Harris Hill Press is the imprint of the documentary portrait work of Robert Kalman, a photographer inspired by the universal desire to be seen, valued, and understood. Through his empathetic and direct approach, Robert photographs individuals in everyday surroundings, revealing something of their inner lives. His work embodies a relentless commitment to documenting humanity in its many forms, emphasizing his belief that within each person lies a story that conveys our shared human experience.
“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”
John Dewey
FEATURED EDITION
What’s it like for you to be an American?
The book: This sumptuous edition collects the portraits and thoughts of 76 representative Americans. As you meet them, and sample their responses, you may compare their perspectives to your own. You may find yourself renewing your understanding of our nation's motto, e pluribus unum – out of many, one – and gain fresh insight into the diversity that shapes our national character. The book conveys the essence of this historic time through our people. People just like you.
The backstory: I set out across the country to learn what Americans think about their national self-identity during this historic time, traveling 20,000 miles to do so. I made nearly 500 formal portraits of everyday Americans with a large format, eight-by-ten inch view camera, and asked each of them to respond in writing to the question, "What's it like for you to be an American?"