Above are the photographs from the Making the Connections book release event. In the anthology are photographs I and other photographers took of projects made possible by the Sprout Fund's Community Connections 250 grantmaking program. I was asked to shoot the book's release event as well.
On the book, from the Sprout Fund:
Learn the stories behind the creative and diverse projects of Community Connections, grouped in thematic chapters and illustrated with lush imagery by some of the region’s top young photographers.
Authored by Pittsburgh writer Justin Hopper, the book was designed by the award-winning Pittsburgh-based firm Landesberg Design.
A video trailer with photos from the book and summary of the content is on youtube here: http://youtu.be/s7h-Cogf_4Q
And, again from the Sprout Fund, regarding the event:
The Sprout Fund Issues Anthology of Community Stories from Pittsburgh's 250 Anniversary
In 2008, Southwestern Pennsylvania united to mark its 250th anniversary. As part of the celebration, Community Connections supported a collection of 100 diverse and vibrant community projects.
With ingenuity and determination, civic leaders and citizen volunteers constructed public art icons, cut environmental pathways, recorded regional lore, and heightened social responsibility.
Making the Connections amplifies the voices of these grassroots innovators through compelling stories that demonstrate how civic engagement connects American communities.
Each day this week, The Sprout Fund will podcast interviews with project managers and release text and audio excerpts from the book, concluding with a conversation with the author, Justin Hopper, on Thursday, April 16th.
Finally, on Friday, April 17th, Sprout welcomes participants, supporters, and friends to a happy hour and book release party from 4-7pm at the Shadow Lounge, 5972 Baum Blvd, in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh (map).