Featured Series | Thaddeus Miles: Photography of America

When our TBL Administrator was growing up, she naturally thought that the best way to avoid getting a darker complexion was to cover up her body and avoid the sun at all cost–and that this was a good thing, even encouraged. It wasn’t until she was around nine when she realized that her skin tone would never be “lighter.” And honestly, this is still a struggle that she deals with from time to time.

Sometimes understanding race relations is a struggle for many individuals who are considered different, or “other.” They live in divided worlds trying to act or fit in with peers who they are told they are equal to; and yet, they are caught in narratives that begin and end with the color of their skin.

So what does this have to do with photography? “A picture is worth a thousand words” or so the saying goes and Thaddeus Miles’s 365 photography project works to change the narratives of underrepresented individuals by showcasing the other side of beautiful. For, in order to redefine beauty, it is important to include all that is considered beautiful from differing perspectives and world-views, no?

Day nine of my new 365 "Faces, Up Close and Personal" Series #HoodFit #Imageshift #Changingthenarrative #funinthesun pic.twitter.com/Esvvxsyqhg

— Thaddeus Miles (@Sifublack) October 10, 2015

Why TBL Loves Thaddeus Miles 365 Photography

Thaddeus Miles is not afraid of representing who he is as a person or as a professional photographer. And when it comes to his values, he stands up for them regardless of any repercussions he may face. He has an eye for capturing moments that work in showing different people’s lives as well as showing that strength can come in differing forms and colors too.

Why TBL Picked Thaddeus Miles

When our TBL Administrator was on the hunt for a photographer re-post contributor, she was looking for photographers that expressed a story behind their pictures. Thaddeus Miles’s photography struck her as simple yet powerful–his eye for detail and the mundane capture a different picture of life that will always yearn to be displayed.

Day six of my new 365 "Faces, Up Close and Personal" Series #HoodFit #Imageshift #Changingthenarrative #assumptions pic.twitter.com/J7AXxF1Zpo

— Thaddeus Miles (@Sifublack) October 7, 2015

So what comes next? TBL Journal aims, with continuing permission, to showcase Thaddeus Miles’s photography project while assisting with the promotion of his latest series, “Faces, Up Close and Personal.”

Starting my new 365 photo project tomorrow "Faces" or what some call portraits! Up close and personal! #HoodFit #Changingtheimage

— Thaddeus Miles (@Sifublack) October 1, 2015

You can see Thaddeus Miles’s updated project on his twitter account. For his past photography projects, visit his blog.