Graduate laughing at Harvard Divinity School
Environmental portrait · Boston area

The laugh before
you remember
to pose.

Portraits through warmth and conversation.

Book a session See the work →
Digital · Film · Boston
About

Natural, nostalgic, and lighthearted photographs.

Cambridge & Boston, MA
Available regionally
Queer-affirming

I'm Ben — a photographer, teacher, and Harvard-trained scholar based in the Boston area. My practice is rooted in environmental portraiture: I work with natural light, familiar locations, and a lot of back-and-forth to create photos that express who you are and what you love.

If you're someone who thinks they hate being photographed, I'd love to change your mind. My shoots are warm, collaborative, and unhurried. I come prepared to chat, set you at ease, and guide you through posing. Together, we'll devise a plan that gives you exactly what you're looking for — whether it's a preexisting vision or something you didn't know you wanted until you saw it on the backscreen of my camera.

Mediate (adj.) — occupying a middle position; acting as an intermediary. The name is a nod to Sally Mann's Immediate Family, a collection that views the levity and intimacy of home life through a fine art lens. It also describes the position I try to occupy in every session: somewhere between documentarian and collaborator, observer and participant — close enough to earn a real expression, and ready to capture it when one arrives.

Selected work

Full gallery →

Sessions & pricing

Pre-shoot consultation and fully-edited gallery, delivered within one week.

01
Graduation
Portraits
A personal favorite. Campus and outdoor sessions celebrating your accomplishment without the overdone poses everyone's seen. I know the light, I find the spot, and I help you forget the camera is there.
Inquire for pricing
02
Family
Sessions
Candid, relaxed, and tailored to your family dynamic. Together, we'll find scenes that ditch stiffness and discover the affection and easy familiarity that makes your family special. Milestone and seasonal sessions welcome!
Inquire for pricing
03
Professional
Headshots
Approachable, confident portraits for LinkedIn and professional use. A natural style expressing your poise with personal nuance — because you're more interesting than a stock photo.
Inquire for pricing
04
Film
Add-on
Add a roll of film for softened edges, unmatched color, and a nostalgic rendering of natural light.
$35–50 / roll
Queer-affirming sessions are a point of pride. Every client deserves a space to show up as themselves.
A note on darkroom prints

Some images want
to be objects.

I make black and white prints by hand, the old fashioned way. If you're interested in a print from our session, or from my fine art work, I'm happy to discuss. These are made one at a time with the glowing whites and inky blacks of luxurious silver-gelatin paper.

Process — Silver gelatin
Sizes — 5×7 to 11×14
Finish — Archival, signed
Candlelit gathering in a chapel
Fine Art Project

A Personal Project: Documenting Joy in Religious Studies

Alongside my portrait work, I maintain an ongoing personal photo project: a long-form study of joy in the academic study of religion. My goal is to shed new light on the nebulous field of religious studies by documenting the faces and environments of people who dedicate their lives to studying religious and humanistic traditions.

I began the project while a Masters student in Jewish Studies at Harvard, but its roots run back to my study of philosophy at Brown, where I developed the conviction that the scholarly encounter with meaning is one of the least-photographed forms of human delight. Reach out — I love to discuss it.

Get in touch about this project

In their words

Ben's photography style is gorgeous, soft, and intimate. He has a warm approachability that makes the process super relaxed and fun. Extremely professional, willing to collaborate, and his turnaround is quick and impressive.
Cass — graduation session
As someone who typically feels uncomfortable in front of a camera, Ben did an astounding job making me feel relaxed and confident. He's an excellent choice for queer folks — an atmosphere of authenticity that shines through in the final product.
Kate — graduation session
Taking grad photos with Ben was an incredible experience. He set me at ease, had such familiarity with camera and locations, and I loved how the lighting, expression, and composition of each picture turned out.
Sarah — graduation session
The level of skill and care that goes into each photo is commendable. Ben's dedication to his clients is remarkable and matched with a warm and welcoming personality in every shoot. Reach out to Ben — you won't regret it.
Caleb — portrait session

Let's make
something together.

Sessions fill quickly around graduation season. Send a note about what you're celebrating, what you're nervous about, what you want to remember — and I'll be in touch within 48 hours.

Send a note
Response timeWithin 48 hours
LocationBoston area & beyond
TurnaroundGallery in ~1 week
FormatsDigital & film
Instagram@mediatefamily