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Authored by Jason Houge, 2026/03/06 Updated, 2026/08/13 The following directive is intended to establish guiding principles for the contemporary artist engaged in Compassionate Photography. This Artist Manifesto may be expanded upon and modified to make more suitable for practitioners engaged in other areas of creative process. These establishing guidelines need not be followed in their entirety, but should be considered and weighed against when creating art and images under the banner of Compassionate Photography or Compassionate Art. 1. Lead with compassion, for the story, the subjects, yourself AND the audience. No one should be battered by you, your process or the work you make.* *ExceptRead More →

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Jason Houge Fine Art - Box Logo 512

I use photography to record a life lived today. I photograph for posterity, to make a historical record that converses with an uncertain future, from the perspective of experiences and interactions I have during my lifetime. In short, I tell people “I am photographing a life lived today.” I am a visual storyteller working with photography in a social documentary practice I call Compassionate Photography. This is a derivative originating with “Concerned Photography,” a form of social documentary first described in the 1960’s by legendary photographer and founder of the International Center of Photography, Cornell Capa. I frequently make work with publication as my primary goal.Read More →

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Occupy Chicago; Chicago, IL 2011-2012; © 2020 Jason Houge, All Rights Reserved; VoTP_077

Capital TimesHungry city: Food banks and farmers feed rising numbers in Dane CountyPhotograph by: Jason HougeWritten By: Emily Shetler Capital TimesThe Family Table: A raclette dinner among friends tames a Wisconsin winterPhotographs by: Jason HougeWritten By: Kathy Brozyna Capital TimesHamel Center celebrates opening, bringing “Wisconsin touch after Wisconsin touch” to music schoolPhotographs by: Jason HougeWritten By: Yvonne Kim Eastside NewsNourishing our NeighborsPhotographs by: Jason HougeWritten By: Amie Hoag Capital TimesPerformance artist Kel Mur hosts a fertile ‘Feast’ at Morris RamenPhotographs by: Jason HougeWritten By: Lindsay Christians TonePodcast: Performance art, menstruation, and dinnerPhotographs by: Jason HougeConversation between Scott Gordon with Kel Mur NPR | All ThingsRead More →

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Jason Houge Fine Art - Box Logo 512

Selected Curriculum Vitae EDUCATION 2025 M.F.A. Studio Arts, University of Wisconsin – Madison 2011 B.A., Art and Visual Design, University of Wisconsin – Green Bay GRANTS and Scholarships 2025 Scholarship: Scholarships for Nontraditional, Adult, & Single Parent Students; University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI _____ Grant: Blair H. and Leah D. Temkin Exhibition Award; University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI 2024 Scholarship: Scholarships for Nontraditional, Adult, & Single Parent Students; University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI 2023 Grant: Student Research Grant; University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI _____ Scholarship: Ernie Moll Scholarship; University of Wisconsin – Madison, Madison, WI 2021 Grant:Read More →

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Jason Houge – Photographer, Artist, Author and Mentor. Jason Houge (b. 1979; United States) is an American photographer known for his artistic versatility, documentary storytelling and eye for events and experiences depicting the essence of a life lived today. In 2016 his work gained international acclaim when part of his feral cat project, My Feral Family, was published in Europe, China and by the New York Times LENS blog in the United States. His work draws on personal experiences, reflections of his lived past and an unwavering hope for the future. He practices an approach to picture making called Compassionate Photography, extending the idea ofRead More →