Rovaughn Hill — Comedian, Chicago

I photographed Rovaughn Hill years ago, long before I realized how much that session would shape my work with comedians. Those images ended up opening doors I didn’t know I was knocking on at the time. In a lot of ways, that shoot marked the beginning of something for me.

Rovaughn has always been a presence. In the Chicago comedy scene, he’s known as unpredictable, loud when he wants to be, and quick to throw a line that catches you off guard. Some people find that energy exhausting. Others find it magnetic. Both reactions are usually happening at the same time.

What gets lost in the noise is that he’s sharp. He listens. He understands timing. And when he’s on, he’s devastating in the way only comics who trust their instincts can be. Offstage, he’s generous, deeply loyal, and far more thoughtful than his reputation suggests.

He’s also a proud Chicago sports fan — Bears, Bulls, all of it — which has made him a long-running rival of mine as a Cleveland fan. It’s an argument we’ve been having for years, usually loudly, usually in public, and never seriously enough to matter.

Rovaughn once referred to himself as a “sex god.” He meant it jokingly. Mostly. Comedy, like confidence, depends on who’s listening.

Looking back at those early portraits, I realize I wasn’t just photographing a comedian. I was learning how to photograph people who live comfortably in contradiction — chaotic and disciplined, abrasive and kind, impossible to ignore.