10FPS A Photojournalism Podcast for Everyone

Episode 176: Stephen Shames (Documentary Photography) Part 2

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Stephen Shames – A Legendary Documentary Photographer (Part 2)
đź“· Who Is Stephen Shames?
  • American documentary photographer with a career that began in 1966 – now over 60 years of shooting.
  • Known for long‑term, immersive projects that blend social documentary with an intimate, “dream‑like” visual language.
  • Creator of the acclaimed monograph “Steven Shames – A Lifetime in Photography” (published by Klaus Carer, Germany).
    • 🌟 Signature Achievements
    Year
    Project / Photo
    Why It Matters
    1970‑73
    Black‑and‑white series on the Black Panther Party
    Captured a pivotal civil‑rights movement from inside.
    1985
    Iowa farm‑crisis reportage
    Built a multi‑year relationship with a struggling family; later provided them with treasured photos after a tragedy.
    1990s
    Drug‑dealer & police collaboration in Philadelphia
    Showed the nuanced humanity behind street‑level crime.
    2003
    Stephen Hawking portrait series(Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine)
    Gained unprecedented access by reading Hawking’s book cover‑to‑cover and proving deep commitment.
    2023
    Release of “A Lifetime in Photography”
    First book presented as a non‑chronological, dream‑sequence, mixing B&W duotone and color plates.
    📚 Stephen Shames Book: “A Lifetime in Photography”
    • Concept: Not a chronological retrospective, but a dream‑sequence that moves the viewer fluidly from image to image.
    • Process: Scanned ~20,000 negatives, rated them in Adobe Bridge, collaborated with designer Caleb Kane Marcus, and completed the layout in 1–2 months.
    • Production quirks: Separate signatures for duotone B&W and full‑color plates; careful handling of gutter‑cropping for double‑page spreads.
      • 🎯 What Makes Stephen’s Work Stand Out?
      1. Deep Relationships: He treats subjects as family, earning trust that lasts decades (e.g., the Iowa family calling him 30+ years later).
      2. The “Zone” Mindset: Total, intuitive focus while shooting; emotions surface only after the shutter clicks.
      3. Consistent Visual Voice: Central composition, intimate close‑ups, and a blend of documentary realism with artistic abstraction—what he calls his “shames‑style.”
      4. Commitment Over Convenience: Willing to stay with his son instead of flying to a war zone; chooses projects that align with his personal values.
        5. đź“– Quick Bio for Press
        Stephen Shames creates award winning photo essays on social issues for foundations, advocacy organizations, the media, and museums.

        •• Author of twelve monographs.

        •• Steve’s images are in the permanent collections of 42 international museums and foundations.
        •• Outside the Dream won numerous awards including the Kodak Crystal Eagle Award for Impact in Photojournalism.
        •• 2008 bus shelter and subway ads for the NYC DADS campaign of the City of New York received a Pollie award from American Association of Political Consultants.
        ** PBS named Hine, Wolcott, and Shames as photographers whose work promotes social change.
        ** American Photo called him one of the “15 Most Underrated Photographers”.
        ** Profiled by People, CBS Sunday Morning. Esquire, US News, Ford Foundation Report.
        ** The Ford, Charles Stewart Mott, Robert Wood Johnson, and Annie E. Casey Foundations have underwritten his work.
        ** Started an NGO which locates forgotten children (AIDS orphans, former child soldiers, and children living in refugee camps) with innate talents and molds them into leaders by sending them to the best schools and college

        Steve is represented by:

        Amar Gallery, London, UK (vintage & contemporary art prints
        Steven Kasher Gallery, New York (vintage & contemporary art prints
        Polaris Images, New York (editorial & stock)

        đź”— Where to Find His Work
        • Official Book: Purchase a signed copy on eBay (search “Steven Shames signed book”).
        • Online Galleries:
          • Steven Shames Archive – Briscoe Center for American History, University of Texas at Austin.
          • 10FPS Episode 175 – Part 1 of the full interview discussing his process and philosophy.
          • Exhibitions: Periodic shows at major museums (e.g., Museum of Modern Art, New York; International Center of Photography).
            • đź“Ś Takeaway for Photographers
            • Build trust: Treat subjects as collaborators, not just subjects.
            • Cultivate a signature style: Consistency in composition and tone makes your work instantly recognizable.
            • Embrace the Zone: Focus fully while shooting, then allow space to process emotions afterward.

              • ______

               

              farm crisis, Iowa family portraits, suicide remembrance, long‑term photographic projects, building trust with subjects, photographer’s dedication/commitment, beeper/assignment culture, Israel‑Lebanon conflict coverage, child soldier imagery, color vs. black‑and‑white printing, book editing process, scanning thousands of negatives, Briscoe Center archive, dream‑sequence book concept, collaborative design with Caleb Kane Marcus, double‑page spreads, duotone production, gutter cropping, celebrity portraiture (Obama, Sadat), Tokyo subway kids photo, style development (Meyerowitz, Eggleston), photographer’s “zone” focus, athlete‑like preparation, Stephen Hawking week‑long portrait, involving subjects in project planning, farm‑state poverty documentation, drug‑dealer and police access, Bronx street photography, Philadelphia Inquirer assignments, Panthers civil‑rights photography, NGO/non‑profit photography work, news‑magazine contracts (Time, Newsweek, NYT), Stephen Shames photographer, Stephen Shames biography, Stephen Shames photojournalism, Stephen Shames book, Stephen Shames style

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              10FPS A Photojournalism Podcast for EveryoneBy The 10FPS Team