by Mary Ellen Mark
Charlie Rose discovered Max Gerber’s book, My Heart vs. the Real World, and did an excellent interview with our Los Angeles-based kids photographer. The newly-released book includes Max’s photographs and interviews with children living with heart disease. This is a subject quite familiar to Max because he’s had a pacemaker since he was 8 yrs. old.
According to Max, heart disease is the most common birth defect in the world, with 1 out of 125 children having some level of congenital disability. He says that his own experience with heart disease allows the kids to relate better to him, and he has received many words of encouragement from other children’s parents about the project. You can find out more about the book on his website, and it’s available for purchase on Amazon.
Max Gerber’s powerful portraits of children are intimate and beautiful. No other photographer could have made as strong a statement about these children. Max has lived their experiences, and he has shared his life with us through these sensitive and beautifully executed images. We get to know these children, we see them grow, and we see their strength and their beauty.
To check out more of Max Gerber’s work, visit his website.