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[JeromeMorrow]

On friday I biked downtown to get my stitched removed at the hospital and I brought my camera just in case. While I my way home I spotted this sad sight. Worst part is that this is quite common in Vancouver, more so than anywhere else in Canada to my knowledge. I fealt kinda bad taking a picture but he was completely out of it and I thought it was an important image to capture. I also didn't reveal his identity.

 

[Hannahbelle]

Great picture, very moving.
I always hear that homelessness is worse in Vancouver, too...not sure why that is, could be the warmer weather? If I had no place to sleep, I'd choose somewhere that didn't get as much snow...
Very sad.

 

[craig]

Why did you think this was an important image to capture? Street people have enough trouble with out a photographer rolling past and taking random photos. If this is a subject that interests you take the time to explore the people and their lives.

Love & Bass

 

[JeromeMorrow]

Actually craig, that's kinda why. I've already had a lot of time with "the people." I've spent a fair bit of time at the downtown hospital here and through this time I've met a lot of the folk upon the street. They have very interesting stories and the ones I've met can't stand their situation and yet are trapped within it. I wasn't just taking some random shot of a homeless dude, I was trying to convey this fact.
Drugs and homeless are everywhere in Vancouver yet people just think about how pretty Vancouver is. The truth is the city is extremely contrasting. On one hand you have a downtown with more condos and new fancy building projects than you can shake two fists at, and on the other hand you can simply venture just off the main streets into an alley and find this, or if you simply walk a few minutes to hastings find an entirely different world you never new existed. The worst part is that the issue seems to be simply swept under the rug here, especially with the mayor. Most of the citizens of Vancouver that I have met won't even "dare" to venture to Hastings, but I've walked through the area and even met a few people while exploring and never once feared being robbed or beaten like so many seem to be. If Vancouver is going to ignore this world, I think it's important to capture it and bring it into the open.

This is a subject that is very important to me, and I have no intention of simply rolling by and taking random photos.

 

[LaFoto]

Well, I for one see the reason why you felt compelled to take the photo and show to the little world of TPF that such things exist in Vancouver, as well.

If no one was to ever film or photograph anybody in trouble or with problems, how would we hear about the incredibly terrible situation in Myanmar after the cyclone or taiphoon or whatever the storms are called there? And we get few enough pictures from there since the Generals see to it that the world only see what (little!) good THEY do.

Someone must go and take photos of what is an undeniable truth. Whether out in the world or in their home town. I find that if it is done without putting damage to the person's dignity (and this one here unfortunately was in a very undignified state to begin with), without the intentions of a ghoul, but in order to tell a story, then photos such as this one have their right and definitely their strength! Hopefully also a little power in the course of time so that things might even change. Hopefully.

 

[craig]

To me your interest or experience is not coming across in the photo. Maybe you have more from the series? Nothing engages me and I can only assume this guy is homeless. To capture their world I think you have to portray them as human beings as opposed to a blob on the street. Keep at it and let's see what you come up with.

Love & Bass

 

[Senor Hound]

Sometimes a conversion to black and white shifts the emphasis from the scene itself to the feelings behind it. Perhaps that would be worth a shot?

I also agree with your statements about homelessness. I don't live in Vancouver, but here in America homelessness is an issue also. At my old apartment complex, homeless people used to go through our dumpsters on an almost daily basis. Sometimes I'd slip them some money, especially in the colder times of year, but its such a huge issue, its not going to be taken care of by slipping them fives and tens here and there. People think these people chose to be their with their actions in life, but I assure you this is not the case...

Also to LaFoto: Not to hijack, but sometimes photos of people in events like this, who have lost their dignity, are the best subjects. Although pity is such a double-edged feeling, its very powerful, and sometimes what it takes to get people to understand what goes on in the underbelly of humanity.

 

[rufus5150]

I'm not particularly moved by this photo (nor am I NOT moved by this photo in the reverse sense), mostly because I can't tell what he's doing and it looks very unnatural, like he's moving from a pose or to a pose that would have made a better shot. I do, however, appreciate the framing of the subject off-center to the right. I'd be inclined to frame someone sitting like that according to the rule of thirds in the lower left intersect which is pretty 'typical' for a shot like that. This plays against those sensibilities and pulls it off really, really well.

 

[JeromeMorrow]

I tried out black and white and I found that in this case more feeling was evoked in colour.
In remark to your comment about choice, this is very true. I met a teenager in the hospital 4 years ago. He was literally the smartest man I have ever known and I would stay up late at night learning advanced physics in his room. Yet, he was on the street, depressed, and suicidal. He felt as if know one cared for him in the world, and this seemed to have drained him of the will to live, even though he had so much ability. Without compassion in your life, you lose the will to make any effort, and you just want to escape with no care about the outer world.