Afraid of the Dark? Jon Hughes Embraces It

It’s a good thing that University of Cincinnati English professor Jon Hughes has taken a sabbatical this academic year. He’s got a lot of late nights ahead of him.

Hughes has embarked on a year-long photo documentary project in which he will aim his camera lens at nighttime in Greater Cincinnati. He’ll team with Lew Moores, a former Enquirer and Post reporter who will write text to accompany the photos. The two plan to exhibit and publish their work. They’ve known each other since Hughes came to UC as a first-year faculty member in the

McMicken College of Arts and Sciences

, and Moores was a senior majoring in

political science

during the 1972-73 school year. Moores served as the first editor of Clifton Magazine, which Hughes advised.

On their new project, Hughes will use black-and-white film, shooting with existing light and no flash. It’s the same technique that he used for his 1996 photo chronicle “Year In The Life of Cincinnati.” That assay resulted in 36,000 negatives and 300 exhibit-quality images.

Among the assignments that Hughes already has photographed for the new night project are the Harvest Home Fair, a west side tradition dating back more than 140 years, and a family-run dairy bar his son told him about in Northside.

“I intend to capture Cincinnati’s nocturnal landscape,” says Hughes, who teaches photojournalism at UC. His inspiration for the project is Hungarian photographer Brassai (1899-1985), who published his first book “Paris de nuit” in 1932. While Brassai staged some of his photos, Hughes hopes to focus on reality with the “Cincinnati at Night” project. He even plans to include some of the unsavory aspects of night life.

Hughes began the documentary in September and will continue to shoot through Aug. 31, 2004. He wants to look at night life from a variety of angles – medical services, public safety, entertainment, public workers, industries and business, transportation and places. He and Moores welcome ideas from Cincinnatians who work or socialize at night within the I-275 beltway.

To contact Hughes or Moores with ideas, please e-mail either of them – Jon Hughes – jonhug@fusenet.net; Lew Moores – lewmoores@aol.com.