2002, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Street Kids of Bangladesh

Street children and youth who work at the trian station.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

Mumbia, India

Bene Israel ñ Jews of India

Shaine (7) and Angela (4) Pehkar. The Jewish community of India, known as Bene Israel (Children of Israel),are probable descendents of a small group of hereditary Israelite priests or Cohanim, who fled persecution in Palestine two thousand years ago, then were ship wrecked on the coast of India around 175 BC. DNA tests have established their lineage, which goes back to Aaron.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1998, El Cajon, California, USA

Multiracial Americans

Camillia Whiteside (7) does gymnastics exercises. Ethnicity: Mexican - Spanish - English - Cuban - European - African. Project: "From the 4 Corners of the Earth". The "average" American in 50 years will be a hybrid of 6 continents, as the "average" person today is of mixed European ethnicity.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1998, Oakland, California

Multiracial Americans

Darryl Marcus Ijichi Perkins (14). Ethnicity: Japanese - African - Seminole - other Native Indian tribes. Project: "From the 4 Corners of the Earth". The "average" American in 50 years will be a hybrid of 6 continents, as the "average" person today is of mixed European ethnicity.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

Mumbia, India

Bene Israel ñ Jews of India

Ramrajkar smiles as his mother Eva cradles his face. The Jewish community of India, known as Bene Israel (Children of Israel), are probable descendents of a small group of hereditary Israelite priests or Cohanim, who fled persecution in Palestine two thousand years ago, then were ship wrecked on the coast of India around 175 BC. DNA tests have established their lineage, which goes back to Aaron.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1985, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America

Teenage mother and child in Lower Price Hill, just across the river from Kentucky, is the home of a community of poor whites who have kept to themselves for generations.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1985, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America

Teenager in Lower Price Hill, a community of Southern whites, jumps his bike over friends.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1988, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America

Lower Price Hill, just across the river from Kentucky, is the home of a community of poor whites who have kept to themselves for generations. No release.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

2002, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Former street kids play football (soccer) at Abrigo Aclimacao, a house (orphanage) for street children.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1987, New York, New York, USA

Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America. Homeless.

Max kisses his sister Vanessa in the hallway outside their room in the Holland Hotel in Times Square. Max, like many poor youngsters, provides child care for his sister. This hotel provides no child care or play room for the children, who must play in dangerous hallways. One-third of homeless shelter residents are children and their families. Release signed.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1988, Brooklyn, New York, USA

Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America

14 and 15-year-old dealers display crack and money earned from selling crack down the street from the Brooklyn Arms Hotel. Drugs are openly sold in and around the hotel.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

2002, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Street Kids of Bangladesh

Street kid rests after unloading and hauling cargo at Shodul Gar, the boat station.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1998, Fire Island, New York, USA

Multiracial Americans

Austin Roe with his mother Jenine and father Al on their boat. Al's ancestors came over on the Mayflower. DAR member. Ancestors: Priscilla Alden and Austin Roe. Ethnicity: Irish - French - Shinnecock - Unkechauc (Native American) - African.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1988, El Paso, Texas, USA

Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America

Mannie latches door of the outhouse that serves as his family's bathroom. Release signed.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1998, Kona, Hawaii, USA

Multiracial Americans

Brook Lee, Miss Universe 1997, working as a TV correspondent for ESPN Dolphin Days, Hilton Hawaiian Village on the Big Island. Ethnicity: Hawaiian - Korean - Chinese - Dutch - English - French - Irish - Portugese. Project: "From the 4 Corners of the Earth". The "average" American in 50 years will be a hybrid of 6 continents, as the "average" person today is of mixed European ethnicity.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1987, El Paso, Texas, USA

Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America

Mary (14) does the laundry by hand in Colonia Bosque Bonita on the Mexican border. Release signed.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

England

Legs

Beach scene.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

Cape May, New Jersey, USA

Cape May Ferry

The magical twilight run of the Cape Kmay Ferry.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

Washington, D.C., USA

Clark Clifford, Secretary of Defense

Clark Clifford, Secretary of Defense under President Lyndon Johnson.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

New York, New York, USA

Dog

Dog takes a break on his matt.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1985, Philadelphia, Pennsylvaina, USA

Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America

Street scene in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. The loss of manufacturing jobs devastated this once prosperous blue collar community. No release.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

Saturday May 26, 2001, Laguna Hills, California, USA

Veteran dad with his baby

BootCamp for new dads, national program where experienced dads lead a half day seminar for new dads, at Saddleback Memorial Hospital.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Dad bathes his baby

Teny Oded Gross bathes his 2 month-old son, John Alexander Gross.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1998, La Puente, California, USA

Multiracial Americans

Trevor French (5) being held up by his father, Craig. Ethnicity: Irish - French - English - Welsh - Chinese - Vietnamese. Project: "From the 4 Corners of the Earth". The "average" American in 50 years will be a hybrid of 6 continents, as the "average" person today is of mixed European ethnicity.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

1985, Hartford, Connecticut, USA

Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America

With his father out of work, Oscar Jr, sometimes eats with the Salvation Army. No release.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Dads barbeque

Dads barbeque at birthday party for Neil Tift (left), who is a grand father. L-R: Neil Tift, Charlie Kundinger (father of 3), Bob Reynolds (father of 2).

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

2001, Sylhet, Bangladesh

Street Kids of Bangladesh

Street children at the train station early in the morning.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

USA

Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

2002, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Street Kids of Bangladesh

Street child rests after working as a porter at the train station.

Credit: Stephen Shames / Polaris

Stephen Shames

Stephen Shames creates award winning photo essays on social issues for magazines, books, foundations, advocacy organizations, and art museums. Two of these essays, Outside the Dream and Pursuing the Dream, were published as monographs by Aperture. A third, Friends of the Children, became a video directed by Shames. Recent book projects include From the 4 Corners of the Earth, portraits of multiracial Americans; Dads; and Lost Boys, a compilation of work spaning four decades featuring "the children who fall out of their perambulators when the nurse is looking the other way."

Steve’s images have been exhibited and are in the permanent collections of the International Center of Photography, the National Portrait Gallery, Museum of Photographic Arts, The Bancroft Library of the University of California, and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. He received awards from Kodak Crystal Eagle for Impact in Photojournalism, World Hunger Year, Leica, International Center of Photography, and Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Foundation. Esquire and CBS Sunday Morning profiled him. PBS named Hine, Wolcott, and Shames as photographers whose work promotes social change.

Books
Pursuing the Dream: What Helps Children and Their Families Succeed (Aperture & Family Support America, 1997). Preface: Michael Jordan. Essay: Roger Rosenblatt. Text: Kathy Wolf.
Outside the Dream: Child Poverty in America (Aperture & Children’s Defense Fund, 1991). Introduction by Jonathan Kozol. Afterward by Marian Wright Edelman.
The Way Home (Harry Abrams, 1999) Photographs by Stephen Shames, Tipper Gore, Mary Ellen Mark, Annie Liebowitz, etc. Sponsored by Corcoran Art Gallery.
Homeless in America (Acropolis, 1988) Photographs by Stephen Shames and others.
Empower Zone (Aperture, 2000) Photographs by youth photographers mentored by Steve.

Film / Video
Friends of the Children. Wrote and directed 12 minute film about an intensive mentoring program. Shown at Metropolitan and Brooklyn Museums. Awards from Rochester & Columbus Film Festivals. 

Fellowships and Grants
2003:	Knight International Press Fellowship.
2001:	Annie E. Casey Foundation.
1999:	EZ / EC Foundation Consortium.
1994-96:	The Ford Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Eastman Kodak,
Canon USA, Leica, and Pennsylvania Council of the Arts.
1992:	NPPA - Nikon Documentary Sabbatical Grant.
1987:	Homeless in America Photographic Project.
1985:	Alicia Patterson Foundation Fellowship.

National and International Awards (selected)
Kodak Crystal Eagle Award, World Hunger Year, World Press, Leica Medal (three
times), International Center of Photography (Special Recognition), Robert F.
Kennedy Journalism (2nd & 3rd), New York Art Director's Club.

Media Featured artist, CBS Sunday Morning. Featured in articles in Esquire, US News, Ford Foundation Report.

Permanent Collections: International Center of Photography, New York; National Portrait Gallery, Washington; The Bancroft Library, University of California at Berkeley; The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington; Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; San Jose Art Museum , San Jose; The Ford Foundation, New York.

Exhibits (selected) 2002 9 / 11 New York University of the Arts. Philadelphia 1999-2001 The Way Home (group show) Manchester Craftsman’s Guild. Pittsburgh Los Angeles County Museum. Los Angeles The Corcoran Art Gallery, Washington, DC 2000 Black Panther Party University of California. Graduate School of Journalism. Berkeley 1999-2000 Pursuing the Dream Michigan / Georgia / Minnesota / Washington / Texas / Etc. 1998 Holding Patterns (group show) San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose 1995 Summer of Love (group show) Friends of Photography. San Francisco 1989-1993 Outside the Dream International Center of Photography. New York Prague House of Photography. Czech Republic Museum of Photographic Arts. San Diego Burden Gallery. New York. 2 Person Show with Sally Mann Homicide in Houston Visa Pour L’Image. Perpignan, France Eyes of Time: Photojournalism International Museum of Photography at George Eastman House.



Personal web site of Stephen Shames