Boobie Rock

This series of black and white photos are of young women working the lunch shift in the striptease bar ‘Boobie Rock’ in Houston, Texas, USA. Made in 1986. I was 21 years old, around the same age as the women in the images. At the time, I felt the only way to get close to the women I wanted to portray was to become one of them, a choice that was inspired George Orwell’s book ‘Down and out in Pais and Londen’.

My assumption was  that dancers would be poorly educated and had no other choice. In many cases, nothing was further from the truth. More than a few women were financing their college educations. Now, years later, I feel that it is a timeless body of work showing the vulnerability of young women. It also taught me not to judge others or make assumptions—something I have used in my practice as a photographer since making this series.