Jeffrey Wolin: Faces Of Homelessness

[Richard Wasserman]

A friend of mine is featured on Lens/cratch today with work from his recent project on homelessness


https://lenscratch.com/2022/03/jeffrey-a-wolin-faces-of-homelessness/

[Tin Can]

Few will respond Richard

Most seldom see, more care.......less

I was a vagabond, aka no permanent home for several years

I recognize the Chicago locations

I was amazed at how many Vietnam vets lived rough in CA Forest in the 70's. Countless

I moved into SRO, aka men only very poor, for a year, then had to leave 'Jeff's Laugh Inn' a cruel depository of rejects, we drank

I was one day to sleeping in Lincoln Park against a tree

A couple young guys gave a me a bed if I paid in a week, I knew them from the bar across the street

It is much worse these years everywhere

SAD

[Richard Wasserman]

Randy,
You might want to see more of Jeff's work—

https://www.jeffreywolin.com

He's been addressing significant social issues for a long time

[Michael R]

There's an LA-based commercial photographer on youtube who does portraits of/interviews with people in terrible situations, including a lot of homeless people. Mostly Skid Row. We have increasing homelessness in my city, and many people with homes are a paycheck or two away.

[Tin Can]

One Shawnee seeks to tackle 'crisis level of rural poverty' in southernmost Illinois (https://thesouthern.com/news/local/one-shawnee-seeks-to-tackle-crisis-level-of-rural-poverty-in-southernmost-illinois/article_95f29abc-12ec-5175-9938-3ba163cdca26.html)

Come on down, real close to me

In the early 70's I drove a free station wagon to the Black Part of town in Holmes Cty MS

At that time the poorest in USA

When I was seen by whitey playing golf, I stayed for safety with the poor and very sick sharecroppers

I don't need a picture, I remember every moment like a movie

I took the train North, which was very interesting

[Pieter]

I really don't want to sound cold and heartless about this subject, but a great many photographers and film directors have done series ad nauseam on the homeless. As much as they might portray them as individuals who are trapped in unfortunate circumstances, it does not seem to improve their situation one iota. They are an easy target for photographers, it feels more like exploitation of their plight than really doing much good. At the end of the day, the photographer goes home to comfort leaving the homeless in their same predicament.

[Michael R]

True. It doesn't help the people living these lives. It's a photography project/subject.


I really don't want to sound cold and heartless about this subject, but a great many photographers and film directors have done series ad nauseam on the homeless. As much as they might portray them as individuals who are trapped in unfortunate circumstances, it does not seem to improve their situation one iota. They are an easy target for photographers, it feels more like exploitation of their plight than really doing much good. At the end of the day, the photographer goes home to comfort leaving the homeless in their same predicament.

[LabRat]

But, just taking shots (even before/after) tends to just "rubber stamp" a category of "homelessness" to individuals who have experienced many events that have led to their situation, and among many with many events that have led to their situations...

Way too broad of a brush...

Steve K

[Jody_S]

Given the extent of homelessness today, worse than during the time of Hoovervilles in the great depression, and the willingness of virtually all of society to just look the other way, I would say photographers have a duty now more than ever to make visible the invisible. To document. To tell stories.