BRIAN HEATH

I was born in Detroit in the mid 60’s. I am self taught in film and photography.  My motivation in capturing fleeting moments is motivated from experiencing the tanks and jeeps rolling down my Joy Road /Dexter neighborhood during the 67 riots. I still clearly see them sometimes. I began taking pictures soon after that as a child with a Kodak 104 Instamatic film camera my mom bought me and I never stopped shooting. My passion comes from the need to hear and share the stories of people who took the steps to become beacons of hope without knowing at the time that they would become so.

I have worked in Paris, France shooting fashion and Quito, Ecuador shooting a trek through the Amazon with members of the Sierra Club and Center of Environmental Health for the millennium political environment. I went to Paris, France to shoot independent fashion, shot the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, in 1998 Liberia W Africa to shoot and film Charles Taylors’ post civil war as Rev. Jesse Jackson spoke as U.S. envoy to Africa for Bill Clinton.  I have spent 20 plus years documenting master muralist Hubert Massey as he has created some of the largest Fresco murals since Diego Rivera of whom he was trained by Rivera's assistants. I filmed oral histories of playwright Ron Milner and architectural photographer Balthazar Korab and other oral histories for the Hackley Collection at the Detroit Public Library archives.  I filmed  Jazz Saxophonist James Carter and songstress Lena Horne on the same performing a duet stage that only a few were present to see.

I have worked as a Director / Director of Photography for independent shorts, features in Michigan and California. I teach film and photography and taught fashion theory at Lawrence Technical University as a adjunct professor. I’ve worked with NBC Sports and NBA entertainment film crews as a field producer. I have filmed performances for the Detroit Opera House and filmed / photographed installations for the Flint Institute of Arts.  I was the Gallery Director at 4731 Gallery and painted a mural in oil 101 x 5 feet at Crary Elementary School in Detroit.

I have never chased awards and accolades for my work.  I love what i do and would not trade any of it for the world.