A Most Inspirational Woman

So yesterday I was a little iffy about going in, because we were scheduled to listen to a guest speaker all day, and in my mind it was going to be very boring. Thankfully though, the speaker we had proved me so wrong, I had to wait a day to post this just so I could let it all sink in and get the thoughts straight in my own mind because she was so inspirational. The woman I speak of is Beth Reynolds, and she is one of the most amazing photographers I now know of. This woman has done SO MUCH with her career, it's insane. And it's incredibly inspirational.

As she spoke, she told us not only about her photography, but about her life. When she was in high school, she wasn't the brightest, but when the guidance counselor told her she was better suited for just working in the mall and not going to college, she took it as a challenge and was just that much more determined to attend college. And she graduated with a BA in Communications, only to later go on and get her MFA in Photography. It didn't matter the hardships, or later as she found out, the learning disabilities, she did it anyways.

She didn't start off as a photographer though, because it just didn't occur to her that she could do that as a profession. She'd loved taking photos since she was 8 and went away to summer camp, but to her it could only be a hobby. So after college she went to work for ESPN behind the cameras with the mic equipment and such. She was a sound junkie, but it paid well. She wasn't really happy doing this though, and quit a while after and began the moping phase because she had no job. Her boyfriend (now husband) also worked for ESPN, but he understood her leaving. However, he couldn't stand her moping and after about a week he got in her face (not harmfully though!) and was like "What do you want to do with your life!? What do you want to do!?" and even though she was upset she fired back quickly, "I want to be a photographer!" To which he replied, "Well, then go be a fucking photographer." She told him "Fine, I will!" and at that point was thinking "Well shit... now I have to do it." But she did. And she doesn't regret it for anything.

During the time she spent at college for photography, she spent a total of two weeks as a department store portrait photographer, but because they gave you a book on exactly how to do everything, she just couldn't take it and quit. She wanted to be uniquely her own and creative, and that just wasn't cutting it. She did find work after college anyways though.

For a while she worked as a photojournalist for a local paper, but she didn't really feel she was capturing the true emotions behind the story because she just didn't have the time. Still, she worked with them for two years, and got a very good basis on what she could do, but it just wasn't her true calling.

So she set out to do her first documentary. She and eight other women from the NPPA (National Press Photographers of America)each spent a year documenting the life of one woman they had found who was a single mother on welfare. After that year they brought together all of their photos for a traveling show of them, but it wasn't they who spoke at the show. They also brought together all nine mothers, who spoke about what it was like being on welfare, and how degrading the laws were at that time. And they made a difference. This personal project of sorts led her into paid work, and to her true calling: Documentary Photography.

She has basically pioneered the field of profiting off of documentary photography as well. She has no debts except the mortgage on her house, and she can become "retired" (because that's when she can do whatever she wants photographically, like she'd ever stop shooting ♥) by the age of 55 at this rate.

She really doesn't profit off the selling of prints, but instead off of her time spent. Usually she just figures it into the budget on a grant, or whoever she's doing the work for, but even with her portraiture and stuff she only charges for her time. It's amazing. But what's more amazing is that she is a self-published woman, who did so by opening her own publishing company.

The first book she published, and the entire reason she opened the company (mortgaging her house to do it!) was to publish "Sisters of Courage: Survivors of Breast and Cervical Cancer", which was a project she had pitched to the experts in that field when she was merely asked to do a Public Service Announcement (PSA) and a pretty brochure up. She told them that wouldn't work, and suggested doing a display of photos and essays of women's stories about it, and show it publicly to spread the word about early detection. They loved it, but when she later suggested the book they didn't think it'd sell but told her she could try if she'd like. She took out a loan for it, and within three weeks had sold not only enough books to pay off the loan (boy was the bank shocked!), but all the other money made off it was given back to the Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Center to help sponsor things like mammograms. One mammogram costs about $100... after those first three weeks she cut a check for $10,000, that's ten-thousand dollars, to go to them. And that's after giving all the women a free copy of the book. The book sells for about $20, and she is down to the last copies.

The next book she went on to publish was stalled at the printers due to 9.11. It is about a Firefighter who is retired, and all his stories because they are so vibrant and heartful. It almost was not published because of 9.11 though, since she didn't want to do more harm than good with it. Proceeds from this book are given to the Pepper Snow Camp, which is a camp that provides a free skiing trip to children who are severe burn survivors. This book was published on good words from a friend of Beth's who was a firefighter in NYC during 9.11, who told her that this book would help to heal. The last picture is haunting to him, because he said "It really was that way. A lot of shoes were never claimed by their owners after the tragedy." The book is called "Captain, He Bought Eggs", and is definitely worth the read.

The third book she published was at the request of the Thoracic Oncology Advocacy, who originally called her to do a PSA and Brochure for lung cancer, and she convinced them otherwise, and to do it the way she had done the one for breast and cervical cancer. To her though, this is her saddest project because so many of the people whose lives she became close to have passed away. Most people don't survive lung cancer. This book showcases their faces and stories, and the money goes to the research to help cure this cancer and raise survival rates. It's called "The Faces of Lung Cancer".

Since then many others have contacted Beth to do similar things, and all foundations provide the money. One that amazes me though, is that she documents the historical buildings in her area of Florida before they are demolished. She and the photo club she started while working at the Arts Center get calls from the city to do so. It's a project I would love to help with.

She also helped orphans by doing portraits of them for the Heart Gallery, so that they no longer had to try and sell themselves at parties and such. Instead it allows people to see their photos, and listen to a voice recording instead.

She has done so many other projects of such nature, and is really a selfless woman. Selfless enough to join the Coast Guard as well, to do photography for them. She forced them to make her a Petty Third Class Officer instead of a high ranking official though, and the guy protested that someone with her brains should be high ranking and he'd get in trouble doing otherwise. She asked him if she could be sent out to do up-front photos as a high-ranked officer and when he said no she went with the highest she could be and still get those photos. Upon the protest she said "Do you want me to sign or not?" and that seemed to do it. So she is a Petty Third Class Officer of the United States Coast Guard. Wow.

I could go on forever talking about this woman. Simply incredible. Absolutely and totally love her. She told us we had better not price low because we're students as well, and not only that, but that we could contact her about anything and she would love to see our work. It's nice to have another link on that support system. I really think that after Hallmark I am going to try and take a week or two to go down to Florida and study with her for a bit. Eventually I definitely will, I know that, I'm just not exactly sure when or for how long.

And yes, I bought and she signed for me all three books. They're now treasures.

Links:
●Beth Reynolds: The Photo Documentary Press
●The Heart Gallery
●A Photo A Day
●Truth With a Camera
●YWCA: Empowering Women
●Purses and Passion
●Faces of Lung Cancer
●The Hindman Settlement School
●The Chronicle of Philanthropy