I am a photographer, historian, educator, and visual storyteller based in Atlanta, GA.
The Stories of Us is an ongoing project near and dear to my heart. The Stories of Us challenges preconceptions and biases by sharing the untold, oft-neglected stories from our society through raw, black & white imagery.
I use my photography to illustrate humanity and ask questions about cultural identity around the Atlanta area by immersing people into little moments that speak unto a broader picture.
Context is vital. Perspective is more powerful than preconceptions. Stories can change lives for the better.
Another side of me is shown in my backyard nature photography where I capture images of the various birds in flight to show a side that is not often seen and it is my reprieve from the messages in my black and white photography.
The Stories of Us challenges preconceptions and biases by sharing the untold stories from neglected, oft-ignored communities.
My goal is to bring attention to these communities in order to help outsiders understand the social and historical reasons behind the challenges they face.
Come with me, and we'll explore what it means to be human.
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"I feel it is in the heart, not the eye that should determine the content of the photograph. What the eyes see is their own, what the heart can perceive is a different matter." - Gordon Parks
Welcome to my Journal.
My mantra is "Be Present". The world contains so much beauty, balanced delicately with the equal parts ugly. My intent is to capture images of my emotions to share and to spread awareness with an empathetic perspective. We all could use a little more “vision” when connecting with others... To bring back compassion, to re-define empathy, to openly ask questions of and listen to the other runners in this never-ending human race.
I invite you to join me on this journey.
- Michael Thomas
What you see may not align with your initial impressions. **** I used the city Charlottesville and should have said Charleston near the end of my podcast.
I stopped by the Marietta Museum of History yesterday to record a reading of a children's book commemorating Juneteenth (Coming to theatres soon)
Memories of my Grandfather (Big Daddy) and things I have learned about him through Family Tree Research.
The P-38, (also called a John Wayne) was developed in 1942, is a small can opener that was issued in the canned field rations of the United States Armed Forces.
You first notice the enormity of it, how it begins but there is really no end that the eyes can see. You want to acknowledge the beauty but the pain is overwhelming.
The concept of an essential worker has been front and center throughout this crisis and to think, this was their lot in life prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. They are usually invisible or in harsher terms dismissed, judged and written off.
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Care, empathy, concern and love are most effective when our presence can gather physical vibes that can be contagious in a positive way. We can start today in our orb of community with a simple gesture of a wave, a hello and a smile.
The teaching of African enslavement is void of telling the stories of a normal community of families who live their lives as normal as any other community around the world. They were not uncivilized people who needed religion and saving.
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Nature can be considered Street Photography too, keep your eyes and heart open.
I remember it was January 2016, one of the coldest days that year where my photographer friend Daryl @daryloharephotography and I took a walk on Big Creek Greenway where I had my first photography lesson,. Daryl insisted on capturing my image so I reluctantly agreed so she gets credit and so much more in introducing me to my new found passion with the camera
There's a line that one must respect as a photographer. A line that, if crossed, disrupts your ability to authentically document and tell the story without influencing the subject. But life decisions like whether to cross the line, unlike my photographs, are never completely Black & White.
Ever happened to be in the right place at the exact right time? Much of it comes down to serendipity, but if you don't have a "present" mindset then you'll miss these moments 100% of the time.
