About
New York fine arts photographer David Katzenstein has traveled throughout the world on his lifelong artistic journey as a visual chronicler of humanity. Using subject, light, and composition to create visual dynamism, he sets the stage for the viewer to be in the moment with him. His goal is to allow viewers to experience a scene through his eyes—as if they were standing there beside him. Steeped in the tradition of documentary photography, Katzenstein imbues his work with immediacy, emotional engagement, and a deep respect for his subjects.
Out of his fascination with ritual, over the years Katzenstein has photographed pilgrimage as practiced in different cultures. While visiting Memphis in the spring of 2017, he was inspired to expand on this theme by embarking on the project OUTSIDE THE LORRAINE MOTEL: Journey to a Sacred Place. The artist was introduced to the Mid-South region in the late 1980s while on assignment for Rolling Stone, documenting the roots of the blues in rural communities of Mississippi and Arkansas.
In 2018, he formed the nonprofit organization, The Human Experience Project, that creates content to support the mission of organizations who work to inspire lifelong learning and strengthen our communities. In March, 2025, the exhibition Speaking Truth To Power: The Life of Bayard Rustin, opened at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. THEP represents the estate of Bayard Rustin.
Katzenstein is also the managing editor of the Barkley L. Hendricks Photography Archive. To date he has published four books with Hirmer Verlag (Munich), Ritual (2022), Distant Journeys (2024), Brownie (2025) and Barkley L. Hendricks: Piles of Inspiration Everywhere (2025).