Ernest and Nigel

Critical Exposure is teaching documentary photography to high school youth at Martha's Table, a local organization that fulfills the needs of low-income and homeless children and families. The youth learned portrait and interview techniques, with help from photographer Danny Harris (of the " People's District" blog), and were tasked with capturing oral histories from people in the neighborhood as a way to learn more about DC.

Three youth shot this portrait of Ernest Henderson, the owner of a barber shop at 14th and U streets, with his son, Nigel. Once a high school student at DC's Ballou Senior High School, and eventually a graduate of a Maryland trade school, Ernest told the youth his personal story of what can happen without education and career prep.

"When I was nine years old, I was a boxer," Ernest said. "In my twenties I went pro! But people kept telling me, 'You need a trade. You need to go to school, in case boxing doesn't work out.' Which was right.

"But after that, I got in trouble. I was hanging out with the wrong crew. Got caught up. Then somebody tried to rob me, took my bag of drugs, and I shot them, and I had to do some time." After serving five years, Ernest told the youth it took him two and a half years to get his life back together. He's now happy to have kids, a family and a business.

Ernest is pictured outside his barbershop with his son, Nigel, a rising eighth grader who aspires to attend DC's School Without Walls Senior High School.