Brian Z. Shapiro is a photographer and multimedia artist born and raised in San Francisco. His work explores the invisible forces that affect our surroundings. Geological spots are shaped by the tales, myths, and ideas that history brings. His work explores both the places and the forces that have an effect on the physical world. Growing up in a suburb of San Francisco that had almost no documented history, he has always been fascinated by places that have a history that shaped its present. Eschewing the studio for the actual place and the archive, he’s more interested in the experience of being the one to take the picture. Through documenting both the place and the experience of being there, he gives his audience an understanding of what it is to be at that certain spot and go beyond the aesthetic into a deeper understanding of the aura of a geographical location. Shapiro has a BA in photography from San Francisco State University and a MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute.