"Stephen Shames: A Lifetime in Photography" by Kehrer

“The best thing about being a photojournalist is that your camera is your ticket to go anywhere,” says Stephen Shames in the introduction to his book “Stephen Shames: A Lifetime in Photography”. He uses this free ticket to immerse himself in different cultures and document social problems such as childhood poverty and violence.

Stephen Shames captures emotions as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

Being heard and seen – photography makes exactly that possible, among other things.

In the middle of the action, he presses the shutter release.

The American has also been capturing the beautiful sides of life for over fifty years: Love, family, hope and solidarity. He compares the experience of different countries and groups of people to “Star Trek”: his photo spaceship lands on an alien planet. After a brief period of nervousness, new friendships and adventures emerge. With his pictures, he wants people to follow his journey a little. And thus open your eyes to the realities of life that are miles away from your own.

Young people often reflect how our society is doing.

Shames immerses himself in a wide variety of cultures and manages to establish a connection with people.

Shames never shied away from documenting social problems such as childhood poverty.

Shames has a knack for connecting with people while remaining an invisible observer.

It is an art to capture intimate moments authentically and unnoticed.

Stephen Shames: A Lifetime in Photography

For more than five decades, Stephen Shames has been holding his lens where reality happens. But never without first establishing a bond with the people he photographs. Kehrer Verlag is publishing “Stephen Shames: A Lifetime in Photography”, a comprehensive retrospective of works from over fifty years of emotional photojournalism.

Jeffrey Henson Scales, “Stephen Shames: A Lifetime in Photography”, Kehrer, 228 pages, approx. 55.-, kehrerverlag.com