Successful "collectives" of any kind are rare in these days of the individual. One of the most successful in the nation is the Luceo Images collective of young photographers whose works normally wouldn't find a home in traditional journalism. This group of young photographers formed in 2007 to do the kind of old fashioned photo journalism that helped, in the past, to change the world.

Hardly anyone has not had their views challenged by the right photograph at the right time. Personally, I will never forget the photograph of the gun to the head of the young member of the Viet Cong or the young girl burned from napalm running down the road in the Vietnam War. Even today, I can vividly see them if I close my eyes. Those searing images just increased my intensity of opposing that war.

Luceo Images Collective is becoming one of the most successful photograph collectives since the 1930's. The membership is committed to creating art that would make social issues more accessible to all citizens through the power of photography. They were even selected recently by a major awards group as "Newspaper Staff of the Year" until they realized they were a collective and the group had to return the award! The issues covered by the collective include immigration, politics, subculture, drugs, prison reform, rural poverty, mental illness and the long term effects of war. These selfless members, often at their own expense, travel the world looking for those shots that will challenge each and everyone of us.

A member of the collective, Matt Slaby says,

"The short story is that we've gathered a group of extraordinarily talented, young photographers and have made some serious headway very fast because of our emphasis on approaching projects as a group. In recent months we've had work featured in TIME's pictures of the year, represented in every major photography competition......"

So that members can continue their work and get financial assistance from the collective, they are offering a one-time sale of archival prints. Purchasing a print will enable these photographers to keep doing their astounding work on behalf of the powerless and needy. Every major photography gallery and all who care about photo journalism should be supporting the work of this extraordinary group.

Please take a minute, go to their sale site and buy just one print to enable them to continue to change the world through their art. Your home will be a better place by displaying their work and the world will be a more gentle place.

Below are two images from the collective.  The first is David Walker Banks at the Democratic National Convention and the second is taken by Kevin German.  These images are under copyright.