Benjamin Wirtz Siegel

Artist's Statement

I started working as a photographer when I was 16 years old at the Medina Gazette, nearly as soon as I picked up a camera. This early exposure to news photography laid the foundation for my vision and encouraged me think of pictures as a medium for telling stories.

I went on to get a formal education in photojournalism from Ohio University, where I soon became interested in experimenting with different photographic genres. My work today is a composite of these various styles. I seek to combine aesthetic considerations from the art world with a journalistic compulsion to tell the stories of those who cannot be heard on their own.

Currently, I teach photography at Lorain County Community College, work full- time as a staff photographer for the Morning Journal, own and operate Cleveland Bridal Photography and pursue commercial work on a freelance basis.

To view more of my work, visit www.bwsphotography.com