Founder and Director David Lehman is both a professional photographer and an attorney with legal experience working with disadvantaged youth in New York City. David traveled and lived in different parts of Kenya, including its capital, Nairobi. It was there that he realized how great the global digital divide was and how those who lack access to digital technologies and the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to navigate them can end up marginalized in increasingly digitally driven societies. 

In 2016, David learned of an organization using photography and got involved. Seeing first-hand how photography taught students invaluable skills beyond just taking photos inspired him to combine his talents, passion, and vocation to make an impact in the lives of under-resourced students. David decided to use photography to close the digital divide and catalyze under-resourced students’ economic advancement, creative talents, and personal well-being. 

David brought his sister, Abby, and friend, CJ, into his idea to begin a nonprofit organization that uses photography to provide opportunities to learn for young people across the globe with limited exposure and even more limited access. As a founding board and using their combined relative strengths and expertise, CJ, Abby, and David founded Photo Start. Using the International Center of Photography’s proven model as a guide, they developed a core digital photography program that was adapted to working with students across the globe with little technical exposure and a lack of access to learn, earn, grow, and give back.