I was compelled to start this project in the beginning weeks of the Occupy Wall Street movement because of the negative media perception that the protesters were only a bunch of crazy hippies.

Through this project I have photographed hundreds of men and women in uniform, students, teachers, veterans, pilots, families, children, and even wall street employees, and members of the 1% that seek change for our country. 

I simply set-up a photo booth on-site, hand people a dry-eraser board and a marker and ask them to write their reason for being at Occupy Wall Street.

The thoughtfulness and sincerity that people have shown has inspired me to pursue this work and expand it.  One of the most touching experiences was when a person who couldn’t read or write wanted to be a part of the project and asked if I could write his message for him.  I feel so fortunate to have connected with these unique and diverse people, and to know that we all share a common set of values and that we’re all working in our own way to make this world a more decent place.

For this project I made a conscious decision to work with a large film camera with black and white film, known as a medium format camera because people realize they have to sit still much longer than if I were shooting digital, but most importantly it allows people the extra time to feel the emotions of their written sign, and think about their roles as active participants in this historic moment. The end result is always a quiet and personal portrait.

This project is important because it is documenting a moment in history when we all came together with the common goal to create a more just and fair society for everyone.

I will continue photographing at Zuccotti Park, the birthplace of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, and will take my project across the country to Occupy Oakland, California as well.  Despite the recent park raids, evictions, and the on going attempt to silence the voices of the movement, I plan to carry on with my project in an attempt to compile over 1,000 voices from Oakland and New York City combined. I believe photographs can amplify the volume of the voices of the 99%.