Metro Detroit Archives - RodneyCurtis.com

Oct

A Fun Nigerian Wedding at Dearborn’s Greenfield Manor

I had such a great time photographing my favorite wedding of the year (so far). Bolanle and Daniel threw a big, high-energy, traditional Nigerian wedding with two different ceremonies on a recent Saturday. Then Marci Curtis photographed their third — more intimate — Western-style ceremony on Sunday. Both the traditional Yoruba engagement and traditional Yoruba wedding are very meaningful and packed with symbolism.

From the web: A Yoruba traditional wedding, known as Igbeyawo, is a vibrant cultural celebration uniting the two families. The event centers around the family introduction (Momi mo e), the presentation of the engagement list (Eru Iyawo), respectful prostrations (Idobale) by the groom, colorful aso-oke attire, and lively hosting by traditional MCs (Alagas).

The entire event was beautiful and masterfully orchestrated. Enjoy just a few of my favorite photos here:

Some of Bolanle and Daniel’s wedding party mess around during their official portraits before the first wedding.

May

We Three Tree Thieves

Mr. P. just had another birthday. He’s in his 90s and the statute of limitations should’ve expired at some point, I suspect. But I don’t wanna risk it. Although his son, whom I’ll call “John Pineau,” is now a successful lawyer in Colorado. I’m sure he could get his dad acquitted for the crime I’m about to reveal.

Feb

ICE OUT

The crowd was warm & wonderful at Saturday’s freezing ICE OUT rally in Troy, Michigan. In balmy 20 degree grayness, protestors honked and hiked, signaling their outrage at the murders of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis. There were humorous signs, a lot of cathartic noise and a Michigan 11th District candidate who forgot gloves (but was gifted a pair by a polite passing-by-protestor-photographer).

The intersection of Big Beaver and Rochester Road was overflowing with protestors.

Nov

Fun Weddings at The Iroquois Club

Just alongside Michigan’s historic Woodward Avenue, a bit north of Detroit, sits a great wedding venue, The Iroquois Club.

I have been fortunate, recently, to photograph some wonderful couples at The Iroquois Club. Here they are, in no particular order of wonderfulness.

Matt bends Hazel back for a dramatic kiss outside The Iroqouis Club during their wedding reception.

Oct

No Kings 2.0

The weather was beautiful, the people even more so.

No Kings 2.0 in Troy, Michigan was yet another spectacular protest. Nationally too. More than 2,700 individual rallies sprouted up across the country and on foreign soil, including a single, solitary fellah in Tallinn — the capital of Estonia. About seven million people showed up for Saturday’s rallies – including more than 100,000 people in New York, according to CNN.

It was fantastic and EVERYONE happily, peacefully and very humorously protested.

This was my favorite picture from the day. And I had several of her to choose from!

Jul

Something’s Happening

There’s something happening here. And with apologies to Stephen Stills, what it is IS perfectly clear. People across the country are rising up in record numbers — protesting, packing meeting halls, contacting elected officials, donating billions…

Troy’s No Kings local rally in June was enormous. I think it was Troy’s BIGGEST turnout for anything ever!Read More

Jun

No Kings Rally!

The No Kings rally in Troy, Michigan this past Saturday was the BIGGEST protest I’ve seen here yet!!!

Several handmaids told their tale.Read More

Apr

Hands Off! Rally

There was such a remarkable outpouring of resistors all across America for the Hands Off! Rallies. Millions showed up in big and small towns around the country to protest the president and Elon Musk’s hostile takeover of American rights and freedoms.

Sep

A Chaldean Catholic Celebration

Our friend Shamamta celebrated her 90th birthday over the weekend. She’s the matriarch of some good family friends and I was lucky enough to be invited along to hang out, eat some great food and snap some photos of her family and friends at the happy occasion.

In my favorite photo from the day, her daughters take their mother to the sanctuary of the Church of the Transfiguration in Southfield, MI.Read More

Jul

There’s Food Back Here!

I use both my countertop compost container and a bigger bucket to feed my compost pile out back.

“There’s food back here!”

At first I didn’t understand what she meant, but then I let loose a laugh when I heard my granddaughter’s young friend yelling to her mother, shocked and intrigued by my compost pile out back.