Through Their Eyes: Photographer Shows Images of Haiti's Recovery

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The people assembled in Artistic Efex sat speechless, viewing images of poverty and destruction—whether a row of tents in one of Port Au Prince’s cities, a group of children in the streets, or men working in Western Haiti.

The silence signaled the success of the photographs in LaSala’s show. Compiled from images from his two trips to the country, his aim is to raise awareness about the need to support the country.

Both trips were on behalf of One Heart for Haiti, a charity supporting a school in Grand Vincent. As a result, LaSala donated 10 percent of the proceeds from his Saturday shows to the charity.

“Whereas some monies to Haiti sort of disappear and you don’t know what happens to them, this is really geared specifically for the school,” LaSala said. “It’s a great organization for children who really have nothing to get an education.”

Though LaSala and his business partner, Jim Roselli, are not working on One Heart for Haiti’s website redesign, the photographs from LaSala’s trip will be used for it.

LaSala estimates he shot about 8,000 images between the two trips to Port Au Prince, Jeremie and Grand Vincent. He intends to return to the country in October, camera in hand.

“A proud and religious people is what I saw, and I was amazed at their resilience,” he said. “Sometimes, they walk a couple miles to church or a couple miles to school and then to church and back. It’s not like jumping on a bus and they just get there.”

There was not much difference between the destruction he saw in Port Au Prince during his first trip, LaSala said. Instead, he notice a change in the attitudes of the people, particularly children.

“It’s mind-boggling, how in six months they mature,” he said. “They have to take care of their brothers and sisters.”

The big change came in western Haiti, particularly in visiting the school in Grand Vincent. There, he saw an increase in the number of teachers at the school One Heart for Haiti supports and inclusion of national proficiency exams.

His trips are aimed raising awareness through the stories his photographs tell. In addition to selling fine-art prints of his photographs—the prints are meant for collectors, he said—he’s also compiled several of the images into a book.

“Some people find it difficult to photograph people,” LaSala said. “I love it. I love to photograph people.  .  . I’m so geared into what I’m doing that I don’t even think. Being a photographer has its special privileges. Hopefully, I can tell my story through my images.”

While LaSala doesn’t have a favorite image from the photos he shot, he’s particularly proud of the shot that made the cover of Professional Photographer magazine. He’s also more partial to black and white photos from the trip, he said.

Regardless, his return trips and photographs have the same aim and the same mission.

“I’m just really trying to get the word out that this country really needs help,” he said.