Born in 1977 in Passaic, New Jersey and raised in a Jersey Suburb only minutes from Manhattan, David Uzzardi became  exposed to many different cultures at a very early age.  His career as a photographer is rooted in his childhood fascination  with people and how they interpret their surroundings. Uzzardi had a desire to capture the world as he saw it.  And at the  age of 12, after pleading over and over again, his father handed over his beloved Nikon EM to a young David and an instant  love was formed.  From the very beginning, Uzzardi worked almost exclusively with black and white film and eventually had his own darkroom in his parent’s laundry room. From there he obtained his Bachelor in Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts, in Manhattan, where he continued to further his knowledge and develop his passion.  It was at college where  Uzzardi began taking cross-country trips, where he ventured to nearly all 50 states and practically every major city.  By  graduation, he already knew in what direction he was headed and by securing a black and white printing position first in  Manhattan, then in San Francisco, David was free to shoot the kind of photos he wanted to take.  The labs also allowed  Uzzardi to process and print works by such prominent photographers as: Robert Frank, Bruce Weber, Duane Michals, and  Jim Marshall.  It was this that gave Uzzardi an advanced understanding of the black and white photographic medium.For Uzzardi, the greatest meaning and satisfaction has always been derived from searching for and making images in  which, while rooted in a specific time and place, speak far beyond them in a special way.  He focuses on the ordinary  moments in life and elevates them to a higher level of significance, bringing these moments to the surface, to be recognized, evaluated, and emotionalized.  Thus, striving to capture an understanding of the human experience, both for himself and for his larger audience.  His subjects include people living on the margins of society, vanishing Americana, and the vibrancy of life on the streets.  His work reveals the despair, faith, futility, hope, defeat, and triumph of his subjects and invites the viewer into the photograph to share these poignant moments.