John Blais

In this era of near constant self-documentation, I use my camera to explore connection. I grew up in a tough neighborhood and from a young age, was surrounded by a darker slice of life. That’s why I thought I could be at home around a crime scene, and early in my career, decided to be a journalist. But I found I could not detach, because it is the poignancy of life, the intimacy of the human experience that inspires me. Those moments of connection, and often, quite literally — whether an embrace, a stolen kiss, a pat on the back. Scripted or not, I love moments where people are close to each other. And I feel privileged to get to capture them.