In 1912, Idlewild, Michigan, known as "Black Eden," was one of the only resort towns in America where Black families could relax in peace from lived experiences of racism and discrimination. Since the age of 10, I have been going to Idlewild for vacation with my family, but one summer during the pandemic changed my perspective of who I am when walking on Idlewild's land as a black man.
With every step around the lake, the land of Black Eden empowered me to encapsulate moments of how I felt, not what I saw. For the first time, I felt harmonious with Idlewild and its evolution.
Edrece Stansberry (b.1995, Indianapolis, IN) is a photographer and creative strategist dedicated to unifying business with culture. Distinctly inspired by 1960s-70s street photography and cinema paired with the dark shadows, simplistic form of neoclassical and baroque painting styles, and traditional Japanese color palettes, his diverse tastes capture candid subjects and landscape images in playful play blends of dramatic light, bold colors, and black shades. The core of Edrece's expression preserves technical principles of naturalism aiming to unveil cultural truths.
Awards American Photography 39 Winner, 2023
Unsplash Awards Nominee, 2019 (6MM+ views & 33K image downloads on Unsplash)
