Mostly Common Places

Photo exhibition & book release / Michael Williams

Mike Williams is a self taught photographer from New Jersey. Williams dropped out of class at Rutgers University to fully embrace an opportunity to have a career working in film, on shows like Gotham, Blue Bloods and Orange is the New Black. When Williams' was not on set, he spent most of his spare time photographing the people he passed while walking the streets of New York City.

His passion of photography grew over the years as he documented his friends and strangers, while consistently researching his favorite photographers, William Eggleston and Stephen Shore. Williams having had a desire to take a new approach to his photography, took the initiative to travel to the west coast.

Williams didn't tell many people about this journey he was planning on taking, besides telling one roommate on the day of his expected travel date. For Williams, he’s traveled this route before, by bus, roughly five years ago. Previously when on the road he was with a close friend, and was on a mission to capture skateboarding, his previous passion. His most recent trip in the summer of 2016 was different than the last, this time traveling alone with his 35mm Leica camera and his bag. 

'Mostly Common Places' embodies the scenic views and the people he met through his cross continental journey from New York to Los Angeles via bus and train.