Life underneath you.

D3sh1 · Nov 12, 2007

spiffybeth · Nov 12, 2007

id like it better if it werent for the lady walking in front of him. its a really neat shot though

D3sh1 · Nov 12, 2007

the whole idea is the lady with the full hand of food and the homless kid with the empty hand

spiffybeth · Nov 12, 2007

i thought it was just a guy taking a nap...he doesnt look homeless, just tired.

LaFoto · Nov 12, 2007

Well, I would not even DREAM of taking a nap out there on my clothes, on the sidewalk, no matter how tired I might be! So anyone who feels compelled to rest ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET looks homeless TO ME by default (as it were).

So yes, I do see the story behind this photo, and do see why it is called (sarcastically so, I assume) "Life underneath you" ... she isn't bothered in the least, just walks by and doesn't even look while she might just about step on his hand. Without the lady, there wouldn't be half the story.

danir · Nov 12, 2007

Yup. The woman makes the shot.

Dani.

Stillwater · Nov 12, 2007

LaFoto said:
she isn't bothered in the least, just walks by and doesn't even look while she might just about step on his hand. Without the lady, there wouldn't be half the story.

I agree LaFoto, what I brought away from this picture was the fact that he's down there sleeping and she doesn't even notice, she is up in her own world and he is down there.

Now, where I'm from it'd be completely different. My town's population of homeless might top 10, so something like that would catch everyone's attention, and he'd probably end up with a $10 for some food.

I really like the story behind this one D3sh1 (as well as the photo) and I'm jealous you have the opportunity to catch the struggles of a big city.

D3sh1 · Nov 12, 2007

Thank you everybody ,
i dunno how can you think his taking a nap when you see his hand on the ground asking for money ,
and also i dont think there are many people who would lay down in the middle of the street and put thier hands just for taking a nap hehe .

spiffybeth · Nov 12, 2007

i still dont know. if you say this guy is homeless, i believe you, but to me that looks like someone taking a nap.

his clothes are clean and not stained. he's got nice looking shoes and pants and a hat. he has a bottle of water. all those things dont scream homeless to me. not to mention it looks like he's laying on a blanket.

the homeless people i'm used to seeing in nyc look nothing like him. and people rest in train areas (like penn station) all the time.

D3sh1 · Nov 12, 2007

there are dirty and old homeless guys in here also ,
but this is a kid , a kid without a home and his shirt is a lil bit dirty and he wears snickers the he probably got from the shelter ,
we dont have people that taking nap at the main street here .
+ his askin for money with his hand and the bottle is for drinking becasue it was afternoon and it was a hot day .

spiffybeth · Nov 12, 2007

like i said, i believe you if you say he is homeless, but that isnt what i see when i look at this picture.

thats why photography is art.

spiffybeth · Nov 12, 2007

just out of curiosity, when was the picture taken?

spiffybeth · Nov 12, 2007

and if you have the picture in color, can you post it? this might be one of the most interesting photographs to spark conversation. ive sent a few of my friends to the picture and some say definitely not homeless and some say definitely homeless despite knowing he IS homeless.

YoungRebel · Nov 13, 2007

Great shot!

Let's make it a little easyier for spiffybeth and show her one of your shots that might fit more into her picture of a homeless person :er:

http://d3sh1.deviantart.com/art/6-68765197

(hope it's ok to link that pic - it's just so close to this one...)

spiffybeth · Nov 13, 2007

YoungRebel said:
Great shot!

Let's make it a little easyier for spiffybeth and show her one of your shots that might fit more into her picture of a homeless person :er:

http://d3sh1.deviantart.com/art/6-68765197

(hope it's ok to link that pic - it's just so close to this one...)

its interesting that no one here (at least no one that posted) will admit that he doesn't look homeless, yet everyone i asked to look at the picture stood firmly on one side or the other.

the most common response is that he looks like a college kid that passed out after a night of drinking or someone waiting in line for concert tickets.