Photocan

The dumping ground for all things photography and Kim Raff.

[kimraffphoto]

For The New York Times

Earlier this year Idaho enacted some of the harshest laws targeting transgender folks. I spent a few days up there meeting some youth for this NYTs piece and was shaken after hearing their stories and heartened by their willingness to put themselves at risk to speak out publicly.

I can't imagine having to live everyday in fear that someone will respond badly after seeing the gender listed on your license doing day to day things.  Violence against trans people is real so the laws have real consequences.

[kimraffphoto]

Student activist Mishka Banuri at the Utah State Capitol earlier this year for Sierra Club. 

[kimraffphoto]

Dementia Therapies for The Wall Street Journal

Worked on this story back in January for the WSJ about a program in Utah that utilizes volunteers to administer therapies that can help alleviate some of the symptoms of Alzheimer's and dementia. Followed Alice, Bertha and Josie as they worked with volunteers in the program. 

[kimraffphoto]

The past few years I’ve done a handful of shoots for financial trade publications at various financial companies around town. I really enjoyed by time photographing Ajay Krishnan last year for a Morningstar Magazine feature. 

[kimraffphoto]

Housing crisis leading to homelessness for The Huffington Post

I’ve recognize that my recent section on my website has been neglected that last few years. Playing catchup now. This story was out last summer.

Indepth feature in the Huffington Post about homelessness which focuses on Salt Lake City's homeless population and housing crisis. "This is not just a Salt Lake City story. Across the country, in the midst of a deepening housing crisis and widening inequality, homelessness has concentrated in America’s most prosperous cities. So far, municipal leaders have responded with policies that solve a tiny portion of the problem and fail to account for all the ways their economies are pushing people onto the streets. The reality is that no city has ever come close to solving homelessness. And over the last few years, it has become clear that they cannot afford to."

Spent some time with folks in SLC that were experiencing homelessness. While this story was photographed last summer the problem still remains and is exacerbated by the current Covid-19 crisis. The population has grown as the opioid epidemic takes a back seat and there are more financial struggles related to the virus. 

[kimraffphoto]

Refugees in Utah for The Washington Post

Spent two days last winter meeting and photographing refugees like Apiel Kuot, Halimo Ahmed Hassan and others who have relocated to Utah. While all other conservative states are closing their doors to refugees, Utah is welcoming them and asking for more. The moving story by Griff Witte looks at why Utah is different. Glad to be a part of telling this story.

Story Here

[kimraffphoto]

The Future of Mars for Stern Magazine

Got to check another box off my bucket list and traveled down to the Mars Society Research Station in Hanksville, UT last summer for the German publication Stern Magazine. The story was about the future of life on Mars and I was tasked with photographing Dr. Robert Zubrin, Mars Society President and capturing general shots of the landscape. 

[kimraffphoto]

Part 1 of “Lights. Camera. Prayer. A Mini-Hollywood Grows in Utah.” for The New York Times

I had always been wanting to work on a story about the Mormon Film industry and had a rare opportunity to peak behind the movie camera for a few day for a New York Times feature about it. Was thrilled to be asked to photograph a series of portraits of everyone from actors, extras, set builders to church officials as well as reportage for this assignment. Was also captivated by the elaborate sets constructed by the church for the films. There is even a mini Jerusalem built an hour south of Provo.  Only spent two days on the shoot but could have photographed for days more exploring this world.

Story Here

[kimraffphoto]

Part 2 of “Lights. Camera. Prayer. A Mini-Hollywood Grows in Utah.” for The New York Times

More images for this feature in the NYTs out in Sept. 2019. 

[kimraffphoto]

Photos by Kim Raff for Positive.News 

Took a couple of portraits in the fall of 2018 for Positive.News, a magazine in the UK, for a story they were doing about porn addiction.

Stories out now here and here. 

[kimraffphoto]

Kim Raff for The New York Times

Portrait series of people at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Ely, NV in early 2018.

Story Here

[kimraffphoto]

Kim Raff for The New York Times

More from the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Ely, NV in early 2018.

Story here.

[kimraffphoto]

Kim Raff for The New York Times

Spent a couple of days this summer at the National Green Party Conference for the NYTs to try and get a sense of where they are headed in this changing political climate. Spent a bit of time with the Green Party’s 2016 Presidential candidate, Jill Stein, as well as a new generation of Green Party activists. 

Those in attendance were an interesting bunch that was best described in the talented Liam Stack’s story...

“Last month, 175 Green Party activists from more than 40 states gathered at the University of Utah for their annual conference, where they dined on pizza alongside students in the cafeteria, placed bids on secondhand sci-fi books and homemade wine at a silent auction, and discussed their dream of implementing eco-socialism and ranked choice voting.“

For more check out the story here.

[kimraffphoto]

Kim Raff for The New York Times

Photographed the school walkouts in response to mass shootings in schools and gun violence. Part of the national roundup of the coverage. 

Check it out here.

[kimraffphoto]

Kim Raff for The New York Times

Spent a few days following Mitt Romney around for a New York Times story about his Utah Senate run. 

Check out the story here.

[kimraffphoto]

Kim Raff for The Associated Press

I photographed Josh Holt’s return to Utah after being imprisoned in Venezuela for over 2 years by the government on suspicions of spying.  

[kimraffphoto]

Kim Raff for The New York Times

Two dueling protests... one day. Two trips up the massive hill to the Utah Capitol carrying all of my photo gear. Manage to make it through the crowds, a nasty spill and some heckling to make pictures that day for the NYTs. Not sure there was anywhere else in the country that the divide around this issue was on better display. 

Always great to work alongside the talented Julie Turkewitz tell the story of the day. Check it out here.