MINNEAPOLIS -- For Andrea Ellen Reed, photography is about capturing the struggles and emotions of regular people.
"I photograph people who are everyday people and I want to show the beauty that exists within their everyday lives," she said.
The Minneapolis and New York City-based photographer and director focuses her work on the lives of black Americans.
"What I want people ot take away from that is a real understanding of who we are as a people," Reed explained.
She started taking photos and shooting video during her undergraduate studies at Howard University, then continued at the Academy of Art University where she received a Masters of Fine Arts in Photography.
For more on Andrea and her work, visit her website here.