Photography

In settings ranging from controlled studios to war-torn Nicaragua, Tess Steinkolk tries to capture the inner qualities of human subjects. Her career began in 1980 when she photographed prisoners at Lorton Reformatory, a maximum security prison in Virginia. In 1981 she opened a studio in New York City, where her clients have included A&E, NBC, Sports Illustrated, Esquire, Worth, and IN NY magazines. In 1987, at the height of the war between the U.S.-backed Contras and the Sandinista government, she traveled to Nicaragua to photograph the ninth anniversary of the Revolution and to document the effects of sanctions and war. Proceeds from subsequent gallery showings funded the building housing in Estili, a barrio north of Managua. More recently, she combines still imagery with video footage to create tribute films.

Published April 2009