CATCHLIGHT

CatchLight is a non-profit dedicated to visual storytelling and the power of photography based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their fellowship annually recognizes three professional photographers using photography and story to raise awareness on challenging social issues. This year the three fellows are Sarah Blesener, Tomas Van Houtryve, and Brian Frank.

Talking Eyes Media produced a video about Catchlight and their initiatives to support visual storytelling as a way to convey challenging social issues. To learn more about the fellowship, the fellows and their projects visit catchlight.io.

Sarah Blesner’s project examines youth culture and movements, with specific focus on Russia, Eastern Europe, and the United States.

Tomas Van Houtryve has been working on a project that examines the Mexican border today and in the 19th century. By using a wet plate photography Van Houtryve thinks about the past and with infrared photography he examines how photography can be weaponized.

Brian Frank, a San Francisco native, has worked across the country on social documentary projects. His project under the Catchlight Fellowship looks at race relations in this country through the prison system in the United States.