Lou Jones is a photographer who works out of his studio in Boston, Mass. His exhibit, “Final Exposure,” a series of photographs of prisoners either sentenced for life or more, or on death row, is currently on display in the Silver Cultural Arts Building. This interview was conducted by Steve Donovan via email:
Clock: What is your overall message or theme in the “Final Exposure series? What are you saying here?
Lou Jones: That is a complicated question. Basically since no one has ever really seen people on death row, I though that if they could actually look them in the face and know that they were real people they might not be able to pull the switch.
Clock: Was it difficult to get into the prisons? Did you have to deal with a lot of red tape, bribes, or an inside man?
L.J.: We did nothing illegal. It is very difficult to get into prison, especially if you tell them you want to take pictures. Actually it is impossible to enter death row, that’s why it took us six years to do the project. We worked every angle, that’s what the book is about.
Clock: Did you feel threatened at any point while taking these pictures? Was there any fear shanked or something like that?
L.J.: No. The only apprehension was in being able to draw the inmates out in some kind of dialogue that was interesting and that the prison authorities wouldn’t prevent us from getting the access we needed once we actually got into the prisons.
Clock: Tell me about the photograph of Lester Kills On Top.
L.J.: He was a Native American in Montana. We photographed him and his brother the same day. They were, of course, accused of the same crime. Both brothers were very reticent to talk to us. We didn’t get very good interviews, because of their distrust of us I decided I would never enter a prison again. They were the reason I pulled the plug on the six-year project.
Clock: What is your favorite photograph from the series? Why?
L.J.: It’s hard to say. They all have their stories. But the two most successful for what we were trying to do were Bobby West and Daniel Webb.
Clock: What was the most prominent attitude help by the prisoners of death row in general: Hopelessness, remorse, despair, anger, or maybe indifference?
L.J.: Fortunately we had 27 different opinions about death row. Some were very remorseful and some didn’t realize why they were there. A couple still had anger, but most have been in so long that they had shifted to other emotions. It’s hard to generalize. That’s what puts most people into the indifference they have about the death penalty. Their ideas are generalizations about guilt, race, costs, and retributions.
Clock: Last year you gave a presentation here at PSU. What is your general impression of our school? Did you take any pictures here? Do you prefer the fresh mountain air or are you a city dweller?
L.J.: I’m a city person. I only go toward green stuff if I have an assignment. I took no pictures, even though I bring a camera every time I visit. The school looks good. Colleges that can show such a controversial exhibition as the death penalty have an innate integrity that is intriguing to me.
Clock: What are you working on right now?
L.J.: I’m writing a book on travel photography. We are working on returning to my twelfth Olympic Games in February. I have just completed a sixteen-year project on pregnant women; I’m just starting to show it to curators.