Those less fortunate

[stevem7]

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I was driving around today working on my 1st assignment for my photo class (24 hours of my life on film) and came across this guy "Bob" on the freeway exit. We spoke for 20 seconds and I gave him $3 and asked if I could snap a quick pic. I had the VC 15 on my M7 ad just lifted and snapped. It was about 107 degrees and he did not look so good.

 

I then came across another guy on a bench not too far from my home. I walked up and triedto wake him and asked if he was OK. He lifted his head and mumbled something, said he was hungry so I gave him $2 and asked if I could take his picture. He just passed out in the 107 full sun on the bench.

 

I usually give a little to these guys and sometimes buy them hamburgers as I see them and many others almost daily.

 

The two close shots were with the 50 cron.

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[stevem7]

Also, this roll of Tri-X was processed in my bathroom, my 2nd time ever processing film!

[elansprint72]

Steve,

Congrats on the Tri-X development, you seem to have got the hang of it!

 

This is a pretty moving series- is this sort of thing common in the US? Not what we see on the TV usually. Here in the UK we still have some beggars on the streets but far fewer than in the grim Thatcher years (I bet you didn't see that on TV in the US at the time, either).

 

Cheers,

Pete.

[uulrich]

Hi Steve; This is another series of your excellent work. Congratulations to your first rolls of TX400. They turned out well - might require some post process w.r..t some dust on the negatives. But I mention this only to show you that finally I found some glitch. ;-)

 

#1 is definitely my favorite. It tells a story and showing the differences in ones life and another. It is so apparent and striking as it unfortunate is. Excellent stuff throughout.

[stuny]

Steve -

 

Excellent series, and heart breaking. #1 is all the stronger for having your left arm in the shot, suggesting that you cared. All shots scrisp, with wide tonal range, and well composed. I've have been tempted to try to rig some shade for the man on the bench.

[vic vic]

very well done steve. the photos are good, and u have hadeled the 1st time developing of film not bad (especially concidering the sunny day which is sometimes a pain with b/w) :-)

[Sandokan]

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Great shots.

 

And now for my diatribe:-

Dont give them money; they will only waste it on drink, drugs or fast food ... ooh the same as the rest of us! There was one guy in Glasgow who instead of the usual "spare 10p for a cup of tea?" simply asked "give a man a pound for a beer"

 

Homelessness and begging are common in Europe too (UK, Germany, France...) and is a deplorable state of affairs for a rich country to allow. Have you read "Down and out in London and Paris" by George Orwell? To be without an address is to be non-existent and to exist (and get a job) - you need an address. Catch 22.

 

 

Hope your assignment goes well.

[stevem7]

Thanks for all of the kind coments on these. I had fun yesterday going out and photographing my day, and I was so excited to see how they tunred out I couldnt wait to process the negatives.

 

As for not giving these guys money, I know that 99% of them will spend it on booze, or whatever but at least it will give them some comfort. Many of these gys are near death. In the downtown areas of Phoenix, AZ (where I live) there are so many homeless.

 

I used to know a guy who had no legs, no arms and sat in a wheelchair. he had no chance. I would give him $10 in his cup every now and then and I got to know him. Never took a photo but he ended up dying 2 years ago.

 

I met another guy in a wheelchair who told me how he used to run a crack house and he was shot and paralyzed, and now lives on the street. He had his little AM radio playing Jazz while telling me how he was in Desert Storm in 91.

 

Anyway, thanks again for the comments. I processed in D76 of course at 66 degrees for 10 minutes, 30 seconds. I know there are a bit of marks on them, maybe just dust?

[vic vic]

ravi and steve - very difficult moral question. as a philospher (althout ethics is not my experties), i would rather say that i tend to the ravi's point - they do spend money on things that just let them down. but this is not the prblem. the main problem is that it is not me or u who has to carry about them - probably, a state that creates a tough environment of living for many people should have some well developed institutioned "mechanism" to take care about those that cannot stand the pace and the conditions. now such a state is ok with me, but again, a little more care would be better, especially since the state is of this kind (i mean western culture states). so, by giving, actaully we do something that should be done by the state.

but, from the other point, when people like this come across, they dont really mind about my philosophy and i also dont mind, although i do follow my logical conclusions. they need it, and for many of them - there is simply no more chances - they are down as steve says. and ya - at least some comfort.

when i make some projects of streets, i also come across this. so i just get the money i have in the pocket and give it, without even looking how much is there. they feel great with it. i hear it in the background how thankful some of them are and pray etc when they relize how much money is there... now, they will have money a little, and maybe they still will keep some hope that people can be good, or today some kind of "mini-miracle" happened to them. it may give them some little strenght.

and as for me, or u, well, our personal philosophies are not a big deal if we dont act on more serious level (which we probably will not), and tat given money is not a big deal - in resourants for the launch i can pay with credit cardd.

[pleeson]

Steve,

This is a pretty moving series- is this sort of thing common in the US? Not what we see on the TV usually.

 

Homelessness increased dramatically in the US in the 1960-1970's when well-intentioned reformers closed down the type of mental institution portrayed in "One flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". Rather than improve the existing setup, these folks were largely turned out on the street. Many now wander around the warmer parts of the USA. Most of the homeless are schizophrenic or substance abusers. Lack of decent outpatient mental health care (no funding) has meant that these unfortunate patients rarely take their medications. I felt that many patients were better cared for in a more structured environment; not to mention the serial killer types...

[elansprint72]

Phil,

Your comment pretty much parallels the UK situation, under the government of the Iron Maiden most of the large mental hospitals were shut and the land sold off, the unfortunate inmates were destined for a scheme called "Care in the Community", you can guess the rest.

 

Thanks,

Pete.

[stuny]

Pete -

 

The most marked difference between post Maggie UK and here is that there are a number of cities in the US warm enough to allow these people to actually survive on the streets year round.

[vic vic]

phil, pete and stuart...

u r rite - especially about the uk usa cases.. but dont forget - that even there - many are not from the schyzophreny background - but rather from "good fortune of life" or bad things happened to them like using drugs alcohol, and those who couldnot find place in the social structure and market.

this is especially true about israel...

 

stuny - here it is too hot to survive like this. but israely government give some better accomondation and food etc.. dont know - maybe it comes from the religion (it is a rule to help weaks in jedaism, so some seriusly follow it). may be it comes from that the government and municipalitets dont want to see such things here. but the problem in israel is that, wile they give some better accomodation than usualyy in uk and usa, they simply push by their policy the low-mid-range stattuses towards being "weak".

some cruel moves in economy a few years back (cutting from the walfare etc amomg others) was really important and strategically-economically corerct steps in my opinion - that gave israel a serious rise of course. but some compation would be welcomed. only a very well structured solutions will answer this problem of homeless and sometimes helpless people. not me and u and our good will to give.

[Guest evita]

ever thought of sitting down with them, take some food with you, leave the cam at home, and talk, and more important LISTEN to ONE of them? for one day, and perhaps the next as well?

[uulrich]

ever thought of sitting down with them, take some food with you, leave the cam at home, and talk, and more important LISTEN to ONE of them? for one day, and perhaps the next as well?

Yes, I did. Have you? What was your impression?

[vic vic]

ya me too - evita and uwe...

 

my impression - well, im not sure what u expect to hear... maybe i will not be so nice...

leace aside the government issue of course...

on personal level - i was a little shocked. those people have no will at all to do something in order to improve. many times they dont even have wishes at all. what is the reason.... is it because of the situation they are in, or is it that character that brought them in that situation - dont know.. this is too hypothetic question. i just know that looking deep inside, they have some qualities in their character that, if one of my friends would have, i wouldnot accapt him/her like that. im generalizing here, not all are like this of course, but in most of them can be found some common lines in character and mental attitude to life and to their own selves. some of them can spaeck really nice things, a kind of street philosophy etc. i wasnot surprised of course, all in all, they are human beings, and some of them, maybe in other condition would be fantastic and successful people. but they fall down, all the time. they can speack now, and forget about it and just fall to their anemic behaviour and attitude... another drug, andother alcohol etc. not even an attempt to improve things.

so compation alone, and clear minded observation alone.

i really prefer people that do try to do something...

in my documentary work about poverty, i had some questions - how is poor, how to adjust to this issue. i prefered to get along with people who pray for the oprtunity to make some money in order to give food to their children. people who will do everything, including being hungry themsleves, but give something to their children. those who still have hopes, and attempt to look towards a better future and to do something about it. they are in dipretion too, they fall down too, but never give up at the botton line. but those who give up... well, they usueally would take the last peny from home for drugs and alcohol and leave their children hungry.

isnt it the story in many of the cases????

 

to mention it again - im making here some generalization of course, so like in all generalization, for many privete cases it will be infair.

[Guest evita]

Uwe, the problem is not, what MY impression was, it's not me having taken the pictures above or uploaded them.

 

everybody is free to do as he pleases, but I wouldn't have taken, nor for that matter, posted the pictures above, of a human being that obviously wasn't in condition to understand what was happening. i miss respect for the person. a picture can be as good as you want, i don't care, if it lacks respect i'd rather do without. just my opinion, every and each one of us has to decide where her/his boundaries are. this is a showing off, to me.

 

the problem is not to give a couple bucks or three, the problem isn't the problem of a government or another, it's the problem of the society, WE are the society, everyone.

 

and to answer your first question: yes.

[vic vic]

so, what is the alternative way evita. with what u say, at least half of the candid photography, half of the documentary should be "ruled out".

 

we are the society - ya, for sure.. but we have government - and we better keep it that way... "abc" of aristoteles, hobbes, lock, adams, mill etc ect. and we already know by the history what is society without governing power. it is government issue, only on this level things can be "solved". documentary photography can only help, especially if it is brought to the level of "agenda".

 

about showing off... well, i do agree that there are elements of it in the above pictures. it is there in the first frame becasue of steve's hand that can be seen from the car. it is also there in the close-ups on the face. here, as a photographer, i do ask (at least myself) the question of bounderies.

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[earleygallery]

Powerful photographs. I would disagree that they are exploit the subjects.

 

I pass several homeless people every day to/from work in London. Whilst it is of course unfortunate that people can reach such lows, there are some that have chosen their way of life and don't want the help and resources which are available to them.

 

But society is ever more restrictive and people like the old lady who for years had lived in an abandoned car in a London street are no longer tolerated, people moving into the area worried about the effect on house prices, the authorities seizing the car and scrapping it. I don't know what became of her, probably put into a hostel for a while and who knows, maybe she chose to move on again and live in a box or something.

 

My Mother used to work in a local phsyciatric hospital. It was closed down and is now a very exclusive housing estate..........

[stevem7]

Since I am the one who posted the pics above, let me say that for YEARS I have sat with these people, talked with them, bought them food, helped them with money and listened to their stories. Even though most are either drug addicts, alcaholics or mentally insane they are still human, and many have NO choice at all. What can they do? Decide one day to go get a job making minimum wage? Still not nearly enough to live, not even close. They are pretty much hopeless and have adapted to this life after giving up all hope. In both of these instances, I ASKED them if I could take their photograph for my school project. BOTH said yes, even though the guy on the bench lifted up and instantly fell back asleep.

 

I am not exploiting them, not at all. This is a reality, and it's VERY bad in Arizona where I am from. Its an epidemic actually. I have the right to talk with them, help them, and photograph them. 99% of them will die on the streets, and NO one seems to help or lend a hand. I enjoy hearing their stories, and have thought seriously about photographing many more as it is documenting a huge problem.

 

Also, they have no problem with it at all, and neither do I. I plan on going out next week to see if I can find any of the "regulars' I have already met and spoken to, and will photograph them if they agree to it.

 

Thanks for all of the interesting comments and remarks.