Errol Daniels Photographer


Errol Daniels began Photography in the 60’s, while he was active the Civil Rights Movement in Chicago. He found himself drawn to social documentary photography until he lost the use of his hands in the 80’s, and he stopped shooting. In the early 90’s, Errol’s love for the camera was rekindled while traveling in Israel, and he adapted to his disability the help from physical and occupational therapists.

During that same decade, Errol studied with photographers Amy Arbus, John Goodman, John Lueders-Booth, and printer Chuck Kelton. Errol is drawn to photographing people, especially those, who are disadvantaged, whether it is politically, socially, physically, or mentally. His goal is to show that these are people with dignity. His project entitled Good Neighbors, made at a home for adults with developmental disabilities in Thomaston Maine, was recently on view at SUNY Center for Tomorrow.

In March 2000, Errol traveled to Cuba and spent his time working on the streets of Havana’s Old City. In addition to shooting in the streets, he photographed inside a school for physically disabled children, Errol’s own disability granted him admission to the school, while another photographer was turned away.

When Errol arrived in Cuba and began to “take things in”, he had the feeling that he had traveled 50 years back in time. He was particularly taken by the Spanish Colonial architecture that he found spectacular, but in deplorable condition. Government officials that he met informed him that their primary goal is to preserve these buildings and to have no “golden arches” in the future.

Only in Greece has Errol experienced the same morning light he found in Cuba, “a photographers dream”. As well as discovering Cuba’s warm light, Errol found the Country’s people to be the ”warmest, most welcome people” he has met anywhere in his travels through Britain, The Middle East, or Greece. “Nowhere have people been so hospitable”. Errol will be going back to Cuba in December to continue his work and to visit with his new Cuban friends.