Cynthia Slaughter is a documentary photographer whose work explores love, loss, faith, and the quiet dignity of everyday life. Since 2011, she has produced work for numerous solo and group exhibitions, including her 2020 Orange County Cultural Tourism Grant-funded exhibition, “Cynthia Slaughter, Documentary Photographer: On Love & Loss,” at the Hannibal Square Heritage Center. In that deeply personal body of work, she documented the experience of losing her home to Hurricane Irma alongside the enduring bond she shares with her mother, weaving themes of resilience and faith throughout.

Her work has received six awards, including First Place for Portraits of Hunger from Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and recognition from Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs.

A dedicated arts educator, Cynthia has worked with young photographers through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida teaching them how to use film and digital cameras to photograph their city, Historical Goldsboro in Sanford, Florida and Historical Eatonville. Slaughter also participated in Master Class Documentary projects with the Crealdé School of Art.

Growing up in a large family, she developed an early desire to preserve every expression and milestone. After receiving her first Kodak camera in the late 1970s, she was drawn to candid photography that reveals authenticity and emotional truth.

In her collection Under the Shade Tree, Slaughter captures moments of contemplation in everyday spaces. She invites viewers to pause and consider what her subject might be thinking while sitting beneath the shade — reflecting, observing, or simply enjoying stillness. Through this work, she challenges assumptions and affirms the dignity of a Black man experiencing peace without suspicion. Her photographs insist on humanity, presence, and the sacred beauty of ordinary life.