“Art & Life Together is Magic”:
Artist, photographer, Merrill Roberts, Jr.
by Karen Reider
Photos © Merrill Roberts, Jr.
When Merrill Roberts’ mother bought him a camera at the age of 12, her only thought was to give him something to do to keep him out of trouble. Little did she know that one day he would shoot photos that would not only change his life, but also the lives of those who viewed them.
Perhaps it was a mother’s intuition that began it all, or the fate of one man on the road to his own destiny.
Roberts grew up in Harlem, New York, in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. A tough time in a tough neighborhood, and for a young black boy, life wasn’t easy.
As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.” Roberts’ road was arduous, but there was no dust collecting on that highway.
Every chance he got, Roberts took to the camera and shot photos of a variety of subjects. Affording film and developing costs was an obstacle, but he persevered by shining shoes and getting odd jobs to pay for his passion. At one point, he did housework for Joe (Bojangles) Robinson.
Roberts’ sister must have seen something special in her little brother. She introduced him to a friend who was a professional photographer. That friend took Roberts into the dark room, and showed him how to develop his own film. This furthered Roberts’ interest and desire to photograph.
At around the age of 16, he was looking through the pages of Jet magazine, noticing the photos of different celebrities. Roberts believed that many of the photos he had taken were as good or better. He was inspired to submit his photographs to the magazine. They did not purchase any photos at that time, but in later years, they would, along with The New York Times, Ebony, The Daily News, and several others.
A New York newspaper did purchase one of his photos, and they printed it on the front page. They paid him a token $7, and left his name off the photo. Roberts would have gladly forfeited the $7 to have his name appear on the photo, but there wasn’t much he could do about it.
After a stint in the military, Roberts went on to become a staff photographer for a black newspaper. They couldn’t afford to pay him, but his reward was the press card they supplied him. This was his ticket into any concert, back stage, or political rally. The 1960s and ‘70s was an exciting time, and Roberts took full advantage of that press card.
“When you take pictures of someone on stage,” Roberts said, “well, that’s as close as you can get to a performer, a person, and how they feel.”
“You can feel their connection to the music and see it move inside their soul,” said Roberts. “It’s a beautiful thing.”
That’s when he knows he’s got the perfect picture; that’s what he sees through the lens.
In 1967, he began working for recording studios, taking photos of many musical celebrities. At a recent showing of Roberts’ photography at Zelo Cosi, an Italian cafe in Sedona, I saw one such photo of a young Marvin Gaye; the very essence of the memorable soul singer is captured in that photo.
As I walked around the room viewing other photos - a young Michael Jackson, Bill Cosby, Aretha Franklin, and Jessie Jackson, to name a few - I saw that same element in each work. Roberts’ photos have a human element, a deeply personal view of the subject he shoots.
It’s Roberts’ gift and like any art, you have to hone your skills.
The gift is getting people to “look like themselves,” he told me. Becoming friends with everyone he photographed, certainly helped.
“I get to see that ‘something special’ inside of them - something they may not even know is there. It’s the connection I make with them that let’s me inside.”
Completely self-taught, Roberts has worked hard at his accomplishments. Throughout his adult life, he has held respectable, hard-working jobs while shooting his photography.
Roberts is wanting to publish a book of his photographs that will give the American public “the opportunity to see parts of history I’ve recorded, and faces of people heard of but never seen, by the vast majority of people in this country.”
And, for those who are wondering, the camera did not keep Roberts out of trouble, but it did open doorways that otherwise would have remained closed.
You can see Roberts’ photography at Zelo Cosi
until the end of February. He is also being featured at The Manheim Gallery, in
Cottonwood, through February 29, in celebration of Black History month. There
will be a reception on February 16, 5-7 p.m. Stop by to see his impeccable work
and to meet this seasoned artist. Also, you can check him out online
http://www.getyourhistoricalpictureshere.com