 42246015I was there on 9-11Premium
join:2007-04-22
lol | [Help] taking photos of homeless people Ok so for my photo-100 class at my university, we each have an assignment, to take photos that project an "emotion".
We all picked "emotions" out of a hat. Mine is "suffering". A fun emotion to work with, but very difficult.
The only thing I can think of that I could take photos of that are related to "suffering", is like homeless people down in the city. Or burn victims at the local hospital or something, but I'm not sure they would allow that.
But I'm not sure how about to go doing it. Should I walk around and hope I don't get mugged? Should I just drive around and snap photos from my car?
If I walk around, should I offer the homeless people money? Should I ask them if it's alright and explain why I'm doing it? Should I just stick to the panhandlers at the ends of highway ramps that are probably rich, or should I try to take photos of the real homeless people down in the ghetto pushing shopping carts full of clothes and stuff?
Man, this is a fun assignment, "suffering". But I wish I got something easier, like my classmate next to me, he got "happiness", so easy to take photos of people that are happy.
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 No_StringsTSA fanPremium,Mod
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| Suffering? Just find someone who's been married for a while and take their picture.
Based on the posts of a couple of folks here, treating subjects with respect - talking to them, learning something about them and asking permission is the way to go.
Suffering is a pretty broad category, though. Watching someone do some sort of physical training or competing in a sporting event would probably provide some good, painful expressions, action and color. |
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42246015I was there on 9-11Premium
join:2007-04-22
lol | Well I am using black and white film, so color is out.
I'm just really scared about doing this though. I'm a very white person, very white, lol and I have a feeling I'm going to get shot or mugged if I go into the ghetto of the city and try talking to the homeless.
The marriage suffering idea is good, but I don't really know any people that are dissatisfied with their marriage. |
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 60127178K.U. Sweet 16Premium
join:2001-02-15
Wichita, KS
kudos:1 | reply to 42246015
You need to remember these people are prone to untreated mental illness, and sometimes are not the friendliest. So be careful. I would ask permission to shoot just for the safety factor, your not shooting kids playing soccer. I myself would not pay them cash, but buying some sandwiches would be a kind gesture. Try going to a food pantry and get some pics of people waiting in line, try not to show their faces, IMHO that would be a good shot. Keeping the people somewhat anonymous.
How about going to a local V.A. hospital and talking with some wounded troops, that could work out well, let them know what the assignment is they would probably be more open to an idea like this.
*Disclaimer* I am not "celebrating" homelessness, or poverty, just trying to give the op some ideas.
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No_StringsTSA fanPremium,Mod
join:2001-11-22
The OC
kudos:6 | reply to 42246015
The marriage thing was sarcasm.
Mostly.
You needn't go into "the ghetto" to find homeless people, unfortunately. Amazingly enough, some of them are white, too. |
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42246015I was there on 9-11Premium
join:2007-04-22
lol | reply to 60127178
said by 60127178:You need to remember these people are prone to untreated mental illness, and sometimes are not the friendliest. So be careful. I would ask permission to shoot just for the safety factor, your not shooting kids playing soccer. I myself would not pay them cash, but buying some sandwiches would be a kind gesture. Try going to a food pantry and get some pics of people waiting in line, try not to show their faces, IMHO that would be a good shot. Keeping the people somewhat anonymous. How about going to a local V.A. hospital and talking with some wounded troops, that could work out well, let them know what the assignment is they would probably be more open to an idea like this. *Disclaimer* I am not "celebrating" homelessness, or poverty, just trying to give the op some ideas. Yeah that's why I'm scared. If you look at any famous homless-person photographers, they almost always usually blend in with the people they are photographing. But I would stick out like a sore thumb, a rich white boy with a fancy camera in the ghetto. It's just asking for trouble.
What is a food pantry? I've never been to one or heard of it.
For my assignment, I have to present a minimum of 8 photos to the class, and at least 4 of them cannot show the person, has to show something like an object that relates to the person. The other 4 photos must show the person, though I'm not sure it *has* to show their face.
All in all, I have to shoot a bare minimum of 3 rolls of film too, and make contact sheets for each roll.
The veterans hospital and taking photos of wounded soldiers sounds like a good idea, there is a veterans hospital near me. They would probably also be more friendly than homeless people. But I'm not sure there will be any wounded soldiers in it, there's not really any military bases around here? |
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 anthonyPremium
join:2001-10-14
New York, NY | reply to 42246015
use a zoom and take candids are you are worried. |
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 rogue_I Have A Secret WindowPremium
join:2001-10-17
Lake Hiawatha, NJ | reply to 42246015
Suffering: Maybe you can make a photo journal of some ecological suffering.. Maybe oil tanks in a neighborhood or garbage destroying habitats for animals etc.. It's just as powerful, if not mroe so as it's very much at the front of people's minds these days. |
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42246015I was there on 9-11Premium
join:2007-04-22
lol | said by rogue_:Suffering: Maybe you can make a photo journal of some ecological suffering.. Maybe oil tanks in a neighborhood or garbage destroying habitats for animals etc.. It's just as powerful, if not mroe so as it's very much at the front of people's minds these days. Good idea. That would be more of my cup of tea.
But I *think* it has to be portraits of people. I'm not sure though, I'll have to double check. |
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rogue_I Have A Secret WindowPremium
join:2001-10-17
Lake Hiawatha, NJ | Hmm.. If you could photograph the offenders, which are always people, maybe you could twist it a little.. The people are causing suffering, etc, not suffering themselves. Though, philosophically speaking, the people are suffering as well.
Hopefully you can portrait animals in dirty environments that man creates thoguh.. That is a very powerful topic. |
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 jjoshuaPremium
join:2001-06-01
Scotch Plains, NJ
kudos:1 | reply to 42246015
Who says that all homeless people are suffering?
If you want to see suffering, take a long lens into a cemetary. |
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 Wyattx17WyattPremium
join:2004-04-21
Stockton, CA | reply to 42246015
War aftermath? |
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No_StringsTSA fanPremium,Mod
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| reply to jjoshua
said by jjoshua:If you want to see suffering, take a long lens into a cemetary. Cemeteries are quite peaceful. No suffering going on there except among the visitors. |
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| reply to 42246015
how abou tpeople getting off of work or people working low wage meanial jobs.....like me? |
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 simplykristiCancer SucksPremium
join:2001-11-28
Blue Springs, MO | reply to rogue_
I really like your idea, Rogue.
Kristi |
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jjoshuaPremium
join:2001-06-01
Scotch Plains, NJ
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said by No_Strings:said by jjoshua:If you want to see suffering, take a long lens into a cemetary. Cemeteries are quite peaceful. No suffering going on there except among the visitors. That was my intent. |
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 meesterPremium
join:2000-06-03
Oklahoma City, OK | reply to 42246015
In the ghetto. You don't need to go into the Ghetto You will find a lot of Homeless Down town in any US town. I think a long lens is in order. to keep your distance. |
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StarGazePremium
join:2000-07-16
West Haven, CT | reply to 42246015
Use your mind, get your mind off of the "ghetto". What about the guy that carries his lunch box out of the house at 5:30AM, looks at the beautiful clear sky then hangs his head because he has to go dig ditches all day to live in a nice area. Wouldn't that be suffering? Open your mind more and you'll see things in a whole new perspective. I think that is what a photo represents, it what the photographer is seeing. All photos will not carry the same emotion from one viewer to the next. |
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 pogPremium
join:2004-06-03
Kihei, HI
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| reply to 42246015
Maybe I'm splitting hairs... but I think, in many cases, while photos of the homeless certainly reflect suffering, they do not actually project it. The viewer's own biases and beliefs play more of a role in it, I think... homelessness certainly causes easily-understood suffering but the homeless are not in a perpetual state of suffering. IOW, homelessness should not, on its own, project suffering any more than any other state of being.
The "suffering" aspect of homelessness is also, IMO, the most clichéd, obvious angle to take. I would more prefer the person who got "happiness" to take the right picture of a homeless person.
The world is full of suffering, in all quarters, in all possible degrees... not all is in-your-face, concentration camp horror. A 5-year-old son spending hours with his mother at the department store shopping for clothes... a wife hosting intolerable in-laws for the weekend... an obese child in gym class panting to keep up...
Anyway, good luck with your assignment!
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 ExitPremium,ExMod 2002
join:2001-04-10
Canada | reply to 42246015
Wait until they are sleeping |
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