An accomplished Barrington-area photographer has used his skills over the past decade to capture the personalities and bring greater awareness to those with disabilities, such as autism and Downs syndrome, according to the Daily Herald.
Thomas Balsamo tells the Daily Herald he is most proud of his work with autistic children and he aims to take photos that show "there's an intelligent person inside, locked in a body that cannot communicate."
He is also the co-creator and photographer of the book Souls: Beneath and Beyond Autism which was awarded The Autism Society of America’ s “ Literary Work of the Year” for 2003, according to Portraits by Thomas Belsamo website.
He has partnered with Toys R Us on the Faces of Autism campaign to benefit Autism Speaks and his images of individuals dealing with autism have been displayed in 800 Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores across the country. Since 2007, $6 million have been raised from the Faces of Autism campaign.
Read more on the Daily Herald.
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