49 Michael Young Bronx Street Photography, Community & the Power of Connection
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In this episode Tim Bingham is joined by Michael Young
Michael discusses his journey from a 20-year career in corporate finance to becoming a full-time photographer and educator. Photography began as a form of healing after the death of a friend, whose Pentax camera Michael acquired. His creative background in musical theatre, music, and breakdancing strongly influenced his photographic approach, particularly his sensitivity to movement, timing, light, and shadow.
Michael talks about developing his street photography through ideas such as Henri Cartier-Bresson's “Decisive Moment,” learning from other photographers, and finding compositions where the world can unfold naturally. His move from Brooklyn to the Bronx also transformed his relationship with the borough. Through photography, he began seeing beauty, humanity, and everyday stories that had previously been overlooked, creating an ongoing visual archive of the Bronx.
His work is deeply connected to community and personal experience. Projects such as his photographs of Black fathers and children led to inclusion in Framing Fatherhood and an exhibition at Photoville, while his series Sometimes I See Michael explores his father's experience with homelessness and the human condition without resorting to stereotypes.
Michael credits mentors including Jamel Shabazz, Richard Sandler, and Mike Camber with helping him develop as a photographer and understand photography as a form of connection and “visual medicine.” His involvement with the Bronx Documentary Center eventually led to his work as an education coordinator, where he teaches seniors, veterans, and intergenerational groups.
Teaching has become an important part of Michael's practice. He describes photography as a source of validation and healing for his students, particularly seniors who had never experienced having a professional portrait taken.
Ultimately, his story is about photography as more than image-making: it is a way of healing, building community, documenting the Bronx, and helping people feel seen.
Some people named in this episode
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