James Carbone’s life is a study of cultures that’s expressed through his passion for photography. Carbone was born in Los Angeles, Calif. From an early age Carbone read through the books of great photographers: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, Mary Ellen Mark. “Seeing all those great images started my obsession with photography,” Carbone says.
For the past ten years Carbone has studied under Mary Ellen Mark, a world-renown documentary photographer. The two started working together at Rockport College in Maine and have continued at Pacific Center Northwest in Seattle and El Centro Fotografico Manuel Alvarez Bravo Center in Oaxaca, Mexico. Since 2000, he has documented the day-to-day life of the Lopez family, pepenadores (literally “sorters”) who struggle to survive by scavenging plastic bottles in a garbage dump. He is currently collecting the photos for an upcoming book.
His work continues with a chain of newspapers and magazines in Los Angeles and in the San Bernardino Counties. In every picture, Carbone uses composition to interpret reality and capture it in an image that resonates with his audience. “Every time I shoot I try to create an instant connection,” Carbone said. “I like to get close to people. When I’m right next to them, there’s a connection. They trust me, and that’s how I can build a really true image of their humanity.”
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