Greg Gulbransen | Say Less

Real Photo Show with Michael Chovan-Dalton

Photographer and Pediatrician, Greg Gulbransen joins me to talk about his book, Say Less, published by Gost Books. Greg and I talk about how facing tragedy in his personal life and being a children’s doctor all lead to this exploration of gun violence. Greg is a unique guest in that he is both a full-time working doctor and had great success with fashion photography. He approaches his medical work and his documentary photo work with similar ideals and practice and we talk a good deal about that. Just a small trigger warning, the life-altering event Greg describes from his own tragedy and the story and descriptions of Malik, the paralyzed former gang leader from Greg’s book, are intense and have some graphic detail.

https://www.gulbransenphoto.com | https://www.instagram.com/greggulbransenpeds/ | https://gostbooks.com/products/say-less

This podcast is sponsored by the Charcoal Book Club Begin Building your dream photobook library today at https://charcoalbookclub.com

Over the course of three years, Greg Gulbransen photographed Malik, a set leader of the violent street gang, the Crips. Malik was shot and paralysed in 2018 by the bullet from a rival gang, and as a result his world now centres around his small Bronx apartment in New York, where he is cared for by his family and fellow gang members. Gulbransen, a practicing doctor, had been photographing in the Bronx during his spare time and had got to know some of the local kids. He began to notice a lot of young men in wheelchairs with spinal injuries and was professionally curious. He was told they had all been shot. He wanted to speak to someone in a wheelchair and was introduced to Malik through a fellow Crip.

Greg started out shooting fashion but transitioned over to documenting the lives of unique individuals with interesting stories. Greg loves meeting new people and tries to preserve their legacy with photography. Greg also enjoys the solace of cold weather wildlife. His images have been published in the New York Times, Daily Mail, ELLE, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Northwell Health, The Weather Channel, Spirit and Flesh, Grazia and Pandora to name a few. Some of Greg’s documentary work has been featured on the A & E Network’s History Channel.

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