Commemorating the ADA with the Michigan Statewide Independent Living Council

Happy Disability Pride Month!

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), idea39 hired me to photograph disabled volunteers for a statewide display put on by the Michigan Statewide Independent Living Council (MSILC). The exhibit is being featured in libraries across Michigan. As a disabled photographer and storyteller, I was honored to create these portraits, each one capturing a glimpse of the strength and individuality within the disability community.

Take a look at the portraits below.

*This series was commissioned by idea39 for MSILC. If you're looking for photography that centers authenticity, whether for a campaign, exhibit, or community project, I’d love to work with you. Get in touch through my contact page.

Val

Alt Text: A person with long curly hair, wearing a purple shirt and jeans, sits in a power wheelchair against a teal backdrop. They are smiling and have colorful tattoos on both arms and rainbow-colored sneakers.

Flo

Alt Text: A person with short blonde wavy hair and glasses smiles while sitting against a teal backdrop. They wear a gray blazer over a white shirt and denim shorts.

Sara

A person with shoulder-length wavy hair sits in a manual wheelchair against a teal backdrop. They wear a patterned brown and white blouse with jeans and a brown belt and are smiling warmly.

M. Cunningham

Alt Text: A person with short hair and a beard sits in a green chair against a teal backdrop, holding a cane. They wear a red Detroit Red Wings hoodie adorned with pins and have sunglasses resting on their head.

Mefi

Alt Text: A person with short curly hair and glasses smiles while sitting in a green chair against a teal backdrop. They wear a gray "M Wheelchair Rugby" shirt, black shorts, and have a colorful prosthetic leg.

Darryl

Alt Text: A person with short hair and a goatee smiles while sitting in a green chair against a teal backdrop. They wear a red t-shirt with white text reading "MY VOICE MY LIFE MY WAY."

Marguerite

Alt Text: A person wearing glasses, a black head wrap, and blue headphones sits in a green chair with a yellow pillow. A yellow Labrador service dog is in the foreground.

Timothy

Alt Text: A person with glasses and a green baseball cap smiles while sitting in a green chair against a teal backdrop. They wear a camouflage hoodie over a blue collared shirt.

Lawrence

Alt Text: A person with long dreadlocks and a beard smiles broadly while sitting in a green chair against a teal backdrop. They wear a tan vest over a green long-sleeve shirt.

Stacy

Alt Text: A person with short burgundy hair sits in a rollator walker against a teal backdrop. They wear a shimmering bronze dress and large butterfly earrings, smiling warmly.

Chloe

Alt Text: A person with short dark hair sits in a wheelchair against a teal backdrop. They wear a maroon polo shirt and gray pants, smiling softly.

Behind the Scenes: Photographing Cocktails

This is my first Behind the Scenes post and it’s on cocktails. I’ve set out to improve my skills photographing these popular libations. I’m not much of a drinker, but I do love the aesthetics associated with the cocktail.

Today, I did a deep dive into the research, using this shoot by Carolyn Fong for Punch Drink as inspiration. I read a few articles, looked at online magazines and consulted some videos on YouTube. I found this video by Khandie Photography a great starting off point. I liked that it was an on location shoot with minimal equipment. Then for a more professional lesson I consulted The Bite Shot. There were a few other videos watched in there, but these were the most helpful.

What started as a fun experiment ended in a head-scratching, technical conundrum. I was able to collect a fair amount of data which I will show below, but as experimentation often does, it left me with more questions than answers.

So, what DID I figure out? HIGHTLIGHTS! Hightlight placement is very important when it comes to cocktail photography. Check out the photos I took below and pay special attention to where the highlights fall.

Volunteers Needed!

Currently seeking volunteers with disabilities to have their portrait taken for a series promoting disability visibility. Interested or know someone who might be? Sign up here!

Still Life

Experiments in still life.

Mushrooms from the Eastern Market. Cannabis from our neighbor. Peonies from Trader Joes.

Peonies

How about that detail? Give it up for f/22!

This print is available in the shop.

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Tender Napalm

In October I helped my friends film a trailer for a production they put on. The show was called Tender Napalm. You can read more about the play in this article from the Chicago Reader where they used my image and I was not credited. I emailed the paper about the issue, hopefully I hear back from them soon. Below is the uncredited image and a few other images I took that day. Have a look!