He was the co-producer and cinematographer of Charm City, a documentary filmed over three years chronicling violence in Baltimore and the resilience of a community living on the frontlines. The film aired on PBS and was shortlisted for an Oscar in 2019.
Lambertson co-directed and filmed The Whole Gritty City, a documentary about New Orleans marching bands that help steer teens away from street violence. The film aired on CBS and won a Christopher Award.
His work has been recognized with numerous honors, including five Pulitzer Center grants for investigative journalism, a George Soros Foundation Media Fellowship, a Webby Award, an Emmy nomination, and grants from the Art for Justice Fund and The Nation. He has also received a National Press Award.
Lambertson began his career as a photojournalist in the 1990s, working as a staff photographer for The Baltimore Sun before becoming a contract photographer for TIME magazine. His most significant photographic work, Ashes, is an in-depth exploration of juvenile violence in America.
His photographs have been exhibited at the International Center of Photography, the Smithsonian, and the Corcoran Gallery.
Lambertson was named a Netflix Amplifier Fellow in 2023, and in the fall of 2024, he was appointed an Ottaway Visiting Professor of Journalism at SUNY New Paltz.