Standing over a tray in a darkroom many years ago, I stood in amazement as I watched an image that I captured with my camera slowly appear on photographic paper. I was hooked. It is still magical when I download digital images and see them on my computer screen for the first time.
My name is Rod Arroyo, and I am the owner / principal photographer. I have been interested in photography since about the age of 8. As a boy, I had a Kodak Instamatic camera that I loved to take with me. I went on to work as a photographer for my high school yearbook and at a daily college newspaper. I later launched my photography business.
Over the years, I received training from skilled photographers and really saw a potential to hone my craft. I decided to take on both city and portrait photography with my company – City Photos and Books, Inc. – which was founded in 2000. I enjoy capturing city and landscape photography, particularly in downtown Detroit. My portrait website is www.PortraitsByRod.com
I also have an interest in the history of the City of Detroit, and have studied the city planning history and presented on the topic many times. I recently have added research related to Detroit’s jazz and blues history, with emphasis on the Paradise Valley and Black Bottom neighborhoods. This research is a passion project of mine, and it includes the use of images and maps to tell the story of when jazz reigned supreme in Detroit, Black-owned businesses thrived, and then freeways and urban renewal projects removed much of what had been created in these neighborhoods.
I have a Master of City Planning degree from Georgia Tech and I have served on the adjunct faculty in Wayne State University’s Graduate Urban Planning Program. I am a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners. I am a member of the Professional Photographers of America.