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How we photographed one of two million Americans living with limb loss

Usa today news

This week’s top photo comes from Visual Journalist Anthony Vazquez. Follow him on Instagram.

What makes this photo important?

Amputees and individuals with disabilities are often underrepresented in general news coverage. L. Bradley Schwartz, who underwent 24 different amputations after he got sick with meningococcal meningitis, is a lawyer and a peer mentor at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for people who have undergone amputations. Sharing Schwartz’s story honors his personal journey through tragedy and shows how got through it. Ultimately, stories and images like this allow others going through similar situations to see themselves reflected in the news, offer comfort and potentially encourage them to reach out to advocacy groups or support networks.

How did you get the photo?

When I arrived, the office was lit by harsh overhead fluorescent lighting and filled with busy posters and personal items. I decided to turn off the overhead lights and rely entirely on the natural light from a single window. While a window-lit portrait is a common technique, it was necessary here to naturally separate Bradley from the background clutter without using an artificial flash. By letting the rest of the office fall into shadow, the distractions disappear, drawing all attention directly to Bradley. This choice was deliberate: I wanted the viewer to focus on him as a person and look toward his future, rather than just focusing on his disabilities.

Technical details

9 more photos from Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ photojournalists:

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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times

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Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times

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Arthur Maiorella/For the Sun-Times

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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times

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Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

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