In retirement Bill Franz bought a camera, learned how to use it, and became a volunteer photographer.  He has done photo projects for the Humane Society of Greater Dayton and for more than two dozen other local organizations.

In 2013 Bill started a project of his own – photographing people at work.  Since then he has photographed hundreds of workers, from butchers and bakers and candy makers to clowns and sculptors and fire eaters. The photos have appeared in solo and group art exhibitions and also in less traditional venues such as hospitals, retail stores, nature centers and breweries.  They have been seen by hundreds of thousands of people.  Profits from photo sales go to Dayton area nonprofits.

Online, Bill shares his photos of people at work in three places:

1. Bill started a popular facebook page called Dayton at Work and Play.  In addition to showing Dayton people at work, the page introduces viewers to the beautiful places and interesting people of Dayton.  It also promotes local small businesses, local artists and local nonprofits.
2. Photos of workers and other environmental portraits are shared on Bill’s Instagram  page.
3. Bill started this blog about his visits to Dayton area artists at work.  Condensed versions of these blog posts plus some of Bill’s other photos are regularly seen in the Dayton City Paper.  Photos of all of the Dayton artists Bill has photographed are collected in the Gallery Studio Visits .

You can reach Bill at billfranz17@gmail.com