homeless people in london

as i move through the fair with camera in hand, the compulsion to document homeless folk becomes overwhelming, even if it does send the moral compass into a spin. on one hand it feels intrusive, while on the other, the reality deserves addressing. when i encounter what my camera was born for, i can almost hear the contraption yelling at me to nail these situations, and for a split second i get to feel what it might be like for a photo journalist taking pictures in a war zone where people are anxious or under heavy duress… it’s not fun taking those kind of photographs, but ultimately i’m glad i do. they’re a true record of how life is for many mother’s sons and daughters in this ruthless city. the more it’s discussed, the more of an issue it becomes. black and white photography is particularly good for this. it keeps the essence up front, where colour could be a distraction.

the picture of the lady above gets to me because she’s so beautiful.. she knows she deserves better than this. i love her hair..it reminds me of linda lewis in the 1970’s playing her fender stratocaster singing ‘rock a doodle doo’…what i mean is she looks like she’s got all the potential in the world to be where she’d prefer to be, yet there she is.. in deep water.

and the young girl below asleep in the middle of the day..her clock all upside down…she looks so young…and then below that, the group of fellas where one has retrieved food for the rest..then the man with the dog..the look on that little dog’s face throws me for six. then the final picture of the two young strapping guys who look like they’ve got so much to offer. all these people have, if only given a chance… everybody’s got something to offer.