I have been a photographer for more than five decades. I have traversed five continents, witnessing tragedy and triumph. Although I photographed many diverse subjects and pictured people from countless cultures, there is a thread connecting my pictures. Much of my photography is about children in distress with a focus on identity and family: what tears us apart and binds us together—violence and abuse, but also sensuality, love, hope, and transcendence.
The world is made up of many distinct cultures, which are like different worlds. It’s like Star Trek. My photo spaceship lands on a foreign planet in a faraway galaxy. After a short period of anxiety, I make new friends and have an adventure. As a photographer I am aware that I am a guest. Different cultures have different rules. Yet we are one species. The important, basic things are universal: the life cycle, birth, death, work, family, children.
Stephen Shames
