Born in Kentucky in 1950, Shelby Lee Adams attended the Cleveland Institute of Art where he was exposed to the photographs of the Farm Security Administration; these inspired him to take photos of the people of Appalachia, an ongoing project that has shaped his life’s work. Adams’ awards include a survey grant and fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts (1978, 1992), grants from the Polaroid Corporation (1989–92), and the John Simon Guggenheim Photography Fellowship(2010). His work is held in collections including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne, Switzerland. Adams exhibits and teaches internationally, and is curently developing his archive with the Center of Creative Photography in Tucson, Arizona.