I was living in a new town and didn't know anyone when I stumbled upon an outdoor track. In the afternoons it was always busy: runners and walkers circling the track, pickup soccer games in the field, kids hanging out on the concrete steps.

I began showing up with my 4x5 camera and making portraits. No one refused when I asked, and I always returned with a print for the person I had photographed. The camera was slow and conspicuous, giving us a reason to stop, talk, and spend a little time together.

I had gone there looking for photographs. By returning, making pictures, and giving them back, I found a way to inhabit a place that had been unfamiliar to me. In some small way, I had found connection to a place through the people who were already there.

A black and white photo of a man wearing a beanie and hoodie, standing outdoors with a blurred background of trees and sky.
A woman with white hair wearing a trench coat stands on a track field, with her hands in her coat pockets, looking directly at the camera, with trees and a few people walking in the background.
A black-and-white photo of a bald man with a serious expression, wearing a sleeveless athletic shirt, outdoors with blurred trees and landscape in the background.
Black and white photo of a woman standing outdoors on a running track, wearing running attire, holding earphones, with a serious expression, surrounded by trees.
Two young men sitting on a curb near a metal railing, looking at the camera with serious expressions. Both are casually dressed in jeans, sneakers, and jackets.
A woman with glasses and earrings leaning on a chain-link fence, outdoors in a residential area with a brick building in the background.
A black and white photo of a man wearing a plaid shirt, baseball cap, and glasses, standing outdoors on grass.
A diverse group of six family members, including two children, standing on a soccer field with a soccer ball and sports bottles in front of them, surrounded by trees in the background, in black and white.
Black and white photo of an older woman with braided gray hair, wearing earrings and a denim jacket, gazing to the right outdoors.
An outdoor running track in a park with autumn leaves scattered on the ground, two blurred figures walking, and trees in the background.
A man in athletic clothing kicks a soccer ball on a track at a park.
Black and white photo of a person wearing a hoodie, looking serious outside.
An elderly man sitting on concrete steps, wearing a hat, sunglasses hanging from his shirt, and casual clothing.
A young man standing on a running track with hands on hips, wearing a sleeveless athletic shirt and sweatpants, outdoors with trees in the background.
A black-and-white photo of a man with short dark hair, wearing a sleeveless sports shirt with the initials 'ES' and a logo on it, sitting outdoors with a chain-link fence in the background.
A woman wearing a hoodie and athletic wear sitting on a wooden bench near a chain-link fence, with a tennis court in the background.
A woman with a headscarf and earrings looking to the side, wearing a T-shirt and backpack, standing outdoors with steps in the background.
Black and white portrait of a man with short hair and a goatee, wearing a sports jacket, standing outdoors with trees blurred in the background.
Black and white photo of an old, weathered roadside sign with partially faded text, indicating directions for 'Home' and 'Visitor,' and advertising 'Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co.' at the bottom.