the three writers who contributed their essays to it.
“They were very generous to help out because all these people, all three of them, are gifted writers and very perceptive viewers,” Doherty said. “Especially Chris Blay, who is also a visual artist.”
Reflecting on Doherty’s work, Tortellini shared his admiration and respect for someone who’s work came before him.
“I think that Richard has done a great job in his career and I think his work is definitely necessary,” Tortellini said. “I believe his work is timeless and it speaks to his specific experience in Oak Cliff.”
Doherty continues photographing the world around him with a handheld camera and wants to leave his work behind to document time through his eyes.
“I just hope people will look at it and see the beauty in the simplicity that they’re surrounded with,” Doherty said. “Most people walk by stuff and don’t pay attention, and I just hope to bring attention to things people don’t usually pay much mind to.”
