Kelly McIlvenny: Visual Journalist

“It helped convince me to document the things that make the human race a family. We may differ in race, religion, language, wealth, and politics, but look what we have in common--dreams, the comforts of home, the hunger for love. With photographs, I thought I might help some of us better understand the strangers who live on the other side of the world--and the other side of town.” - Wayne Miller 

Kelly McIlvenny is a young and aspiring documentary photographer, who believes in the power of a still image to capture a moment. A moment that grasps at what it means to be human, what it means to have family, what it means to love, what it means to struggle, and what it means to be kind.

As a photographer she aspires to connect individuals through the art of visual story telling. She truly believes that an image has the ability to show the similarities in the human condition, as well as, the issues and struggles we all face. It is hard to imagine a subject that speaks to our commonalities as human beings, than birth.  Or perhaps if there is one, it is death and a loss of loved ones. So when presented with an opportunity to try and convey both the pain and joy of birth in developing  Nepal, she was honoured.

Invited by One Heart World-Wide to document the work their team is doing both in Nepal and Mexico, Kelly began to understand what it means to be pregnant in a developing country. This project is ongoing as she plans to return to continue to learn and document her experiences.

To find out more about the photographer behind this project, please visit www.kellymcilvenny.com