ABOUT ERIN MARIE MILLER
I’m a freelance photographer and award-winning journalist based in Metro Detroit. My work has been published in print and online by national, regional and local magazines and news outlets for over a decade.
As a photographer, I’ve documented the emerging fashion and apparel industry in Detroit, photographed newsworthy political and community events in California and Michigan, and captured the portraits of musicians, athletes, fashion designers, artists, business owners and many others for a variety of publications since 2011.
As a reporter, I’ve written about small businesses, public policy, technology, the arts, wine, agriculture and more over the last decade. During that time, I’ve interviewed everyone from entrepreneurs, farmers and politicians to artists, winemakers, hackers, priests, rabbis, lawyers, senators, activists, musicians, sheriffs and more — interactions that broadened my worldview and taught me to understand and appreciate a diverse range of perspectives and human experiences. In 2021, I received a first-place Excellence in Journalism Award from the Society of Professional Journalists Detroit chapter for my reporting on the economic impact of the pandemic on minority-owned small businesses in Detroit.
Because my research process often relies on data and public records, I’m passionate about access to public information. In 2023, as part of an ongoing local investigation, I sued the State of Michigan under the state’s Freedom of Information Act, successfully obtaining unredacted public records related to the government’s still undisclosed contracts and work with a controversial global consulting firm for nearly half of 2020.
An ardent believer in the power of independent media, “small tech” and radical curiosity, I started this blog in 2021 as a space to share my in-progress reporting research, unpublished and rejected stories, personal essays, photojournalism projects and more. Because of my editorial background and education in political science and the fine arts, readers can expect to find posts here related to journalism, photography, art, transparency and civil liberties.
If you’re interested in keeping up with me elsewhere online, you can find me in the following places:
Read some of my traditionally published reporting here.
See my photography (and commission me to shoot for your publication) here.
Follow me on social media here.
If you’re a fellow photographer or journalist, you can also check out some of my favorite industry resources and essays over at my "J-School" page.
MY CREDO
I believe that which does not bend, breaks. Authentic progress requires an unwavering commitment to fairness and a sincere desire for understanding and dialogue. I strive for compassion and nuance in my approach to photography and journalism, and I have an inherent aversion to outrage culture, manipulation and cherry-picking.
As an artist and human, I don’t believe in snark, double standards, hypocrisy, cancellations, name-calling, hit pieces, partisanship or pettiness. All of those things make our collective future worse, not better. Instead, I believe in using the written word and visual communication to explore, celebrate, understand and embrace our humanness — including our differences and imperfections.
As a journalist, I believe in a free press and freedom of expression, and I oppose censorship (with a few extremely limited caveats) due to the ease with which it can be abused and the extent to which it has already been abused by powerful people throughout history, even as recently as the last several years. At the same time, I believe in adhering to consistent, high-quality reporting standards that rely on primary sources and independent verification to establish trust with readers.
I’m a fan of clean data and an advocate for open government and institutional transparency. I believe in taking time to do careful, unbiased research — even if it takes longer than you’d like. Emotions lie, breaking news often contains inaccuracies, and quick turnarounds can lead to errors that erode the public’s trust.
I believe the frantically paced 24-hour news cycle undermines the potential for a well-informed society. Instead of quick responses and sensationalized “hot takes,” readers of this blog should expect to find fair, balanced perspectives and thoroughly researched work that treats others with dignity while examining important issues with frankness, compassion, curiosity and skepticism.
Subscribers should never expect to see an immediate reaction to current events here, nor should they expect me to take a public position on most issues unless they directly relate to journalism, photography or open government. That’s because I believe the world is changed by the example we set through our actions — not the reactions we share online. Because of that, I am also a conscientious objector to the so-called culture wars, which I believe serve only to dehumanize others while preventing us from moving forward and building a more compassionate, unified society.
I believe truth can only be found at the point where all perspectives meet. I don’t believe people who disagree with me are dangerous or a threat, nor do I believe they should be censored or ridiculed. Instead, I believe that maintaining our personal values while treating others with dignity and listening to them with a sincere desire to learn and understand, rather than to manipulate or judge, is an opportunity for uncovering our own blind spots, misconceptions and biases.
Finally, I value tolerance and ideological diversity, and I strive to broaden my worldview beyond the inflexible narratives and partisan dogmas of our times — a quality some people are intimidated by, and others find refreshing.
ETHICS POLICY
In my reporting, I adhere to the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics and the Munich Charter, as it applies globally.
My photojournalism and documentary photography are guided by the Associated Press Visuals Standards for Photography and the National Press Photographers Association’s Code of Ethics for Visual Journalists. (Note: These news standards apply only to my photojournalism and documentary photography; other types of photography typically require additional retouching.)
I do not use generative AI to produce any portion of my writing, reporting or photography.
CORRECTIONS
If you notice a factual error, or if you feel that anything you read here requires additional context, please use this form to request a correction (this helps prevent emails from mistakenly being delivered to my spam folder). I will do my best to independently verify new information and inform subscribers about corrections as quickly as possible.
Corrections and substantive updates are logged here.
WHY SUBSCRIBE?
This newsletter is for people who share my love of photography and journalism — and the process of doing both.
Subscribers can expect to receive essays about writing, reporting, photography, art, free expression, press freedom and transparency. Readers can also expect occasional investigative pieces and periodic updates about my Freedom of Information Act requests, as well as insights into my research processes for various projects.
You can subscribe to this newsletter by signing up below. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of every email.
