At a recent solo exhibition of my photographs in Minneapolis, a psychiatrist introduced himself and said that he felt I capture who people really are.
People who push convention are especially appealing to me. My background as a documentary filmmaker has helped me find subjects and make them feel comfortable.
I like to work with performers because they are good at taking direction, but this series is different—most of the people are not performers. In my travels, whenever I see someone I’d like to photograph, I’m not shy about asking them to pose. Some are happy to pose; some aren’t.
This series features people from all walks of life. Here are a few examples:
“Mona” (from the Mona Series). NYC transgender nightlife personality Mona Marlowe is far along in the process of transformation. At the time I met her, she was living in a tiny single-occupancy room located in Manhattan’s Theater District, with the bathroom in the hall. The Mona series was shot over several months, and every time I came back to take more pictures, I was shocked at how small the space was. In this case I used a Sony Alpha 7 camera with additional lighting. Although this series was planned, most of the portraits were not.
“PRAY HERE, Portrait of a Religious Zealot.” While driving on a busy street in Dayton, Ohio, I spotted a man who was giving away Bibles. I pulled over and asked if I could photograph him. He said yes, as long as I didn’t make fun of him on social media. While I was taking pictures, several people stopped to pray with him.
“Scotty.” Scott Baker (RIP) was a legendary geek performer, master of the bally stage, actor, magician, and writer. I first met Scott at the Coney Island Circus Sideshow, where he was performing as the outside talker. An outside talker (popularly known as a barker) stands outside a sideshow and gets people to pay admission through banter and by performing geek acts such as hammering a real solid steel nail or screwdriver up his nose. For many years Mr. Baker was also Santa Claus at Bloomingdale’s in Manhattan. Although I spent a lot of time with Scott (I produced a documentary film about him), I don’t feel like I ever really knew him.
“ULTRA VIOLENT.” From an LGBTQ parade in Dayton, Ohio. I found this young woman on the sidelines, relaxing under a tree. I was struck by the tattoo on her chest and wondered what it meant to her.
I always have a camera with me and like to work fast. I prefer digital cameras, and my camera of choice is a Sony Alpha 7, but I’m using my iPhone 16 Pro Max much more these days.
My curiosity seeks out unique people, and my acceptance of them allows for a mutually engaging encounter. I provide the audience, and the persona they project reminds me, and my viewers, of our common human wish—to be seen.
About Gary Beeber
Gary Beeber is an award-winning American photographer and filmmaker whose work has been exhibited in galleries and museums around the world. He has had numerous solo photography exhibitions, and his documentary films have been screened at more than 150 film festivals. His work is collected by Fortune 500 companies including Pfizer, Goldman Sachs, and Chase Bank. [Official Website]
