Jamel Shabazz

At age nine, Jamel Shabazz was introduced to photography by his father, who kept a signed copy of Leonard Freed's Black in White America on the family's coffee table. Intrigued by Freed's provocative images of both Southern and urban life, Shabazz knew then it was his calling to document his community and the people who gave it life. Photography has given Shabazz a sense of purpose, allowing him to connect with the people he encounters on a daily basis. By connecting with his subjects, complimenting their style, and recognizing their potential-and then in turn publishing these images for the world at large to celebrate-in a small but meaningful way Shabazz has been able to counteract the damage society can wreak on self esteem. Having worked as a corrections officer in New York City for twenty years, Shabazz has witnessed the worst in humanity, yet he remains a humanist dedicated to preserving the legacy of our time, shooting with an eye for the future while preserving the present as a document of our collective past. Seconds of My Life, his fourth powerHouse book, pays tribute to the people he has met throughout his struggles and his travels, and unstoppable tour de force through a remarkable life.
256 pages, hardcover