A Family Portrait

By Robert Benjamin

The premise I have worked with for the last few years has been documenting African Americans who live in housing projects that either can't or aren't trying to improve their situation. I aim to focus on people and things that tend to be overlooked and of no importance in the eyes of the majority. While home for spring break, I photographed my family. My background is "the projects"; my parents still struggle with an aspect of life created by them. This was a complex situation and could be seen as controversial. I went to great depths to accurately depict the complexity and reality of my family's life. I understood I had access to these usually inaccessible places and I took advantage of it. This has been the reality that I have been struggling with my whole life - the reality of both my parents using crack cocaine.This was a photo-graphic documentary project, but also has a personal component that brings clarity to the misunderstood. I researched other artists such as Gordon Parks, Eugene Richards and Roy De Carava, who photographed close to home - family, friends and aspects of African American culture. These photographers went into the ghettos / neighborhoods and captured moments of the struggle and joy of these places. It's from them that I receive my motivation, understanding and inspiration to convey my message and maintain the dignity of my chosen subject. Follow me at: twitter.com/AFamilyPortrait Website: www.rbimagesinc.com Email: me@rbimagesinc.com

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1450012302
• ISBN13: 9781450012300
• Release Date: December 2009
• Publisher: Xlibris Us
• Length: 82 Pages
• Weight: 0.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.0" x 1.1" x 0.8"