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>>> CHICAGO NATIVE PATRICK McCAW I WORKED AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST AT THE EPA FOR DECADES.

IN HIS FREE TIME, HE ENVIRONS IT THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND HIM.

THE NEW EXHIBITION OF HIS PHOTOGRAPHS IS A PROVOCATIVE LOOK AT CHICAGO DURING THE PIVOTAL DECADE AND A WINDOW INTO THE STEREOTYPES.

NICK BLUMBERG HAS THE STORY.

>> Reporter: PATRICK ROPER ON PICTURES.

HIS FATHER WAS A PHOTOGRAPHER.

BUT PATRICK LIKED WORKING PICTURES, WORKING WITH A SIMPLE POINT AND SHOOT THROUGH THE 60s AND 70s.

>> ONE DAY ONE OF MY FRIENDS, HE SAID YOU NEED TO STEP UP.

>> Reporter: McCOY GOT A 30 MILLIMETER CAMERA.

HE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE CLASSES, SO HE MADE A DEAL WITH HIMSELF.

>> EVERY DAY I WAS GOING TO TAKE AT LEAST ONE PHOTOGRAPH.

>> Reporter: McCOY CARRIED THE CAMERA AROUND HIS NICK EVERYWHERE .

>> WHEN I WOULD GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, INVARIABLY SOMEONE WOULD SAY HEY, TAKE MY PICTURE!

>> Reporter: THAT WAS PART OF McCOY'S DEAL WITH HIMSELF, TOO.

HE WOULD TAKE A PICTURE OF ANYONE.

AT NIGHT HE WOULD DEVELOP THEM AND TAKE THEM IN HIS BACKPACK THE NEXT DAY.

>> I WOULD JUST GIVE THEM THEIR PHOTOGRAPH!

>> Reporter: McCOY GOT TO KNOW PEOPLE, OFTEN TAKING THEIR PICTURES FULL-TIME.

MANY OF THEM WERE REGULARS AT THE RIALTO TAP IN THE SOUTH LOOP.

EVERYBODY FROM PEOPLE LIVING IN HOMELESS SHELTERS TO DOWNTOWN BUSINESSMEN TO DRAG QUEENS, THE CROWD WAS MOSTLY GAY BLACK MEN.

>> IN THE SOUTH LOOP, IT WAS KIND OF LIKE CHEERS.

>> Reporter: McCOY ALWAYS ALLOWED THE PERSONALITIES OF HIS SUBJECTS TO SHINE THROUGH.

>> I WANTED TO GET BEYOND THE PREJUDICES AND STEREOTYPES.

>> IT IS A SLICE OF BLACK AMERICAN LIFE THAT YOU DON'T USUALLY SEE.

YOU DON'T USUALLY SEE IT IN MUSEUMS.

>> Reporter: SHE HAD KNOWN McCOY FOR A DECADE AND HELPED HIM WILLED DOWN THE NUMBER OF SNAPS.

>> THE IDEA OF PHOTOGRAPHY AT LEISURE, THAT WOULD BE NOTHING SHORT OF SPECTACULAR!

>> Reporter: BUT AS THE 80s GAVE WAY TO THE '90s, McCOY FELT LESS SAFE TAKING HIS CAMERA EVERYWHERE.

>> THERE WERE A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT I MET FOR MY TIME TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WERE REALLY DEAR TO ME.

>> Reporter: HE SAYS SEEING HIS PHOTOGRAPHS DISPLAYED LIKE THIS COMES WITH NOSTALGIA AND SADNESS, BUT ALSO A SENSE OF PRIDE IN WHAT HIS WORK CAPTURES.

>> IT IS A BEAUTIFUL IMAGERY OF THAT TIME PERIOD FROM A BLACK PERSPECTIVE.

>> Reporter: FOR CHICAGO TONIGHT, I AM NICK LUMBER.