(MUSIC PLAYING) - OK, DON'T MOVE.

THE FIRST TIME I SAW A PICTURE DEVELOP IN THE DARK ROOM, I WAS JUST AMAZED.

- I REMEMBER POINTING THE CAMERA AND HAVING HIM BEAM THIS JUST HUGE SMILE AT ME.

AND I THINK I WAS HOOKED.

- I THINK THE VOICE THAT THESE PICTURES GIVE THEM IS THAT WE HAVE A LIFE WORTH LIVING.

THAT WAS A HUGE, I THINK, GOAL OF THIS PROJECT.

- I AM AN OFFICIAL SNOWFLAKE-OLOGIST.

[LAUGHING] OH, YEAH.

OH, THIS ONE'S GOT COLOR IN IT.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BOND WITH MY CREATOR AND ALSO TO SEE THE WORLD IN A WAY THAT FEW PEOPLE TAKE THE TIME TO NOTICE.

- FOR ME, IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD TO LOOK BEYOND THIS PLANET, BEYOND THIS SOLAR SYSTEM.

WHEN I GO TO A DARK SKY, AND I LOOK UP, AND I SEE THE STARS, THESE BRIGHTER STARS, IT'S LIKE I'M LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF THE DESIGN OF OUR EXISTENCE.

IT'S ONE THING TO SEE A PICTURE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE TAKES, BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO SEE IT FOR YOURSELF.

(MUSIC PLAYING) - MY PURPOSE HERE IS TO TELL STORIES.

MY PURPOSE HERE IS TO LIFT UP NARRATIVES OF THIS COMMUNITY.

IT IS TO EMBRACE AND DISRUPT HARMFUL STEREOTYPES.

I MOVED HERE SIX YEARS AGO, AND I JUST SAW SOMETHING REALLY UNIQUE ABOUT DENVER'S BLACK COMMUNITY.

FIRST, THERE WEREN'T MANY OF US.

BUT I ALSO NOTICED A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST--SOMETHING UNIQUE AND POWERFUL, AND THAT THING WAS PEOPLE BEING THEMSELVES.

AND I REALLY WANTED TO CAPTURE THAT, UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS SEEING, WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING, AND DOCUMENT THIS BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY THAT I HAD DISCOVERED HERE.

BLACK IN DENVER IS AN ART-BASED RESOURCE PROJECT.

I'VE CALLED IT ETHNOGRAPHY.

I'VE CALLED IT A PORTRAIT AND INTERVIEW SERIES.

I'VE EVEN CALLED IT AN ODE TO A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE.

BUT THE WORK TAKES A LOOK AT IDENTITY.

IT INVESTIGATES IDENTITY, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE YOU, AND WHAT MAKES YOU YOU, AND HOW YOU MAKE UP A COLLECTIVE.

IT'S ALL ABOUT HOW WE'RE INTERCONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER.

IT TAKES A LOOK AT A COMMUNITY USING THE SELF.

I PUT MYSELF IN THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SEEING AND WHAT I'M EXPERIENCING.

THERE'S A LOT OF LISTENING TO UNDERSTAND.

I HOLD SPACE FOR MY PARTICIPANTS TO SHARE WHO THEY ARE IN A VERY SAFE SPACE, A WAY FOR THEM TO OPEN UP AND BE VULNERABLE AND BE AUTHENTIC.

YEAH, BLACK IN DENVER IS A RESEARCH PROJECT.

IT'S A PORTRAIT AND INTERVIEW SERIES.

IT'S VISUAL ART.

IT'S A NUMBER OF THINGS.

TO BE ESTELLE MEANS TO LAUGH A LOT TO WALK INTO A ROOM AND TRY TO BRING SOME POSITIVE LIGHT INTO THE ROOM.

- A PART OF MY PROCESS IS CONVERSATION.

WE SIT DOWN AND HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE, INTIMATE CONVERSATION BEFORE WE EVEN TAKE THE PHOTO.

THAT'S WHAT ALLOWS ME TO REALLY CONNECT WITH THEM THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY.

I GET THEM TO OPEN UP.

WE GET COMFORTABLE.

I TAKE A PHOTO--I TAKE A LOT OF PHOTOS, ACTUALLY.

AND THEN I LOOK FOR THEIR EYES.

AND THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANT MY PHOTOS TO DO.

I WANT THEM TO SEE YOU, AND I WANT YOU TO SEE THEM.

- WHEN YOU GAZE UP AT THE UNIVERSE, YOU'RE WITNESSING YOUR CONNECTION TO GREATNESS.

AND I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION OF THIS PLANET FEELS LIKE MAYBE WE DON'T BELONG, WE DON'T FIT IN.

BUT WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT PICTURES OF SPACE, YOU START REALIZING HOW IMPORTANT YOUR PLACE IS HERE AND HOW UNIQUE IT IS.

WHAT AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO NOT ONLY JUST BE HERE IN THIS LIFE, IN THIS MOMENT, ON THIS PLANET, BUT TO LOOK FAR BEYOND OUR OWN GALAXY AND SEE THIS WHOLE UNIVERSE THAT IT REALLY DOES--IT'S A PART OF US ALL, AND WE'RE ALL A PART OF IT.

IF THAT BELONGS THERE, THEN YOU BELONG RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE.

IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT ON THE HEAVY SIDE.

[LAUGHING] I'M GETTING THIS.

THIS IS MY BACKYARD IN COLORADO SPRINGS.

WE DO A LOT OF PHOTOGRAPHY FROM HERE, A LOT OF TESTING, IF WE GET NEW EQUIPMENT, FROM HERE.

THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO THIS, AS YOU'LL SEE.

AND ALL OF THIS TAKES... DEFINITELY SOME TIME AND PATIENCE.

MY NAME IS KARA MARCUS.

I AM A DEEP-SPACE ASTROPHOTOGRAPHER, I WILL SAY HOBBY ENTHUSIAST.

AND I LIVE IN COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.

MY BROTHER HAD A TELESCOPE.

HE GOT HIS FIRST ONE WHEN HE WAS IN HIS 20S.

AND HE COMES OVER, AND HE HAS A BIG EIGHT-INCH TELESCOPE.

AND HE HAD EYE PIECES.

HE AIMED AT SATURN, AND I LOOKED AT IT, AND I COULD SEE THE RINGS JUST PERFECTLY.

IT'S ONE THING TO SEE A PICTURE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE TAKES, BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO SEE IT FOR YOURSELF.

I THINK THAT WAS THE SEED.

THIS IS MY CAMERA.

AND THEN THIS IS MY REDUCER-FLATTENER.

AND THEN I WILL UNSCREW THIS.

AND THIS BABY GOES RIGHT HERE.

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY IS A VERY UNIQUE FIELD OF PHOTOGRAPHY.

YOU CAN GO OUT IN THE SUMMER, AND SET UP A TRIPOD AND A CAMERA AND A WIDE-ANGLE LENS AND DO A LONG EXPOSURE, AND GET TO SEE THE STARS IN THE MILKY WAY AND THE CORE AND SOME BEAUTIFUL DETAILS OF THE SKY.

THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT AND DEEP-SPACE ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY IS, WITH DEEP-SPACE ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY, YOU'RE LOOKING WAY CLOSER IN ON A TARGET.

YOU'RE ZOOMING IN.

YOU'RE HONING IN ON ONE THING.

THIS BUTTON UP HERE HAS MY SENSOR INFORMATION.

IT GIVES ME AN IDEA OF WHAT MY FRAME WILL BE WHEN I'M ON A TARGET.

THIS RED OUTLINE OF A BOX AROUND THE HEART NEBULA IS ROUGHLY MY FRAMING.

I LIKE TO STAY ON MY TARGETS AS LONG AS I CAN.

I WOULD SAY THE LONGEST I'VE SHOT ANDROMEDA WAS SIX HOURS, MAYBE SEVEN.

FROM HERE, YOU TAKE A SERIES OF LONG EXPOSURES, AND THEN YOU DO SOME CALIBRATED FRAMES, AND YOU DO A LITTLE BIT OF MAGIC.

AND THEN YOU HAVE SOFTWARES THAT WILL STACK YOUR IMAGES FOR YOU.

ONE 600-SECOND IMAGE STRETCHED, THE STACK THAT INCLUDES THE FLATS, THE DARKS, DARK FLATS, ALL OF IT.

AND THEN THIS IS MY FINAL PROCESSING ON IT.

AND THIS, WITH THE COLOR HERE, ALL I HAD TO DO WAS BOOST THE SATURATION A LITTLE BIT.

I WILL ADMIT, WHEN WE GOT STARTED DOING THIS, I HAD NO IDEA THE DEPTH THAT WAS GOING TO BE INVOLVED.

THIS IS WHERE I'M GOING TO GIVE A BUNCH OF CREDIT TO MY HUSBAND.

HE HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST TEACHER FOR ME WITH THIS.

AND WE DON'T HAVE KIDS.

THIS IS KIND OF OUR BABY.

THIS IS ONE OF OUR IMAGES, I SAY "OURS."

MY HUSBAND ACTUALLY GOT THIS ONE WITH THE 10-INCH TELESCOPE.

AND THIS IS THE WHIRLPOOL GALAXY.

BUT I PROCESSED IT.

IT'S A COOL COMBINATION THERE.

THIS IS THE WHIRLPOOL GALAXY.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR GALAXIES FOR ASTROPHOTOGRAPHISTS TO SHOOT.

IT'S KIND OF ICONIC.

FOR ME, IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD TO LOOK BEYOND THIS PLANET, BEYOND THIS SOLAR SYSTEM, KIND OF JUST BEYOND THIS REALITY, AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING FURTHER AWAY.

I HAVE BIPOLAR DISORDER.

I WAS DIAGNOSED SEVEN YEARS AGO.

IT'S BEEN ROUGH.

IT HAS REALLY SAVED MY MIND.

I FEEL LIKE I HAVE PURPOSE AND MEANING WHEN I DO THIS.

AND THAT'S WHY I KEEP DOING IT.

IT'S MY ARTISTIC OUTLET.

AND I DON'T GET TO DO IT EVERY DAY.

IF YOU'RE A PAINTER, YOU CAN PAINT EVERY DAY.

THIS, NOT SO MUCH.

IF THE MOON IS BIG, IF IT'S CLOUDY, [SIGHS] THERE ARE SO MANY OBSTACLES.

BUT IT'S WORTH IT.

IF I CAN IMPACT ONE PERSON IN THIS WORLD TO SHARE A PHOTO THAT MAKES THEM THINK, "OH MY GOSH, WHAT A UNIQUE PLACE I'M IN, " I THINK THAT IT IS A REALLY GOOD REMINDER OF THE BIGGER PICTURE HERE.

WHEN I GO TO A DARK SKY, AND I LOOK UP, AND I SEE THESE THINGS, THESE STARS, THESE BRIGHTER STARS, IT'S LIKE I'M LOOKING AT SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF THE DESIGN OF OUR EXISTENCE.

AND THAT'S JUST HUMBLING, VERY, VERY, HUMBLING.

AND IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.

(MUSIC PLAYING) - THIS IS MY PICTURE WALL.

THESE ARE SOME OF MY MOST EARLY PORTRAITS.

IN FACT, THIS YOUNG MAN RIGHT HERE, HE WAS ONE OF MY VERY FIRST PICTURES.

AND I REMEMBER POINTING THE CAMERA AND HAVING HIM BEAM THIS JUST HUGE SMILE AT ME.

AND I THINK I WAS HOOKED.

I THINK THAT'S ALL IT TOOK.

I WAS HOOKED AT THAT POINT.

MY NAME IS ANDY LURIE, AND I'M THE CREATOR OF THE AMERICAN QUILT PROJECT.

THE AMERICAN QUILT PROJECT IS BASICALLY A METAPHORICAL QUILT OF HUMANITY.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY A LOT OF PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHS OF ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO I'VE COME ACROSS THE PATH OF.

AND IT'S ALL TOGETHER ON INSTAGRAM.

I BEGAN THE PROJECT ABOUT FIVE, SIX YEARS AGO.

I HAVE OVER 5,000 PORTRAITS AT THIS POINT.

ABOUT 10 YEARS, I WENT THROUGH A VERY, VERY DARK PHASE.

AND I ATTEMPTED SUICIDE TWICE SERIOUSLY.

I ENDED UP WAKING UP IN THE HOSPITAL, WHICH FELT LIKE SOME KIND OF A MIRACLE TO ME, THAT I WAS STILL ALIVE.

I DECIDED I NEEDED SOMETHING TO DO.

I NEEDED A PURPOSE.

I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING THAT SHOWED LOVE AND CONNECTION.

I THINK I'M GOING TO WEAR A HAT.

OK, GET MY STUFF.

I'M LOOKING FOR ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE, ACTUALLY.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE MY AIM FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WAS TO BE VERY DIVERSE.

IT'S NOT TERRIBLY CROWDED HERE TODAY, BUT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WALKING AROUND.

I JUST APPROACH PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.

AND I ASK IF I CAN TAKE THEIR PICTURE.

AND I DO THIS PROJECT ON INSTAGRAM.

IT'S CALLED THE AMERICAN QUILT PROJECT.

AND IT'S SURPRISING HOW MANY PEOPLE SAY SURE.

TWO, THREE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

- SURE!

- THERE WE GO, ONE, TWO, THREE.

OF COURSE, IT'S SO BIG RIGHT NOW, IT WOULD TAKE YOU ALL DAY TO GO FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM OF MY INSTAGRAM PAGE.

I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL UPLIFTED, LIKE THEY BELONG TO THIS HUMAN RACE, AS WELL.

I HOPE THE PICTURES EMANATE A KIND OF--A LOVE, REALLY, AND THAT PEOPLE FEEL CONNECTED TO THAT.

- OK, DON'T MOVE.

OK. OK, GOOD.

NOW YOU CAN MOVE.

FIRST TIME I SAW A PICTURE DEVELOP IN THE DARK ROOM, I WAS JUST AMAZED.

AND THEN THE FIRST TINTYPE I EVER SAW COME OUT IN THE FIXER, IT WAS THAT SAME THING AGAIN, FROM BACK MY FIRST YEAR IN COLLEGE.

IT WAS EXACTLY THE SAME.

YEAH, IT'S FUN.

I LIKE IT.

I'M SORRY, I LOVE IT.

[LAUGHING] I'M VANESSA FORD.

I'M A TINTYPE PHOTOGRAPHER.

AND I WAS RECENTLY IN PALISADE, COLORADO, DOING A TINTYPE FOR A YOUNG COUPLE AND THEIR TRUCK.

TINTYPES WERE INVENTED BY FREDERICK SCOTT ARCHER IN 1851.

HE TOOK COLLODION, WHICH WAS INVENTED IN 1846 FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES, AND USED THAT TO MAKE A SENSITIVE PLATE TO BE ABLE TO CATCH IMAGES.

THEY WERE USING THE TINTYPE PROCESS THROUGH THE CIVIL WAR UNTIL ABOUT THE EARLY 1900S.

I WAS WORKING IN PHOTO LABS WHEN DIGITAL STARTED.

I AVOIDED GOING TO DIGITAL FOR AS LONG AS I COULD.

BUT THEN I WAS ABLE TO GET JOBS DOING SPORT PHOTOGRAPHY.

AND I MADE MONEY THAT WAY.

SO I DID GO TO DIGITAL, BUT IT REALLY JUST KIND OF KILLED THE MAGIC.

THE FIRST THING I DO IS POUR THE COLLODION ON THE PLATE.

YOU KIND OF WANT IT TO SET UP LIKE A LITTLE GEL FIRST.

NEXT, I PUT THE PLATE IN THE SILVER NITRATE BATH TO MAKE IT LIGHT-SENSITIVE.

NEXT, I PUT THE PLATE IN A LIGHT-TIGHT PLATE HOLDER.

(MUSIC PLAYING) IF I'M PHOTOGRAPHING PEOPLE, I DO A QUICK CHECK OF THE FOCUS ON THE CAMERA, AND THEN I LOAD THE PLATE HOLDER.

(MUSIC PLAYING) OK, READY?

DON'T MOVE.

NEXT, I REMOVE THE DARK SLIDE, AND THE PLATE IS READY FOR THE EXPOSURE.

I TELL EVERYONE TO BE SUPER STILL.

AND THEN I REMOVE THE LENS CAP FOR THE EXPOSURE.

AND THEN I PUT THE LENS CAP BACK ON AND TAKE IT BACK TO THE DARK BOX.

WITH THIS PROCESS, THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT VARIABLES THAT COME INTO PLAY THAT IF YOU'RE EXPECTING PERFECT, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CHANGE WHAT YOUR DEFINITION OF PERFECT IS.

YOU CAN'T CONTROL EVERYTHING.

THE LIGHT'S GOING TO CHANGE IN THAT FOUR MINUTES THAT IT'S IN THE SILVER BATH.

YOU CAN'T USE A LIGHT METER.

IT'S NOT LIKE FILM PHOTOGRAPHY AT ALL.

IT'S JUST ITS OWN COOL THING.

IT'S MORE HANDS-ON EVEN THAN JUST FILM AND BLACK-AND-WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY AND PRINTING.

AND THAT'S WHY I LIKE IT.

- WHOA, THAT'S AWESOME.

- IT'S HARD TO READ ON THESE CLOUDY DAYS.

MY COMPUTER METERING SYSTEM IN MY BRAIN WORKS BETTER ON SUNNY DAYS.

BUT THE NEXT ONE IS GOING TO BE IT.

IT'S THE LAST ONE.

THIRD TIME'S A CHARM.

MY FAVORITE TINTYPE SO FAR I DID EARLIER ON, WHEN I WAS FIRST STARTING OUT.

AND IT'S OF MY WIFE, MEGAN, HOLDING A CHICKEN.

SHE'S HOLDING THE CHICKEN, AND THE BODY OF THE CHICKEN IS STILL, BUT THE HEAD IS MOVING BACK AND FORTH.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE CHICKEN IS HEADLESS, WHICH IS KIND OF FUNNY BECAUSE WE LIVE IN FRUITA, WHICH IS KNOWN FOR MIKE, THE HEADLESS CHICKEN.

SO, I LIKE TO SAY THAT IT'S ONE OF HIS COUSINS.

RIGHT NOW, I'M HEATING THE PLATE TO BURN OFF ANY EXCESS MOISTURE THAT MIGHT BE ON IT BEFORE I POUR THE VARNISH ON.

AND I POUR THE VARNISH ON.

AND THE VARNISH PREVENTS IT FROM TARNISHING.

SINCE THERE'S REAL SILVER IN THE PLATE, IT WILL TARNISH OVER TIME.

WE KIND OF BAKE THE VARNISH ONTO THE PLATE.

(MUSIC PLAYING) WITH DIGITAL, YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET.

WITH TINTYPE, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET.

AND THAT'S THE MAGIC.

- THIS IS SHIRLEY.

SHE ACTUALLY JUST TURNED 90 A COUPLE DAYS AGO.

AND SHE LIVES IN A RETIREMENT COMMUNITY IN DENVER.

AND HER QUOTE SAYS, "I CAME OUT AT 81, MEANING I STARTED OPENLY TALKING ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP OF 38 YEARS."

BUT TO REALLY BEGIN TO REALIZE WHAT THAT WOULD FEEL LIKE, TO ACTUALLY HIDE YOUR RELATIONSHIP FOR 80 YEARS...

I THINK THE VOICE THAT THESE PICTURES GIVE THEM IS THAT WE HAVE A LIFE WORTH LIVING.

LOSING A PERSON BEHIND THE DATA AND BEHIND THE RESEARCH, AND I REALLY WANTED TO BRING THE PERSON BACK IN, SO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY COULD SEE HOW RESEARCH AND STATISTICS AFFECT PEOPLE AND AFFECT THEIR LIVES.

THAT WAS REALLY WHAT EYE TO EYE GREW OUT OF.

WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES THAT THE OLDER LGBT COMMUNITY FACE, LIKE 56% REPORT EXPERIENCING SOME FORM OF DISCRIMINATION FROM A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.

AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE TRANS OR GENDER-NONCONFORMING, IT GOES UP TO 70%.

TRYING TO HIDE IS A DETRIMENT.

IT DULLS EVERY MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL TOOL NEEDED TO NAVIGATE THROUGH ALL OTHER DIFFICULTIES IN LIFE.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT 75% OF OLDER LGBT PEOPLE GO BACK INTO THE CLOSET WHEN THEY ENTER ASSISTED LIVING OR SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIES.

THIS SENSE OF HAVING TO COME OUT OVER AND OVER TO EVERYONE, AND HOW MUCH THIS MATTERS IN HEALTHCARE, WHEN YOU ARE SICK, SCARED, AND TIRED.

AND THE BURDEN IS ON THEM TO HAVE TO BE THE ONES TO COME OUT AND BE ABLE TO BE WHO THEY ARE AND TALK ABOUT WHO MATTERS MOST TO THEM.

THEY HAVEN'T WANTED TO REMAIN SILENT, BUT THESE PHOTOS, I THINK, ARE A WAY OF GIVING THEM AN EVEN LOUDER VOICE.

AND I THINK HAVING THEM TOGETHER, THIS SORT OF BRINGING THEM IN TO A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, IS ALSO A VOICE OF STRENGTH.

I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HOSPICE.

I'M WORRIED THINGS WILL BE OUTSIDE MY CONTROL.

I STILL HAVE TO SHAVE.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE HAIR ON MY FACE WHEN I DIE.

AND THAT WAS HER BIGGEST FEAR, IS THAT IF SHE WERE TO ENROLL IN HOSPICE, AND A NURSE DIDN'T ASK WHAT WERE HER BIGGEST FEARS OR GAVE HER SPACE FOR HER TO ACTUALLY EXPRESS THAT SHE DOES STILL NEED TO SHAVE, AND HER BIGGEST FEAR WAS THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DIE AS A MAN, WITH A MAN'S NAME, AND WITH HAIR ON HER FACE.

THE EXHIBIT IS CALLED EYE TO EYE: PORTRAITS OF PRIDE, STRENGTH, AND BRAVERY.

AND IT CONSISTS OF OLDER LGBTQ WOMEN WHO LIVE IN COLORADO.

I NEVER FELT I HAD TO EXPLAIN MYSELF OR MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT BEING QUEER.

WE ARE ALL JUST PEOPLE.

WE ARE ALL HUMANS.

THE PHOTOS ARE NEEDED BECAUSE I THINK IT HELPS PEOPLE SEE THAT THESE ARE JUST PEOPLE LIKE THEM.

AND JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE LOVES SOMEONE DIFFERENT THAN YOU ARE, THESE ARE PEOPLE.

THESE ARE VERY GOOD PEOPLE WHO WANT THE SAME THINGS AS YOU WANT, AS OTHER PEOPLE WANT.

THEY WANT TO LOVE.

THEY WANT TO BE LOVED.

THEY WANT TO HAVE CAREERS.

THEY WANT TO HAVE FAMILIES.

THEY WANT TO HAVE FAITH.

THEY WANT TO TRAVEL.

THEY WANT TO DO ALL THESE THINGS.

AND WHY, I THINK, WE CONTINUE TO MAKE IT SO DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO BE WHO THEY ARE, IS NOT RIGHT.

AND MY HOPE IS THAT WHEN THEY SEE THESE PICTURES, THEY REALIZE IT'S JUST--IT'S THEIR FRIENDS, IT'S THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, IT'S THEIR COLLEAGUES, IT'S THEIR NEIGHBORS.

AND IT SHOULDN'T CONTINUE TO BE SO DIFFICULT TO BE ABLE TO BE WHO YOU ARE.

THERE ARE TWO MAIN REASONS.

ONE IS TO REALLY HUMANIZE THE DATA, TO BE ABLE TO REALLY SEE THE INDIVIDUAL BEHIND THESE STATISTICS.

AND A SECOND PIECE OF IT IS REALLY TO HELP DESTIGMATIZE THE LGBT COMMUNITY, IN GENERAL.

I THINK IT IS A COMMUNITY THAT HAS A BUNCH OF STIGMA, A BUNCH OF FEAR AROUND IT.

AND THAT WAS A HUGE, I THINK, GOAL OF THIS PROJECT, IS TO ACTUALLY SEE THESE WOMEN, SEE THEIR FACES, AND REALIZE THEY'RE NOT THAT SCARY, IN HOPES OF REALLY HELPING PEOPLE JUST CONNECT HUMAN TO HUMAN, PERSON TO PERSON.

MY GOAL, REALLY, WITH THIS EXHIBIT IS TO CHANGE A FEW PEOPLE, WHO THEN CHANGE A FEW MORE, WHO THEN CHANGE A FEW MORE.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, IN GENERAL, DON'T HAVE A VERY GOOD IDEA OF JUST WHAT THESE FOLKS WENT THROUGH, JUST HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO BE ABLE TO BE WHO THEY WERE, HOW SO MANY OF THEM DID LOSE JOBS.

THEY DID LOSE CAREERS, THEY DID LOSE FAMILY, THEY DID LOSE HOUSING, THEY DID LOSE FRIENDS, JUST BECAUSE OF WHO THEY WERE.

- I'M SURE NEIGHBORS SIT THERE AND WONDER WHY I SIT OUT HERE HOLDING A BLACK SOCK IN THE AIR.

THE COVID PANDEMIC HAS BEEN VERY, VERY PERSONAL TO ME.

MY COLLEAGUES AND I, AND PARTICULARLY MY NURSING COLLEAGUES, HAVE BEEN RIGHT UP IN IT FROM THE GET-GO.

IT'S BEEN A VERY HIGH-STRESS TIME TAKING CARE OF PATIENTS WITH COVID.

IT IS ADMITTEDLY A LITTLE ODD.

I AM WHAT'S CALLED A HOSPITALIST.

I TAKE CARE OF ADULTS WHO ARE TOO SICK TO GO HOME FROM THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE BEAUTY OF WHAT NATURE HAS IN STORE, THAT ALL THIS IS IS MOLECULES OF WATER, CRYSTALLIZING AT 107.9-DEGREE ANGLE.

I'M AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO HOSPITAL.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IS RESILIENCE.

AND RESILIENCE IS REALLY HARD TO MAINTAIN WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, FOR TWO YEARS, EVERYONE'S HOLDING THEIR BREATH, WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO END.

AND THE THING IS, YOU GOT TO BREATHE.

YOU GOT TO FIND A WAY TO TAKE A BREATH AND ENJOY LIFE.

I HAVE TO CATCH THE FLAKES RIGHT BEFORE THEY FALL BECAUSE YOU CAN'T PICK THEM UP ONCE THEY HIT THE GROUND.

NOTICE I'M NOT HOLDING THE SOCK LIKE THIS.

I'M HOLDING IT VERTICALLY BECAUSE THE SNOWFLAKES THAT ARE FUN TO PHOTOGRAPH ACTUALLY WILL CLING AS THEY FALL DOWN THE SIDE OF THE SOCK.

I AM AN OFFICIAL SNOWFLAKE-OLOGIST.

[LAUGHING] A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK, "IS IT REALLY TRUE THAT THERE ARE NO TWO SNOWFLAKES ALIKE?"

AND THAT'S TRUE.

IF YOU LOOK AT SNOWFLAKES REALLY CLOSELY, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY'RE ALMOST NEVER SYMMETRIC UP CLOSE.

JUST THE SPAN OF ONE TINY SNOWFLAKES ENCOUNTERS DIFFERENT MICROCLIMATES, WHICH CHANGE HOW IT CRYSTALLIZES.

IT'S REMARKABLE.

SOME OF THE SNOWFLAKES ARE JUST SO STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL.

AND TO REALIZE THAT HERE I AM, STANDING IN A DECK THAT'S COVERED IN TRILLIONS OF THEM, IT'S JUST CRAZY.

HERE I AM HONING IN ON JUST ONE.

RIGHT THERE, THERE'S A SNOWFLAKE.

OH, MAN, I WISH YOU COULD FOCUS UP CLOSER.

BUT IF I CHANGE THE ANGLE ON IT, IT GETS MORE OR LESS REFLECTIVE.

OH, I WISH I COULD GET IT JUST RIGHT.

THE KEY TO GOOD SNOWFLAKE PHOTOS, FIRST, YOU HAVE TO HAVE GOOD SNOW.

AND IT HAS TO BE REALLY COLD.

AND YOU HAVE TO BE OUTSIDE.

THE HAZARD IS I COULD SQUISH ONE OF THE MODELS.

AND I STRICTLY PRACTICE CATCH-AND-RELEASE.

I FRESHLY SOURCE ALL MY SNOWFLAKES, BUT I MAKE SURE THAT THEY COME BACK TO A GOOD HOME.

[LAUGHING] THE OTHER PART THAT'S REALLY KEY IN SNOWFLAKE PHOTOS IS THE LIGHTING.

JUST A HAIR'S BREADTH OF TILT, AND MY CAMERA CAN COMPLETELY CHANGE WHETHER YOU SEE A BEAUTIFUL SNOWFLAKE OR YOU DON'T.

OH, IT'S REALLY PRETTY, TOO.

WHAT'S FUN ABOUT SNOWFLAKE PHOTOGRAPHY IS IT'S SOMETHING YOU DO IN THE FIELD.

MY STUDIO IS REALLY COMPLEX.

IT'S A TABLE AND A SOCK, A LIGHT, AND MY CAMERA.

THAT'S IT.

BUT I DO WELCOME ALL SNOWFLAKES OF ALL DIFFERENT SHAPES AND SIZES TO COME VISIT.

AND I'M ALWAYS HAPPY WHEN THEY DO.

SOME OF THE CENTERS ARE INCREDIBLE.

THEY LOOK LIKE ETCHED GLASS.

I FIND A LOT OF SOLACE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, IN MY FAMILY, WHO ARE KIND OF HYSTERICAL.

THEY'RE A GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM.

BUT I ALSO FIND IT IN PHOTOGRAPHY.

OH, YEAH.

OH, THIS ONE'S GOT COLOR IN IT.

IT SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT SNOWFLAKES, OF ALL THINGS, COULD BE VERY THERAPEUTIC.

BUT IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BOND WITH MY CREATOR AND ALSO TO SEE THE WORLD IN A WAY THAT FEW PEOPLE TAKE THE TIME TO NOTICE.

SNOWFLAKES CAN DO--OH MY GOODNESS, YES.

YEP, IT'S GOT SOME BROKEN ARMS, BUT IT CAN BE SALVAGED.

I'LL SHOW YOU THIS.

THIS IS PRETTY CRAZY.

YOU WOULDN'T THINK THAT SNOW HAS COLOR TO IT.

YOU JUST THINK OF IT AS WHITE.

BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT AS THE SNOWFLAKE FORMS, IT CAN CREATE A LAYER THAT IS TWO DIFFERENT DENSITIES IN THE CENTER.

AND THAT ACTS A LOT LIKE GASOLINE ON WATER AND WILL REFRACT THOSE COLORS.

THESE ARE LEFTOVER BITS OF DUST IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

BUT IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN HOW MUCH BEAUTY IS ON EACH OF THESE SNOWFLAKES.

THIS IS A CLASSIC DENDRITIC SNOWFLAKE.

A RAINBOW COLORING APPEARING IN THE MIDDLE OF A SNOWFLAKE.

AND THIS IS VERY RARE.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE VERY SPECIFIC CONDITIONS FOR THIS TO SET UP.

AND WE WERE LUCKY TODAY.

WE CAUGHT A SNOWFLAKE THAT HAD THAT.

AND I GET TO SHARE THAT WITH SOMEBODY ELSE.

IF I CAN BE OF SERVICE TO SOMEBODY ELSE, THAT TAKES ME OUT OF MYSELF.

AND I THINK THESE SNOWFLAKES ADD TO THIS WONDERMENT OF NATURE AND POSSIBILITY AND BEAUTY.

LIKE A LOT OF THINGS IN LIFE, YOU COULD LOOK AT THIS AS, "OH MY GOSH, THIS IS THE WORST TRAFFIC THAT WE'VE ENCOUNTERED," OR YOU COULD LOOK AT IT LIKE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE FLAKES THAT'S FALLING RIGHT NOW HAS A STORY TO TELL, AND THEY'RE PRETTY MAGNIFICENT.

(MUSIC PLAYING)