The Beauty of Photography

For 35 years, photography has played a starring role in Benita VanWinkle’s life. 

From taking photos of celebrities to brides to the variety of animals at The Children’s Home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Benita has done it all. She’s gone from dark rooms to digital and has spent much of her career teaching and giving back.

As a professor at High Point University, Benita created a “gratitude board” where students share their photos of the many things for which they are grateful. She encourages her students to use photography to see the good in the world and help others see it too.

While she does not have a personal pain journey, she has made significant contributions to people in pain by:

– Serving as a contributing photographer to PainPathways magazine and website

– Photographing people in pain and sharing those images

– Donating proceeds from her work to the Sceptor Pain Foundation, for pain education and research

[pullquote]“Photography is really another language. Through visual imagery, many things that are difficult to convey in words can be expressed. I always look for the positive.”[/pullquote]

For the past 33 years, she’s been photographing vintage movie theaters and has compiled these images for a one-of-a-kind book. As of October 1, 2013, analog movies are no longer distributed in the U.S. requiring theaters to make the switch to digital. Her wonderful photos capture the beauty of theaters from Alaska to Arizona will be a reminder of these nostalgic movie houses once they are no longer.

More information can be found on her website.

Please enjoy a few of the many photos Benita has shared with us.

“Each photo is like a prayer I send into the world hoping to provide beauty and positive energy.”