While every photo may tell a story of a select subject, the photos taken by Yves-Richard Blanc are also a self-revelation.
"About three years ago, I got very, very sick. I had a massive stroke with brain bleeds. I can say that I was really close to death," Blanc shared. "And usually when these things happen with you, you have a chance to really think through what you are doing and how you're really maximizing what you're doing with your life."
Prior to his stroke, Blanc was a successful professional, working in a variety of businesses. Lured to Buffalo 20 years ago in his role as a health care consultant, his career allowed him to put his kids through college. While his health forced him to pause, his rehab, it turned out, gave him a new purpose.
At the time of his stroke, Blanc described himself as if he were "six-months old again," unable to walk, talk, or feed himself. While he considers himself to be "an extremely strong-minded and a very positive individual, it was not easy for me to get better."
Appreciative of the care provided, Blanc was nonetheless disappointed in his environs. "There was no joyous beauty around me." At home, he could be inspired by the art that surrounded him. However, he found little of that in the facilities where he worked to recover.
Born in Haiti and raised in Montreal, he studied commercial photography in New York City at the Fashion Institute of Technology.
"A lot of folks have a camera and equipment. They have space," Blanc said.
"But, again, for me, the difference is really getting folks to buy into what we're doing. Bringing out the beauty that's within, understanding who they are through the process, and I love to create something that is totally different."
While he continues to work with clients at his Blanc Photographie studio at the Tri-Main Center, he's looking elsewhere for more projects and more inspiration. Blanc traveled extensively in the summer to Hawaii and Europe "to really capture all sorts of beautiful landscapes. Seascapes."
Those images, he hopes, will one day adorn hospital rooms, doctors' offices, and rehab centers.
"So that's my goal, that's really part of why I am here today, because understanding my love and I was able to focus on that, on my art, really gave me the opportunity to fight for my life," Blanc reflected.
"And I'd love to be able to do that for others who are going through these difficulties."
