Meet a photojournalist whose documentary style depicts a full expanse of Cleveland, brimming with talent and manifested dreams, truths, and beauty, all with a balanced composition and detailed curation.

Emanuel Wallace is a photographer and journalist from Cleveland, Ohio. He has been the staff photographer for Cleveland Scene magazine since 2014. In the past, he has contributed to Cleveland.com, Destination Cleveland, and the Call & Post, among other outlets. Wallace has been part of exhibitions in various venues including the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Deep Roots Art Gallery, Space Rock Gallery, East Ave Gallery, and Maelstrom Collaborative Arts, among others. In recent years, Wallace has also taken to experimenting in the world of mixology and also brewing his own beer in his spare time.

“How do you interpret the title, Photo Poet?” – Aja

“To me, the title ‘Photo Poet’ points towards the notion that a photographer can create an image that is every bit as detailed and profound as the written works of a literary scholar. In many ways, this already happens when a photo is made—albeit perhaps unbeknownst at the time of its creation. Whether it is a street performance on the streets of Downtown Cleveland or an abandoned house in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, the beauty lies within the details and just as the poet calls upon their pen to tell their story—the photographer relies on the perfect rhythm of shutter speed, ISO and aperture to tell theirs. – Emanuel