Community Connect: A Conversation with Fulton Prevost of “Centreville, My Hometown”
By Savannah Logan
Fulton Prevost has spent a lifetime capturing images, but his love for photography has taken a new form in Centreville. Through his Facebook page, Centreville, My Hometown, he shares images that celebrate the town’s charm, its people, and its community spirit. In this interview, Fulton shares his journey, his passion for photography, and the impact his work has on those who call Centreville home.
Can you share a little about your background and how you ended up in Centreville?
“A little about my background: I am originally from Texas, and my wife, Marietta, is an Alabama gal. We met in Washington, D.C., while we were both working as civilian employees for the FBI’s Identification Division. The FBI is where we received our fingerprint training. After we married and our son was born, we left the big city and moved to Montgomery, Alabama, where we were employed as Fingerprint Examiners by the Department of Public Safety in the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (ABI) Division. As non-arresting officers, our duties included maintaining the state’s criminal records database as well as conducting crime scene investigations to collect, preserve, compare, and identify crime scene fingerprints, using manual techniques as well as the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) for searching and identifying fingerprints.
Marietta and I worked side by side until our retirement. After retirement, we moved to Centreville to be closer to our son and his family. We have been in Centreville since 2020.”
How did you first become interested in photography, and what drew you to this art form?
“Photographing fingerprint evidence at crime scenes and in a laboratory setting was part of my job with ABI. Preserving evidence through photography was necessary to be able to present court testimony. I realized early in my career that I loved the feel of the camera in my hands.”
What inspired you to start sharing your photos under the name Centreville, My Hometown?
“I fell in love with the quaintness and beauty of the old buildings in uptown Centreville, the hometown spirit, and its people. After making a few photos of the uptown area and posting them on Facebook, I got quite a bit of interest from friends and family wanting to see more of my new hometown. I thought the best way to share my photographs, so everyone might enjoy them, was to create a separate Facebook page where these pictures could be displayed. So, Centreville, My Hometown Facebook page was created.
I would like to add that any pictures that I post here are free for the taking. I never charge for my photographs, nor do I hire out for photo shoots. I always refer these requests to local photographers who make their living this way. I take my photographs for the pure joy of it.”
How do you feel your photography captures the spirit of Centreville?
“I not only wanted to photograph the buildings, I wanted to capture the pulse of the community and spirit of the people as well. This took me to the streets all over Bibb County—ballparks, Cahaba River activities, parades, festivals, or any community event where there were crowds.”
What has it been like for you to witness how people connect with your photos and share their own memories?
“The people in Bibb County are great! I haven’t been anywhere I haven’t felt welcome. The positive feedback from the people who follow my page has been wonderful! I love seeing people tag their friends, share my photos, or comment about how they enjoy the photos I post. I sometimes get feedback from people who couldn’t attend events saying how my photographs helped them see them. This makes it all worthwhile. And it’s giving me perfect opportunities to connect with people from all over my home county.”
Do you have a favorite photo or series of photos that you’ve taken? What makes it stand out to you?
“I love the natural, candid shots of people, especially kids. They are the best! Kids are God’s gift to all of us! I love taking pictures of people smiling and having fun!
During my career, I had to photograph horrible situations and people at their worst. Now, I only want to photograph beautiful things and happy people. So instead of a crime scene photographer, I am more of a ‘street photographer,’ which is way more fun. When I do go to ball games, I will take pictures of the players and coaches, but mostly, I like to shoot pictures of the crowd. People usually like to have their pictures taken if they don’t feel pressured. I always try to make them feel at ease. And I especially love it when they want to give me a funny pose.
My favorite series of photos would be of the parades—that brings out the kid in all of us. There is nothing like small-town America for a good parade, and we have some good parades in this county!”
How has your family supported or influenced your photography journey?
“My family does support my photo habit. And they are so thankful that I now have others to photograph instead of them all the time. At every family gathering, I take tons and tons of photos. I have even created a family page for Marietta’s side of the family as well as my side of the family. It’s a great way for us to connect to family members who live far away. My family is of Cajun descent, so these photos get a little wild sometimes! LOL”
Are there any specific people in your life who have played a significant role in shaping your artistic perspective?
“Marietta is probably the one who is most influential in what I do. I have hundreds, if not thousands, of photos in boxes and on disk drives. She is the one who has encouraged me to share some of them. She is a very talented artist herself, so I often ask her opinion about my photos before I post them.”
How does your community involvement influence your photography work?
“The community activities around Bibb County provide fuel for my photography. Although I can’t shoot every event, I do try to shoot as many as I can. The people who follow this page are not just from Bibb County. A lot of them are from surrounding counties, who may have visited here one time or another, may have family or friends here, or are just interested in what goes on in Bibb County. It’s my small way of promoting this community.”
What do you hope your photography says about the Centreville community?
“I do hope my photography shows small-town living at its best and the pulse of this great community—family togetherness, church and school events, fun festivals, parades, sports, and the energy and excitement we all share in this community.”
What is your favorite part of living in Bibb County?
“I get to see my grandchildren often, and I love to be able to share lunch with my son and his family every Sunday. I have always felt welcome anywhere I go in this county. This means a lot to me.”
Where is your favorite place to eat in Bibb County?
“I am not much for fast food. There is no place like home for a really good meal, so my favorite place to eat is home. It helps that Marietta can cook! Every Sunday after church, my son and his family come over for a good home-cooked meal, where we all enjoy being together as a family. It doesn’t get any better than this!”
If you could go anywhere in the world to take pictures, where would you go?
“If I could go anywhere to make photos, I think I would like to go to the northwest and shoot from Montana to Washington State. Yep, I like landscape photography too.”
Fulton Prevost’s love for photography and his passion for Centreville have combined to create a visual celebration of the town and its people. Through his work, he not only documents life in Bibb County but also strengthens the community by sharing its heart and soul with the world.
