Last weekend I attended a talk by self-taught documentary photographer Devin Allen. The Leica sponsored event was held in Brooklyn Bridge Park as part of the annual New York Photoville festival.  I drove up early enough so I could find a parking space and have enough time to walk around and make some photographs. Happily I succeeded in both cases!

The focus of Allen’s talk was on his work that centers on Black life and protests in Baltimore where he lives. It was an compelling and lively presentation, but a related topic turned out to be of greater interest to me. That was his work with young people. He discussed how important it is for teenagers to be mentored and how he’d raised funding that allowed him develop a program to give cameras to kids, hold youth workshops and organize an exhibition of their work.  What a way to help young people get started on their photographic journeys!

Two thing he said struck me the most …  that it’s never too early to start mentoring others, and that working with youth has made him a better photographer.

Allen works hard to pay it forward, and in doing so he gets as much as he gives.

Stay well,

Michael