Social Documentary Photography
In addition to my academic work I am also a photographer. I document community and civic actions that resist injustice and pursue social change. I have spent time with pipeline resisters, community schools, and electoral campaigns. Whether working with a nonprofit or civic organization, I enjoy making images that capture people and communities struggling to craft a better future.
I say making images, because I don’t think images are “shot” or “taken” as we often say, rather they are crafted. Photographers make choices about what to put in the image, what to put outside, where to point the camera, what photos to show, which to delete. I think this is the power of the photograph: to capture moments, point attention towards something, and craft a different frame for understanding the world.