Photography is not just pictures, it’s a stance: curiosity, empathy, a worldview, being present. Photography is mindfulness. It’s about our relationship with life, our habitat, each other, and ourselves.

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Takoma Park MD, USA / Paris, France


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Bio

A warrior for truth-telling, empathy, community, education, and change through the arts

Bill Crandall’s extensive background demonstrates deep experience, understanding, and action across photography, arts education, and music.

Bill is one of Washington DC’s leading documentary photographers and photo educators. He has won awards, exhibited internationally, and been published by publications such as New York Times, Washington Post, National Geographic’s photo blog, and countless others.

As an artist, his photography (and music) often explores the human implications of sweeping historical changes, taking nuanced and insightful looks at topics such as the aftermath of communism in Eastern Europe, gentrification, the climate crisis, and Mars colonization.

He has given artist talks at the International Center for Journalists, the National Press Club, American University Metropolitan Policy Center, and the FotoweekDC photo festival.

In addition to his 15-year photo teaching career at the prestigious Maret School, he has taught private workshops, from the World Bank to Belarus to Nairobi’s Kibera slum.

In a 2015 reader poll by Washington City Paper he was voted Best Visual Artist.

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In 2024-25, Bill led a photo workshop at the Human Needs Project in Nairobi’s Kibera slum, and provided mentorship to the new generation of documentary photographers telling their stories in Nairobi, Kenya.

During COVID, he was the organizer of socially-distanced driveway concerts for his community in Takoma Park MD, and to support artists with nowhere to perform.

In 2019 he was co-organizer of the Climate Voices: Artists Respond to Climate Change event in Takoma Park MD.

In 2015 he was part of an exhibition and artist panel in support of Black Lives Matter in Washington DC.

In 2014 he was part of a group exhibition and artist panel about fracking, held at St Mary’s College in Maryland.

Bill’s 2012 photo book, The Waiting Room, was the first ever produced on cultural identity in post-Soviet Belarus, and won a second place in Fotoweek DC’s International Photobook Awards. A Russian-language Voice of America review of the work called Bill “an American master”.

In 2009, Bill was invited as an instructor for the launch of the Summer Photopracticum at Minsk’s first (and only) independent photography school, and won a US embassy cultural grant for his participation.

In 2006, the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, Bill co-organized and curated the Chernobyl20 exhibition, featuring the world’s best photography on the disaster’s environmental and human toll. The exhibit opened at the UN on the day of a Special Assembly on Chernobyl, and separately in the Rayburn Congressional office building on Capitol Hill.

In 2001, “The Seeing-Eye” photo project in Minsk was a collaboration conceived by Bill, Belarusian photography curator Uladzimir Parfianok, and leading Czech photographer Karel Cudlin to help establish the tradition of creative documentary photography in authoritarian Belarus.

As photo director of Balkan Times online news portal in 2000, he used photography to help regional news in post-war former Yugoslavia cut through years of distrust and disinformation. He also helped lead media workshops in Belgrade after the Kosovo conflict.

As a full-time photo educator in Washington DC from 2008-2023, Bill integrated forward-looking ideas about empathy, personal vision, and nature allyship into his photo curriculum for young people.

Through his Viaduct Arts banner, he hosted numerous local art salons, concerts, meetups, and discussion events at the grassroots level. He also promoted the role of art and artists in shaping our future through his Viaduct Arts email newsletter.

As a musician, Bill conceived and created an innovative music-photo hybrid project, New World Voyage, imagining the first humans to leave Earth forever for distant, barren Mars. The implied manifesto being the need to safeguard the environment of our only home.



Student Testimonials

“You taught me that art is everywhere, and can be done by anyone. It's been an amazing and rewarding journey.”

"I'm very grateful to have a teacher who created such a positive and caring environment."

"I've learned so much, from the basics of photography to exploring more of what makes me me."

"It was your perfect balance of guidance and allowing for artistic freedom and experimentation."

"I feel so lucky to have learned about photography from an expert whose work I so greatly admire."

"It's amazing how my view on the world has changed because of this class."

"You taught me how to process and capture the world around me in a new way - it has been truly life-changing."

"I will never forget your mentoring. You helped me develop not just as an artist, but as a human being as well."

"I am so proud of what you have helped me create. You are truly a gifted teacher."

Letter of Recommendation - May 2025

Hassan Mohammed Ahmed (Founder, Kibra Film School - Nairobi, Kenya)

Sometimes miracles are just good people with kind hearts. This is how I can simply describe Bill Crandall. There aren’t enough words to vividly tell who Bill is.

During his stay in Kenya, Bill spent time teaching photography in Kibera, the largest informal settlement in Africa. Bill’s work has had a profound impact on the lives of his students and the wider community. With a passion for both teaching and social change, Bill has dedicated his time and skills to empowering disadvantaged young individuals through the art of photography, providing them with tools to not only capture beautiful images but also to tell their own stories. His teaching goes far beyond technical skills, embracing a philosophy of using photography as a means of self-expression and a way to challenge perceptions of one of Nairobi's most underserved communities.

One of the standout aspects of Bill’s work is his ability to engage students, even those with little prior experience or access to photography equipment. Through hands-on workshops, he teaches both the basics of composition and lighting, as well as black and white photography. His students learn not just how to take a photo, but how to convey powerful messages through their images. His approach is both practical and inspirational, ensuring that each student feels empowered to explore their creativity.

Bill's impact extends beyond the classroom. Recognizing the importance of resources in photography education, he generously donated photography books to Kibra Film School. This includes books from prominent photographers like Sebastiao Salgado and Paul Strand. More so, he also gave a book titled The Waiting Room showcasing his work in Belarus. This gesture provides us with valuable knowledge that extends beyond the limited curriculum and opens doors to further learning. The books offer students access to world-class photography techniques, fostering a greater understanding of the global photography landscape and inspiring them to dream bigger.

What makes Bill’s work particularly significant is his commitment to working within Kibera, a community that has numerous challenges such as poverty, unemployment, insecurity and drugs. By providing opportunities in photography, Bill is helping to shift the narrative about Kibera. His students no longer see themselves as limited and hopeless by their surroundings; they are now empowered to express their own realities through the lens of a camera. This kind of work is essential in changing perceptions, not just within Kibera, but across Nairobi and the world at large.

The exhibition Kibera Unseen was inspired by the workshop that Bill had with photographers from Kibera photographers. He challenged them to change narrative about Kibera by showcasing the positive aspect about the community. The photographers came together and did the first photo exhibition both in and by the community, showing the good side that the world rarely speaks about.

In conclusion, Bill Crandall has not only taught photography, but he has also given his students the confidence to tell their stories, share their voices, communicate effectively and create a lasting impact in their community. His work in Kibera, coupled with his generosity in donating books, has made him an invaluable asset to the local creative landscape. His dedication to teaching, empowering, and inspiring will undoubtedly leave a lasting legacy in the lives of those he’s mentored.

CV (select)

Experience

1995 - present Independent photographer

2008 - 2023 Photography teacher, Maret School

2004 - 2014 Founding member and Photo Editor, Metro Collective

2006 Organizer/Curator, Chernobyl20 exhibition

1999 - 2000 Photo Director, Balkan Times


Activities

2024

  • Created photobook library to Kibera Films and Creative Hub - Nairobi, Kenya

  • Guest photography teacher at Kibera Films and Creative Hub - Nairobi, Kenya

2023

  • Led documentary photo workshop at Human Needs Project, Kibera - Nairobi, Kenya

  • Mentored documentary photographers, Kibera - Nairobi, Kenya

2022

  • Conceived and produced All-School Art Show website, Maret School - Washington DC

2021

  • Conceived and produced All-School Art Show video, Maret School - Washington DC

  • Organizer, Songs of Solidarity concert for Ukraine - Takoma Park MD

2020

  • Organizer, Roadside Attractions concert series (COVID) - Takoma Park MD

  • Completed Media and Arts for Peace micro-course, US Institute for Peace

2019

  • Organizer, Climate Voices: Artists Respond to Climate Change - Takoma Park MD

  • Member, Takoma Park Arts Commission - Takoma Park MD

2018

  • Organizer, Viaduct Arts house salon series - Takoma Park MD

2016

  • Conceived/wrote/co-produced original full-length music album, New World Voyage

  • Live-score music/video performance at closing party, Fotoweek DC festival - Washington DC

  • Artist talk, Fairy Tales and Fault Lines at Metropolitan Policy Ctr, American University - Washington DC

2015

  • Panelist, FotoweekDC talk: Finding Your Vision - Getting and Staying Inspired - Washington DC

  • Judge, FotoweekDC Photo Competition - Washington DC

  • Member, FotoweekDC Curatorial Committee - Washington DC

  • Publication, District of Change, Washington Post Magazine

  • Publication, The Real DC, National Geographic PROOF

  • Award, Best Visual Artist, Washington City Paper's "Best of DC" reader poll

  • Exhibition, Black Lives / White Light, ReCreative Spaces - Washington DC

  • Artist talk, Black Lives / White Light, ReCreative Spaces - Washington DC

2014

  • Exhibition, Fracking PA: Documentary Practice and Environmental Activism - St Mary's College, MD

  • Artist talk, Fracking PA - St Mary's College, MD

  • Artist talk, National Art Honor Society's Creative Industries Studio - Washington DC

  • Artist talk, How Czech Surrealism Saved Me from Photojournalism, FotoweekDC - Washington DC

  • Collaboration, Notes from the Marcellus Shale fracking project w/ poet Craig Czury - Springville, PA

2013

  • Instructor, Developing a BW Vision workshop at Int'l Photo Society, World Bank - Washington DC

  • Guest Artist, World Views exhibition and lectures - St Mary's College, MD

  • Lecture, E. European Cinematography and Photography, Maret School - Washington DC

  • Presenter, Pecha Kucha slideshow, House of Sweden - Washington DC

  • Award, Tallinn, 2nd place, Contemporary Life category, FotoweekDC Awards - Washington DC

  • Exhibition, Tallinn, FotoweekDC International Awards, National Geographic - Washington DC

  • Artist talk, International Photographic Society, World Bank/IMF - Washington DC

  • Residency, Talo Creative Residency - Rovaniemi, Finland (Lapland)

  • Artist talk, Belarus: Isolation and Identity - National Press Club - Washington DC

  • Award, Teacher Award of Excellence, Columbia Scholastic Press Association

2012

  • Uncover/Discover exhibition, FotoweekDC - Washington DC

  • International Photobook Awards exhibition, Goethe Institute - Washington DC

  • Artist talk, The Waiting Room, Int'l Center for Journalists - Washington DC

  • Award, The Waiting Room, 2nd pl, FotoweekDC Int’l Photobook Awards

  • Portfolio Reviewer, Goethe Institute, FotoweekDC - Washington DC

  • Award, Teacher Award of Excellence, Columbia Scholastic Press Association

2011

  • Artist talk, The Waiting Room, FotoweekDC - Washington DC

  • Exhibition, Uncover/Discover - Arlington VA (selected by Philip Brookman, Senior Curator at Corcoran Gallery of Art)

2010

  • Exhibition, Px3 Aftermath - Paris, France

2009

  • Exhibition, Foto8 Summer Show - London, UK

  • Exhibition, The Power of Elections - Ronald Reagan Ctr, DC / Paley Ctr for Media, NYC (ICFJ)

  • Instructor, Summer Photopracticum documentary workshop - Minsk, Belarus

  • Grant, US Embassy lecture and photo presentation - Minsk, Belarus

2008

  • Residency, International Art Symposium - Dorobanti, Romania

  • Exhibition, International Art Symposium - Arad, Romania

  • Exhibition, East, ZOYA Galleria, Warsaw, Poland

2006

  • Curator, Chernobyl20 exhibition - Washington DC / United Nations NY

2005

  • Judge, CEC ArtsLink grant competition - Washington DC

  • Arabbers exhibition - Creative Alliance, Baltimore MD

  • Exhibition, Kosovo and Serbia, Transphotographiques Festival - Lille, France

  • Exhibition, Kosovo and Serbia, International Festival of Photography - Lodz, Poland

2004

  • Exhibition, Baltimore, International Festival of Photography - Lodz, Poland

2003

  • Grant, US Embassy for solo exhibition - Minsk, Belarus

  • Exhibition, Arabbers, Villa Julie Gallery - Baltimore MD

  • Exhibition, Seeing-Eye II (solo) - Nova Gallery of Visual Arts, Minsk, Belarus

  • Exhibition, Richest Man in Babylon, Govinda Gallery - Washington DC (curated by Thievery Corporation)

  • Father-son exhibition, Strathmore Hall - Bethesda, MD

2002

  • Exhibition (solo), Dom Omladine - Belgrade, Serbia

2001

  • Grant, CEC ArtsLink for Belarus collaboration

  • Exhibition/workshop, The Seeing-Eye (w/ Karel Cudlin), Nova Gallery of Visual Arts - Minsk, Belarus

1999

  • Award, 1st Place/Feature Story, Along the Line, National Press Photographers Association

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