There are very few things that cause me to get nervous at this stage in my life. Stopping a man while he is with his family and asking to take a picture creates a bout of anxiety every time. As a father, I know that it should.

This world has twisted things so badly that a stranger capturing a pure moment between a father and his children is a heavy request.

I do not always get it right. I totally understand when another Black father declines to let me take pictures of him and his family. As a Black man, you have to filter a simple request through multiple lenses that balance the safety and sanctity of your family with the simple joy that you deserve to feel in the moment.

My courage to continue comes from the gentle acknowledgment of the fathers whose eyes tell me yes. Eyes that know I am humbled to share in their virtue. Eyes that recognize that I see the heaviness of the commitments that underlie their thoughts. Eyes that understand that I carry those same commitments as well.

For the brothers who have entrusted me to imprint your nobility on images... I sincerely thank you for your vulnerability and I hope that these images show the depths of your virtue and the strength of your commitments.

~eHw~