Austinite John Langmore spent more than a year capturing on film the lives of those in East Austin. The result is a collection of intimate photographs that document the people, places and culture of the gentrified area where condos and new homes are replacing century-old houses and crumbling taquerias.

A photographic exhibit of his work, Fault Line - A Portrait of East Austin is now on display at The Mexican American Cultural Center, with an opening reception and lecture taking place tonight from 6-8 p.m.

Langmore, a business executive and lawyer with a passion for photography, took some time to answer a few questions about his new exhibit.

How did you get started with the project and what inspired you to start taking photos of East Austin?

There is a change in demographics, income level, building types and perhaps most importantly, a change in the sense of community that has developed in East Austin over more than half a century.

From a photographer's perspective, I feel strongly that photography documents what is important and equally, what is being lost to the passage of time.

East Austin qualifies on both counts. It is an important and perhaps the most unique part of our city. Ten years from now, when East Austin looks nothing like it does today, we will long for the knowledge of what we once had. That is what drew me to this project.

What were the biggest challenges to taking the photos?

The biggest challenge to photographing East Austin has been trying to capture the heart and soul of a community to which you don't belong. I don't live on the Eastside (although I've been going there over the course of 25 years), and I'm obviously an outsider to the Latino and African American communities I photographed.

I suppose this is a curse all photographers must endure as seldom can one survive only photographing communities into which they were born and raised. Even to this day I am criticized by some for missing certain landmarks, focusing on the dark-side of the community and just missing certain important pieces. I regret that.

My intention is to tell their story in its fullness. Although I am an outsider attempting to tell the story of very distinctive communities, I never had a single bad encounter in East Austin. The East Austin community let me in and embraced me. I only wish I had all the time necessary to tell more of their story. I am confident that even if I've missed some details, which I know I have, the essence is there.

What kind of camera(s) did you use?

I use Leica rangefinder cameras. I like them because they're small, unobtrusive and quiet. I think you telegraph to your subjects that you are sensitive to them and their environment when you use a camera that is so discreet. My Leica cameras cover so little of my face that I can easily carry on a conversation while I'm photographing, and it doesn't seem at all awkward. Furthermore, Leica lenses are magnificent and unsurpassable for shooting in low light.

Do you still take photos in East Austin? Will you ever stop?

That's a good question. I suspect I won't. Although I can't go at it with the same commitment that I have during the last 15 months, I think I will always take a camera with me when I go there. And if any of my East Austin friends ask me to photograph an event, I don't suspect I'd ever say no. But photographic projects are emotionally and physically draining - at some point you have to say you're done.