A bit of background on the drug photo below. When I was 21 I took a 6 month trip to the USA in my parents 24 foot motorhome. I ended up in San Francisco where I met a trumpet player and heroin addict named Dupree Bolton (since passed away). Dupree introduced me to a man named Sonny Land (ex middle weight prize fighter, world level). Sonny had a closed rundown Jazz Club in a West Oakland ghetto area. I ended up staying-sleeping-eating at the old club for around 3 months.
The drug shooting photograph is of a man who I only met once, he was a Vietnam vet I think, a medic as I recall. The pictures were in the Jazz clubs very small bathroom, which I had converted to a small darkroom. I took off the black sock I was wearing so that he could tie up his arm before shooting up. He heated a nickel bag of heroin in a small bottle cap with a lighter before withdrawing the liquid with a small syringe and injecting himself. This man was nice to me, kind. Such a sad life to live, injection to injection. I photographed 3 different drug users during this period. After the injection they went from agitated to relaxed, no real high, often they would have to shoot up many times a day as the heroin was cut so much, it had no effect on them.
The drug shooting photograph is of a man who I only met once, he was a Vietnam vet I think, a medic as I recall. The pictures were in the Jazz clubs very small bathroom, which I had converted to a small darkroom. I took off the black sock I was wearing so that he could tie up his arm before shooting up. He heated a nickel bag of heroin in a small bottle cap with a lighter before withdrawing the liquid with a small syringe and injecting himself. This man was nice to me, kind. Such a sad life to live, injection to injection. I photographed 3 different drug users during this period. After the injection they went from agitated to relaxed, no real high, often they would have to shoot up many times a day as the heroin was cut so much, it had no effect on them.
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| Drug use, "My Favourite Things Jazz Club' Oakland California USA, 1985 |
