Artist Statement
My passion lies in finding often unrecognized moments of everyday life, from the mundane to the humorous. I am fascinated by human interactions and how they relate to their surroundings. These visual narratives of amusement, occasional alarm, and poignant reflection, are everywhere, happening continuously and occur simultaneously. I seek to capture those fleeting moments of humanity, moments that exist and then fade away.
Bio
Charles Ford, raised in Houston, Texas, earned a BBA from The University of Texas at Austin. During his junior year, Charles seized the opportunity to travel to Bolivia, photographing the work of a student medical group. Post-graduation, based on the strength of his work in Bolivia, he was accepted to ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California where he earned a BFA. Charles moved to Dallas, Texas in 1980 where he shot fashion and portrait photography.
In 1981, he was invited to teach photography at The University of Texas at Austin. Following two semesters teaching at UT, he relocated to New York, where he continued shooting fashion and portrait photography for magazines such as Vogue, GQ, and Rolling Stone. Whenever on the street, always with his Leica M6, Charles pursued his profound passion for street photography.
After a decade in New York City and the birth of his daughter, Charles returned to Texas in 1992. He continued shooting fashion and portraits. Fast forward to 2023 when Charles revisited the contact sheets of his street work from the 80’s and early 90’s, rediscovering images that had been stored away for years, he began printing and sharing these captures of the past on his website and Instagram. Notably, all of Charles Ford's work, spanning from street photography in the 80’s and 90’s to portraits and current projects on his website, was shot on film.
C.V.
2024 PhotoPlace Gallery’s juried exhibition, Portrait: Self and Others, Juror: Aline Smithson
2024 Shortlist - Center for Photographic Arts - “Members’ Juried Show”, Juror: Catherine Couturier
2024 Jurors’ Picks - LensCulture, Art Photography Awards, Selected by Yuri Yamada, Curator Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
2024 PhotoPlace Gallery’s juried exhibition, “Monochrome”, Juror: Henry Horenstein
2024 SXSE Gallery - “40 Over 40”, Juror: Elizabeth Avedon
2024 DAB Arts - Art Quarterly, Winter 2024 Issue + Exhibition
2023 Gold - Budapest International Foto Awards
2023 Shortlist - Center for Photographic Arts - “International Juried Show”, Juror: Shana Lopes
2023 winner “Life Framer Award” - Humans of The World, Juror: Martin Parr
2023 1st Place - Outstanding Achievement in People “18th Annual Black & White Spider Awards”
2022 Praxis Gallery “The Portrait”, Juror: Sandra Chen Weinstein
2022 Finalist - LensCulture “Street Photography Awards”
2022 Honorable Mention “17th Annual Black & White Spider Awards”
2022 Nomination 17th Annual Black & White Spider Awards - People
Clients:
Rolling Stone
Esquire
Vogue
Newsweek
Men's Journal
New York Times Magazine
Stern Magazine
Smart Money
Fast Company
Business Week
Money Magazine
Manner Vogue
ESPN Magazine
Texas Monthly
Nike
Head Sports