As the United States began opening a public conversation about mental health with the suicide of Robin Williams, Atlantic Beach, Florida-based photographer Chad Dennis sought to shine a light on his own experiences with mental illness. His brother had been battling depression and suicidal thoughts, and though Chad was half a country away, the photographer came up with the 100 Portrait Project to show his brother that he was not alone.
I couldn’t sit down face to face with him and listen. I couldn’t reach out and hug him. What I could do, though, was use my talents as a photographer and someone who is passionate about telling stories to show him. He wasn’t wrong for feeling the way he felt.
Chad had six weeks before the gallery exhibit to shoot this project. He started by reaching out to friends with whom he had spoken about mental health struggles. After he got a few portraits and quotes from his friends, Chad posted the examples on social media to reach more potential participants.
Each portrait session ranged from 30 minutes to one session lasting six hours with the average session being 90 to 120 minutes. The participant would come into the studio, and we would sit down, talk about the project, and then get into the heart of the matter.
There is a strong stigma associated with mental health issues in America, and if the project was going to have the impact, I was hoping for I needed people to trust me with their stories and trust me to share them with the world.
Chad asked that each participant come prepared with a quote or an idea that could accompany their portrait. One participant, Armine, arrived with a four-page essay. After hearing what Armine had to say, Chad helped him concisely summarize his thoughts for the exhibit.
It sounded like he was saying to me was that ‘His suicide wouldn’t stop pain and suffering, but that it would only pass it on to his friends and family.’ Armine said to me that he had never known how to express his feelings so precisely until I had said that to him.
In just three weeks’ time, Chad had 107 portraits and stories. From there, the photographer had to arrange catering and advertise the event. With ticket sales going to Mental Health America, the organization sent out an email blast marketing the event and helped at the door.
A few TV appearances and a handful of newspaper and magazine articles later, we opened the exhibit to over 400 people in one night and were able to donate $6,000 in proceeds.
It’s amazing how photography as a medium can allow a person to know — 100% with all of themselves — someone they have never met. There were so many emotions and tears and hugs shared at that event. It was something very powerful.
Since the first showing, the 100 Portrait Project has been exhibited four times and been viewed by upwards of 6,000 people. Chad hopes to reboot the project on a larger scale in the future.
I would love to include veterans. I would love to include low income and underserved communities, and I would love to include law enforcement. Mental health issues are a human problem and are not defined by race, religion, or economic status.
See more of Chad’s work at chaddennisphoto.com.
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