One hero of mine in contemporary documentary photography is Jamel Shabazz. For the past 30 years his focus has been on the African American neighbourhoods he lives in in New York, looking at the fashion and the culture, and now mentoring and exposing young people to the arts and specifically photography. There is such joy, style and pride in the people in his work!
A favourite film of mine, David Lachapelle's Rize, comes to mind also as another example of how the arts, whether it's photography, dance or music (among many), have an important role to play in helping express peacefully the tough issues in life that we find hard to deal with otherwise. These artforms can be a way out of great hardship, and Jamel Shabazz is a case in point.
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