It’s impossible to run from the spirit that saves you. Photojournalism is the spirit that saved me.
On Thanksgiving day, actually the wee hours of the frigid morning, in 1988, I made history for the first time. More so infamous than famous, after the DEA and the Philadelphia Police Department raided my house. It was like a terrible episode from a run of mill cop show. The Philly PD used a battering ram on the front door and the DEA, I guess for shock value, repelled from the roof to smash through the windows. Their plan worked. It was just that, shocking. Many of the details have done me the favor of becoming hazy through the years. The infamous part, I was soon going to be the largest marijuana bust in Philadelphia. Those were hard times. Making it to 22 became a question. Nonetheless I learned that miracles are real. Photojournalism saved me from me. Photojournalism eventually blessed me with 30 minutes of fame.
Photojournalism has been my path and purpose for over 30 years, be that telling stories or teaching and now mostly editing the work of other photographers.
CONTACT
(213) 422-7753
clarence@irisphotocollective.com
AWARDS & HONORS
+ Los Angeles County Dept of Arts and Culture Grant, 2020
+ Los Angeles County METRO Commissioned Artist, 2016
+ OSI Katrina Fellowship, 2006
+ Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography, 1998
+ Robert F Kennedy Photojournalism Award, 1998
+ National Association of Black Journalists, Journalist of the Year, 1997
+ First Place, Issue Reporting, Pictures of the Year Contest, 1996
+ Award of Excellence, Issue Reporting, Pictures of the Year Contest, 1996
+ First Place, Feature Photograph, National Headliners Award, 1996
+ First Place, Illustration, NPPA National Monthly Clip Contest, 11/1996
+ Eddie Adams Workshop, Winner of AP Assignment, 1995
+ First Annual AP Diverse Visions Photojournalism Workshop, 1994
+ Kay Kreighbaum Photojournalist Award, Temple University, 1992
EXHIBITIONS
+ Art Basil, Miami, FL, 2014
+ The University of Southern Mississippi Museum, 2007
+ Temple University, 2004
+ Newseum Pulitzer Show (group show), 2003
+ The Julia Dean Photo Workshop (group show), 2002
+ The Corcoran Museum (group show), 2000
+ The Perfect Exposure Gallery, 1999
+ The Tijuana Cultural Museum, 1998
BOOKS
+ Drown the Devil, 2012 (not pub.)
+ Barack Obama, The Official Inaugural Book, pub. 2009
+ I Shall Rise: The Ron Brown Scholars, pub. 2006
+ A Day in the Life of the Military, pub. 2003
+ The Pulitzer Collection, pub. 2000
+ A Way Home: Homelessness in America, pub. 2000
WORKSHOPS & BOARDS
+ NextGen Photo Workshop for Radio Journalist, 2017
+ NextGen Photo Workshop for Radio Journalist, 2016
+ WHIV Radio Station Board, 2016
+ The University of Southern MS Photojournalism Workshop, 2009 & 2010
+ Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma Board, 1999 - 2002
+ American Indian Journalism Institute, 1999