With a Click of a Shutter is a photo series exploring the ongoing journey of self-identity—how we grow, change, and respond to the world around us. Through portraits and everyday scenes, the work reflects on what shapes us: our environments, experiences, choices, and the moments that quietly define who we are.
At its core, this project is about embracing the fluid nature of identity. We’re constantly evolving, and each image captures a piece of that process—whether it’s stillness, curiosity, vulnerability, or transformation. Photography becomes a way to hold onto these moments, to reflect, and to invite others into our stories without saying a word.
Together, the images form a visual journal of becoming—celebrating what makes us unique while honoring the shared human experience. With a Click of a Shutter, we capture moments in time that are timeless — echoes of light that linger long after the moment fades.”
Launched in June of 2000, the Red Hook Community Justice Center is the nation’s first multi-jurisdictional community court. We work with community members to solve neighborhood problems such as drug use, crime, domestic violence, and landlord-tenant issues. In our court, a single judge hears cases that would otherwise go to three different courts: Civil, Family, and Criminal. The goal is to offer a coordinated, rather than piecemeal, approach to problems. The Justice Center also offers an array of programs and services that engage local residents, promote public safety, and solve local problems before they reach court.
The Red Hook Community Justice Center is a project of the Center for Justice Innovation which runs in partnership with the New York State Unified Court System. The Center for Justice Innovation seeks to help create a more effective and humane justice system by designing and implementing programs, performing original research, and providing reformers around the world with the tools they need to launch new strategies to achieve justice reform.
The exhibition is created and produced in partnership with Photoville, a New York-based non-profit organization that works to promote a wider understanding and increased access to the art of photography for all — by producing a free photo festival, activating public spaces, amplifying visual storytellers, and connecting artists to a wider worldwide audience. For more information, please visit www.photoville.com or follow us on IG @photoville
Thank you to New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and NYC Parks for supporting this program.
Featured Images (left to right): Johana Tapia, Ricardo Herrera, Joshua Gomez
