We arranged to do this shoot of Michael in the Presidential Suite of the Peach Tree Hotel in Atlanta in the late afternoon, the time photographers call the “magic hour,” when the light casts a warm glow and the angle of the sun creates deep shadows. Throughout the session, Michael tended to look away from the camera and directly into the lens, and he only smiled once of twice during the forty-five-minute shoot. We barely spoke to one another, not wanting to break the spell. I made minimal hand gestures to direct him, and I would nod and hum approvingly when I was sure I got something special.
Later, when I showed him the proof sheets of the photo session, he ordered two large prints of every picture, which was highly unusual. Typically, if someone orders one or two pictures from a session, it’s considered a success. I was blown away. “Two of every single one? That’s about 144 prints… Michael answered, “Yes, I can count. I want one set for myself and one for Diana [Ross]. Todd, this is magic.” Todd Gray-photographerHe looks profoundly solemn in the upper right image. Like a human being.
Hidden in the Open: A Photographic Essay of 140-Years of Black Male Couples
Historian Trent Kelly has collected 146 rare vintage photographs of black male couples from the past 150 years.
Although the large majority of the pictures depict gay couples, the collection also includes images of families and friends but they all have one thing in common: they capture images of love.
Below is a snippet of why Kelly started the collection along with a few photos from his archive.
“Historically, the Afro American gay male and couple has largely been defined by everyone but themselves. Afro American gay men are ignored into nonexistence in parts of black culture and are basically second class citizens in gay culture. The black church which has historically played a fundamental role in protesting against civil injustices toward its parishioners has been want to deny its gay members their right to live a life free and open without prejudice. Despite public projections of a “rainbow” community living together in harmonious co-habitation, openly active and passive prejudices exist in the larger gay community against gay Afro Americans.”
(via offbeatorbit)
Qamar Hashim is an 8-year-old Iraqi photographer. He tours famous streets to picture Baghdadis with his single camera and is the youngest Iraqi photographer to win several local awards, according to the Iraqi Society Photographic (ISP).
Below, Qamar responds to a series of questions.
- When did you take your first photograph and what did it show?
I do not remember exactly the first picture but I had been mimicking my father since I was 4 or 5 years-old and started to take pictures of the Tigris river, the gulls, birds, old houses and heritage places.
- Why do you think photography is important?
Photography is very important. It documents life and pauses time. We can show the city, life and the people.
- What do you want to show people about Iraq?
I want to say through my pictures that Iraq is precious and Iraqis are very kind. Iraq is peaceful and has a great history.
- How do you feel about the U.S. troops leaving Iraq?
I am afraid of the U.S. soldiers, they destroyed the house my family rented in 2003, when I was a fetus. Thank God my family survived and I am happy now for their departure. I am free and not afraid of their tanks.
- What do you want to be when you finish school?
I like to act and I would like to be a child-activist.
- Which is your favorite photo you have taken and why?
My favorite picture is of a man sleeping who sells books at al-Mutanabi street. Also a picture of a bee on a rose, I ran a lot to follow the bee until I got this picture.
- Are there any photographers you look up to?
There a lot of good photographers and I learned from them (Adel Qassim, Fouad Shakir, Kareem al-Ba’aj, and Hameed Majeed).
- Are there any photos you wish to take but haven’t been able to yet?
The dangerous pictures like fire, blasts, other incidents but I have been sent off the site. They say I am a child. Also I wish to get a picture of the triangle of migrant birds.
- What does the future of Iraq look like?
I see a flourishing future for Iraq especially when my family owns a house. I love Iraq, my home, and it is more precious than anything else.
(via squintyoureyes)
Echolilia
All parents love their children. But what do you do when you can’t connect with them? In my case, I started making photographs of, and with, my son Elijah, who has autism spectrum disorder. This series—the title is from “echolalia,” a clinical term for the mimicking aspect of his condition—shows the bridges we’ve built on our shared journey of wonder, discovery, and understanding.
We began this project when Eli was five. He was doing well at school but fixating on odd things, lashing out, speaking repetitively. My wife and I couldn’t figure him out. Then I started taking pictures of him around the house. It was an instinctive act for a photographer: Point your camera at something in order to make sense of it. But a curious thing happened. As I documented what Eli was doing and creating, he became interested in the images I was making. I was learning how he thinks; he was learning what I like and value.
We soon had a system. Eli would do something unusual, one of us would notice, and we’d make a photo of it together. The pictures we took over three years were more raw and feral than anything I’d done as an editorial or advertising photographer. And more personal. This is, after all, the story of a father and his son.
Timothy Archibald’s book, Echolilia: Sometimes I Wonder, was published last year by Echo Press. See more of his work at timothyarchibald.com.
ATTN, savageblackout: please add this book to my birthday list thankyou.
Nuestra Hermana’s WOC Photography Series: Zanele Muholi
In 1972, Zanele Muholi was born in Umlazi Durban. After completing an Advanced Photography Course at the Market Photo Workshop in Newton, she held her first exhibition at the Johannesburg Art Gallery in 2004. She most recently earned her Masters of Fine Arts degree in Documentary Media from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada in 2009.She worked as a reporter and photographer for Behind The Mask an LGBTQI African magazine tackling queer community issues and visibility. In 2002, she began FEW (Forum For The Empowerment of Women), an organization providing a safe space for black queer women to discuss and organize.
Her photographic work is deeply rooted in both exposing the issues affecting the lives of African lesbians, African women and the black queer community. Her photographic art challenges the usual portrayal of black bodies. Her work has addressed and brought visibility to HIV/AIDS, assault and the violent crime of “curative rape” against black queers.
Her work is intimate, honest, raw and emotionally charged.
She has held 6 solo exhibitions and has been part of several exhibits. One of her most well known being her first solo exhibit titled ‘Visual Sexuality: Only Half The Picture’. She has received 6 awards and contributions including the Tollman Award for Visual Arts and the Casa Africa award for Best Female Photographer.
You can learn more about her and her work by checking her website HERE.
Check out the archives here
(Please do not remove this article/bio attached to this photoset. This series is written specifically to promote & educate about POC photographers/QPOC/POC issues.)
An amazing young woman I met recently, Grace, has started a project called Unbreakable where she photographs survivors of sexual assault holding a quote from their attacker. May be triggering for some folks.
This is my newest photography project. I am photographing survivors of sexual abuse with a quote from their abuser during the incident. For some reason, I am unfortunately surrounded by survivors, but it is their strength that makes me stronger. That’s why this project exists. I want everyone who was a victim to realize that they are never alone.
(via agent355)
