Demon at Large

If your bicycle racer on the East Coast you’ve seen Kevin Dillard but most likely not before his camera has seen you. His love of the bicycle and the camera has been combined into a web site, http://www.demoncats.com, which features photography from various cycling events primarily but not limited to those categorized as Alleycat races.
While the races themselves are like a calliope on a whirling carousel, it’s clear upon viewing his photos that Kevin is passionate about people, especially the faces of individuals in the heat of competition, the faces of the exited spectators, and those on the periphery caught in a contemplative moment.
Given the cliché that a picture is worth a thousand words the Demoncats site is a dictionary of Kevin’s photographic talents but there is little information about him. So I emailed Kevin some questions hoping to understand his approach and feeling for the art he clearly loves and shares freely.

Do you have a gut feeling when you snap a photo?

I don’t know if it's a gut feeling, because I actually think a lot about what I photograph before I shoot it, even the race shots.

What kind of face do you like?

I like all faces, all colors, sizes and shapes. I look at the personality of someone, what they are thinking right now. Are they happy or sad? But the most important to me is a person’s eyes. Like they say, it’s the window to the soul.

What are your thoughts about color vs. Black and white Photography?

Color and B/W are great. I love them both. Depending on the photo a B/W, if done well, can stop you in your tracks. I'm not there yet. I use B/W for the 'Mary Jane' gallery because I think B/W shows more emotion and depth with fewer distractions so you can see the person as they really are.

Any photos you took that you look at and say wow?

There was one photo that I said WOW, but it wasn't after I saw it on screen. It was before I shot it. I was at The April Fools Alleycat race in Philly 2 years ago. I asked this couple if I could take their photo. They walked to a brick wall without me telling them and he stood there and looked right at me without smiling with his hands cupped in front and she turned to a profile looking at him without direction from me. I stood stunned for a second, than I took the photo. I framed that photo so I can see it every day. I think that one photo is why I love photographing people more than anything else.

What are your thoughts about formal races as opposed to the more urban ones?

Formal races are great when they are in cities where there is more to photograph than just the race. Office Parks suck. Urban races like Alleycats can give a photographer a hard-on, because there is a lot going on. There is more diversity in urban races, not just in race, but the way people dress, neighborhoods, and good shit like that.

Do find there is a difference in the people who attend either?

Yes there is a difference. Like I said before the urban races have more diversity. I went to Harlem last month for The Harlem Classic and the diversity was amazing. When I go to a local races not so much but I love finding diversity anywhere. There might be skinny black guy standing next to a muscular white dude at an office park race or a woman wearing huge white 50's sun glasses getting ready for her race. Everyone is different that’s what makes life great.

Do you actually know a demon cat?

No, I don't know any Demon Cat other than the one haunting our Nations Capitol Building from which our name is from but there are some Ferrell cats in my neighborhood that are pretty evil.

Thanks Kevin for coming from behind the camera and expressing your thoughts about your process and the kinds of settings and people that motivate you to take the photos that you do. I know Human Zoomers who have been captured by your demon lens and they love those photos.