I remember growing up and hearing the word "ugly" a lot. "I'm ugly." "She ugly." "He ugly." I hated it then, and I hate it now. I go past physical beauty; I tell people they have a beautiful spirit and that is something different.
Jamel ShabazzPhotography is humbling, it really is, and it really allows for me to atone for some of the missteps I've made throughout the course of my life.
Jamel ShabazzThe images of war inspired me to create, to go to different situations and communities, to document the human side of people, to show a side that we don't see.
Jamel ShabazzPhilip Jones Griffith documented the Vietnam War, and through his images that were published in Time Life Magazine, it showed me the horrors of war and at that time, I wanted to be a war photographer, based off his work.
Jamel ShabazzThere was a time in my life that I may not have been that nice, and now I'm in a position to contribute to the education of young people, and teach them to be compassionate, be more loving, more caring, to not use profanity, to not pollute the environment - these are things that I address in my photography. I
Jamel Shabazz