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Benjamin Tecumseh DeSoto
1130 Weaver
Houston, Texas 77023
713-705-1470
www.zendfoto.com
zendfoto@hotmail.com
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2006 - Present Freelance Photographer
2007 - 2008 Understanding Poverty Project, coordinator, Houston Endowment Grant
1981 - 2006 Houston Chronicle, Staff Photographer.
1980 - 1981 Houston Post, internship and staff photographer.
1976 - 1980 Pasadena Citizen, internship and staff photographer.
INSTRUCTOR
2009 Instructor, Ripley House Neighborhood Center Inc., traditional darkroom, computer lab darkroom and mixed media and journaling workshops.
2009 Volunteer instructor and staff, Houston Institute for Culture.
2007 - 2009 Leisure Learning Unlimited, continuing education instructor in photography.
2008 - 2009 Houston Center for Photography, instructor in photography.
2000 - 2009 Urban League with the Children’s Museum, Houston,
Campaign for Achievement culminating with annual museum exhibit.
2006-2007 & Houston Community College: Final Cut Pro; Adobe Photoshop;
2000 - 2001 photography.
1990 & 1992 Dow Jones Workshop for Minority Students, University of Texas
at Austin, Texas.
1991 Fresh Visionaries Program, Houston Museum of Fine Arts, 1991,
culminating with museum exhibit underwritten by Ford Foundation.
MULTIMEDIA SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
Final Cut Pro, Adobe Photoshop Dreamweaver, FireWorks, Macromedia Flash and QuarkXPress.
2008 - present Videotaping Rothko Chapel Speaker Series, Dangerous Media Productions.
2007 Multi media as part of the Congressional Record, No Child Left Behind Hearing, www.houstonaplus.org/events/03-07-nclb.html
2004 Video and still photography during the first year of freedom for
Josiah Sutton. Sutton spent his high school years in state prison,
his conviction based on evidence processed by the Houston Police Department crime lab. Sutton’s challenge of DNA testing lead to his release, discreditsand closes the lab.
2003 Local Band Column. 30 live performance video clips and still
photography produced over 180 days.
2002 Video and still photography of the work to bring from design table to the
stage of the Houston Ballet world premier of Peter Pan.
EDUCATION
1978 - 1981 Attended University of Houston, 124 hours toward a BA Journalism.
1976 - 1978 San Jacinto College. Associate of Arts in Journalism.
EXHIBITIONS
2009 Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston. No Zoning show,
"The Significance of Making Art."
Lawndale Art Center, Big Show, "Evidence of the Spirit."
2008 Diverseworks Artspace, solo show, “Understanding Poverty.”
Lawndale Art Center, Big Show, "Elizalma Gonzalez, The Saddest Story in Mexico."
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
2009 “Best Photographer in Houston”; Houston Press.
2009 “Best Art Exhibit in Houston,” Houston Press
(“Understanding Poverty” exhibit, Diverseworks Artspace.)
2007 Urban League Children’s Museum Houston Mentor recognition.
2005 - 2006 Mentor - Regional Gifted and Talented programs. Urban Mentor Program
Appreciation. HISD Volunteers/Speakers Programs.
2000 Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, Inc.
1992,1989 Harris County Juvenile Probation Department Annual Report.
1991 Texas Correction Association Award for Media Excellence
for “Documenting the Lives of Children and Families at Risk”.
1987 SGI-USA, Fuji Fine Arts Award for Contributions to Society.
References upon request.