Double Exposure Portraits of City Council Members and Things Important to Them

Michael Zhang

council

Photojournalist Kyle Grantham of The News Journal in Delaware recently shot a creative series of portraits of the city council members of Wilmington, Delaware. Each of the images is a double exposure photo showing the member blended with a subject of their choice.

The double exposure photographs were all created in camera. Grantham first shot studio portraits of the subjects and then asked them to pick something in their districts that meant something to them or the people they represented. Grantham then re-exposed the original portraits with a photo of the things the council members shared.

“Each member brings their own personal experience in Wilmington, and vision for the city’s future, to their position in the city’s leadership,” Grantham writes at The News Journal. “Through this project I wanted to visually illustrate a direct connection between members of City Council and the districts, or city as a whole, they represent.”

"P.S. duPont was the high school early on and a lot of the community went to that school. We have a very diverse district and that school brought a lot of those races together. It's a pillar within the community. This is the place I was born and raised and it's the greatest place on Earth to me. It's given me so much, and this is my chance to give back to the city." – Nnamdi Chukwuocha, First District
“P.S. duPont was the high school early on and a lot of the community went to that school. We have a very diverse district and that school brought a lot of those races together. It’s a pillar within the community. This is the place I was born and raised and it’s the greatest place on Earth to me. It’s given me so much, and this is my chance to give back to the city.” – Nnamdi Chukwuocha, First District
"I grew up on Poplar Street, which was renamed Clifford Brown Walk. My mom's house was across the street from the house [Clifford Brown] grew up in. Learning about him, seeing that everyday and his contributions to music told me that growing up the East Side whatever you dream of, it's possible to attain." – Darius Brown, Third District
“I grew up on Poplar Street, which was renamed Clifford Brown Walk. My mom’s house was across the street from the house [Clifford Brown] grew up in. Learning about him, seeing that everyday and his contributions to music told me that growing up the East Side whatever you dream of, it’s possible to attain.” – Darius Brown, Third District
"My district, in its diversity, is a microcosm of what the whole city is about. Downtown is the economic heart, it's the life of the city. It's made me grow to be able to go from a board room to sitting at the curb with neighborhood folks." - Hanifa Shabazz, Fourth District
“My district, in its diversity, is a microcosm of what the whole city is about. Downtown is the economic heart, it’s the life of the city. It’s made me grow to be able to go from a board room to sitting at the curb with neighborhood folks.” – Hanifa Shabazz, Fourth District
"St. Elizabeth [High School] is an anchor for the district, it's in the middle of it all. What St. Elizabeth means to me is love, peace and joy. While I was there I was taught that I could be anything and I could do anything if I kept my focus on God, family and my community. St. Elizabeth, with help of my family, molded me into the person I am today." – Sherry Dorsey Walker, Sixth District
“St. Elizabeth [High School] is an anchor for the district, it’s in the middle of it all. What St. Elizabeth means to me is love, peace and joy. While I was there I was taught that I could be anything and I could do anything if I kept my focus on God, family and my community. St. Elizabeth, with help of my family, molded me into the person I am today.” – Sherry Dorsey Walker, Sixth District
"There's a lot of deeply entrenched residents who have been [in Little Italy] all their lives and I want to try to keep their traditions alive. They're very enthusiastic and committed to their neighborhood. It renews my faith in humanity that people still do care and want to make a difference." – Robert Williams, Seventh District
“There’s a lot of deeply entrenched residents who have been [in Little Italy] all their lives and I want to try to keep their traditions alive. They’re very enthusiastic and committed to their neighborhood. It renews my faith in humanity that people still do care and want to make a difference.” – Robert Williams, Seventh District
"The Eighth is really a beautiful district when you think about it. We have beautiful park land and small business in Trolley Square. To walk out our front door and be able to walk to Trolley or walk to Rockford Park, it's a real treat." - Bud Freel, Eighth District
“The Eighth is really a beautiful district when you think about it. We have beautiful park land and small business in Trolley Square. To walk out our front door and be able to walk to Trolley or walk to Rockford Park, it’s a real treat.” – Bud Freel, Eighth District
"I used to be scared of funeral homes and cemeteries and ironically I wound up buying a home across from a cemetery. I think with all the iconic views of the city from I-95 North and South and 495, I had a second floor deck and when I would look out I had all this land that was the cemetery and these buildings off in the distance. I felt I had the best of both worlds. I had all this open space and a view of the city. I loved walking through the cemetery because all those people buried there were important to the city and I'd read the headstones and I wondered about the people that were buried there. It was a place of peace and serenity and history and it gave me a different view and perspective of the city." – Maria Cabrera, At-Large
“I used to be scared of funeral homes and cemeteries and ironically I wound up buying a home across from a cemetery. I think with all the iconic views of the city from I-95 North and South and 495, I had a second floor deck and when I would look out I had all this land that was the cemetery and these buildings off in the distance. I felt I had the best of both worlds. I had all this open space and a view of the city. I loved walking through the cemetery because all those people buried there were important to the city and I’d read the headstones and I wondered about the people that were buried there. It was a place of peace and serenity and history and it gave me a different view and perspective of the city.” – Maria Cabrera, At-Large
"From day one I wanted to be a voice for people, to speak up, to have a place to balance things out. Fox has that 'fair and balanced' motto. I think of things - if you make it balanced, it becomes fair. Back in 2004 I gave up a $59,000 a year job for a $23,000 a year part-time job because I wanted to get into this arena and help people. You may not like what my politics, you may not like what I have to say but at the end of the day I bring insight." – Michael Brown, At-Large
“From day one I wanted to be a voice for people, to speak up, to have a place to balance things out. Fox has that ‘fair and balanced’ motto. I think of things – if you make it balanced, it becomes fair. Back in 2004 I gave up a $59,000 a year job for a $23,000 a year part-time job because I wanted to get into this arena and help people. You may not like what my politics, you may not like what I have to say but at the end of the day I bring insight.” – Michael Brown, At-Large
"I believe we have a participatory democracy and I came to that realization at a young age. People should participate from a simple vote, or organizing or as an elected official. It's important I have a voice for my community and I do it out of a sense of obligation. I have a sense of obligation to participate and be involved." – Theo Gregory, Council President
“I believe we have a participatory democracy and I came to that realization at a young age. People should participate from a simple vote, or organizing or as an elected official. It’s important I have a voice for my community and I do it out of a sense of obligation. I have a sense of obligation to participate and be involved.” – Theo Gregory, Council President

You can find a behind-the-scenes video showing how the project was done over at The News Journal.

Image credits: Photographs by Kyle Grantham/The News Journal and used with permission

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