Michael Ray Nott is a Nashville-based photographer impassioned by the unexpected, haphazard multitude of things that can pop up in a picture—neon signs, buildings, random people—all colliding in a rush of activity. Nott takes pictures in public spaces, embracing chance encounters and random incidents. His photography developed naturally by way of recording the vibrancy of downtown Nashville. These photos document the people, the music, and social issues that make up Music City USA. Nott began his art career in Austin, Texas as a graphic artist. His work appears in a number of poster retrospectives from that era, including the books, The Art of Rock (1987, Abbeville Press) and Homegrown (2015, Texas Monthly Press). During that same time, he studied photography under the legendary Garry Winogrand, who profoundly impacted him through his philosophy of photography. His early work in music and street art has come full circle and found its place in his current work in street photography, capturing the zeitgeist of this remarkable time and place in Nashville.