Mary Ann Lynch

The Not for Profit Photography Network/ Photographers Seeking Social Change -------------------------------------------------------------

In 1998 Mary Ann Lynch founded this educational public awareness program. It highlights the work of photographers who devote personal time, energy, and vision to bringing important social issues to public attention through photography. Their projects are self-assignments, not job assignments. They choose topics close to their hearts and work hand in hand with the communities or individuals involved. Moreover, these photographic activists conceive and devise innovative ways (beyond the traditional exhibit and book/catalog) to both "give back" to the communities and reach out to specific audiences to further social change. See: www.maryannlynch.com


NFP sponsors exhibitions, lectures, slide shows, informal gatherings, and this site. Its overall purpose is to attract support for projects showcased and to inspire others to begin new projects and join the worldwide network of photographers dedicated to social change. Mary Ann has developed programs to promote, encourage, and expand outlets for non-commercial photography since 1970. The success of her own photographic work within a traditional Hawaiian community inspired this undertaking

Mary Ann (Bruchac) Lynch, born in Saratoga Springs, NY, is a fine art & documentary photographer and writer/journalist who first became known for her b&w portraits of the native peoples of Hawaii (1968-76). Since then, her work has embraced film, digital, and mixed media, with ancestry, spiritually charged places, and popular culture as recurrent themes.

She has exhibited and published from Japan to the Czech Republic; and received awards from AT&T, the National Science Foundation, the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Science Foundation and elsewhere. The 2007 Lucie/IPA awarded her honors (Professional Division) in eight categories; in 2006 Lynch won honors in Editorial (Professional) for FOREVER MARILYN. Lynch’s photographs are in public and private collections from the Center for Creative Photography, Tucson and the Honolulu Academy of Arts to the Leon Constantiner Collection. Recent major exhibitions: Kalapana, a Hawaiian Place (2002, Lyman Museum, Hawaii); Legendary Waters: the Springs of Saratoga (2003, Saratoga Open Space Center and Brookside Museum); Forever Marilyn (2005, John Stevenson Gallery, NYC).

Education: Cornell University (BA- English); the University of California at Berkeley (MA-English); New York University (MFA-filmmaking, 1987). Lynch resides in New York City and Greenfield Center, New York, traveling as visiting artist, lecturer, and reviewer, and as Senior Editor for Camera Arts. Her writing has also appeared in such publications as National Geographic (NY Guide), Insight Guides, Imago, Shots, the Honolulu Advertiser and more.