May Hemler
May Hemler is a photographer whose work focuses on the body, pain, illness, and disability. Hemler works across many photographic mediums and formats, in digital, large, medium, and 35mm, black and white, as well as color.
Biography
Hemler is a photographer whose work focuses on the body, pain, illness, and disability. Hemler works across many photographic mediums and formats, in digital, large, medium, and 35mm, black and white, as well as color. Hemler earned her undergraduate degree from Hampshire College, where she integrated studies of photography, photo history and theory, and disability politics. Her thesis, titled "Be My Body, Read My Books" is a series of portraits of young people with chronic pain, chronic illnesses, and disabilities. Each portrait was made with a large format view camera and color film. Hemler was awarded the Elaine Mayes Grant and has been reviewed in a variety of Hampshire College publications. Her work has been shown in galleries throughout Western Massachusetts and her home state of Rhode Island. After graduating, she spent a year working with Hampshire's film and photography department, where she assisted in a wide variety of the program's operations. Hemler also served as the Visual Arts Instructor for the Care Center's College Program, where she taught photography and collage to young parents. Hemler's love for photography and its history has also lead to a steadily growing collection of cameras and antique photographs. Hemler was a Technical Instructor in Photography at Bennington from Fall 2018 through Fall 2020.