I believe the article should focus on the challenges faced by the homeless and address the negative reactions and criticism individuals may encounter when taking photographs of their own city and its residents. I have often been told that it is disrespectful to photograph someone on the street with a telephoto lens. However, I have been shooting street photography with long lenses since the 80s, using various types of cameras. I've always approached shooting street as a photo essay and used multiple cameras with different lenses. Street photography is great because it can be done with any camera. All you need is a camera and confidence. It's important to acknowledge that people may get upset when being photographed on the street, even if they are not the intended subject. It's also worth noting that individuals, known as "triggered individuals," can be quite dangerous, whether encountered on the street or online.
I've had situations where I'm taking photos of someone on the street or talking to them, and then a third party comes along and starts interfering. These individuals, also known as "triggered individuals," can be quite dangerous, whether you encounter them on the street or online. I've read online articles discussing the ethics of street photography. Is it ethical to take photos in a public place? The truth is, not every photo you take will be a beautiful one. When you're in the moment, trying to focus, get the right exposure, and frame the shot, it's already challenging enough. If your aim is to capture meaningful or graphic images, hesitation can be detrimental.
Having been homeless and struggled with drug addiction, I can relate to the experiences of the people I photograph. Mainstream media often overlooks the challenges faced by homeless individuals, drug addiction, and mental health issues. It's crucial to remember that the person on the sidewalk is someone's son, with a past not so different from the rest of us. Before judging others, it's important to consider how quickly someone's life can change. Anyone can face challenges that lead to homelessness or drug addiction. There is a connection between the stress many people face, the availability of drugs, both street drugs and pharmaceuticals, and the resulting public health issues. Documenting the things I see on the street and publishing those images is an important link in the chain of understanding the severity of these issues. It's essential to bring attention to drug overdosing, mental health issues, and homelessness as the biggest public health issues we face in the western world.
Looking at these photos, it struck me that you don't see many of these people around anymore. I'd like to believe that they got clean and left the streets, or maybe they simply moved on. The sad reality is that many of them have passed away due to addiction, violence, or exposure.
Calgary Street Photography Taken with Nikkor 35 F2.0 AIS on Nikon D4. I met this girl along with two men in a local alley. I had photographed one of the guys before, and we started out having a nice little chat after they all agreed that I wasn’t a cop. We were discussing drug addiction , homelessness and the lack of public bathrooms and places to wash as showers. It was clear we were on the same page. Then, I told them that I was sharing these images on Facebook, on my personal page, and with this group. They wanted me to express to you guys that they are happy that someone actually gives two fucks about them and the issue they are facing. Just then, a guy came up, and I could tell from how he was walking was trouble. Spider sense was just a ringing. As he approached me from the rear and got closer, I backpedalled and circled to the left, and he started yelling at me, demanding to know why I was hassling these people. Before I could say anything, the gut that I had photographed before waded in and said.." No, No, he is cool. We know him. he isn't hassling us". But this clown was not satisfied with this and continued to advance on me.. yada, yada yada. I ended up walking way. Kind of disappointed I wasn't able to spend more time with these guys. I was struck by how young this girl was and really wanted to know her story. The guy who came up to me in a threatening manner that I had to deal with in this interaction reminds me of many of the negative commenters on the group. Both of them really don't want me to photograph this sort of content because it offends their idea of social justice. In this case, this guy's interference restricted me from getting more content/photos and more understanding of how this young girl got into this situation and perhaps how she could get out. When I took the pictures, her face was in the shadows, and I really couldn’t see her face/age. Now that I see my photo, I know that she looks really young. What the fuck is she doing on the street smoking meth.?
When encountering someone on the street struggling with drug addiction, it's natural to feel empathy for them. However, it's important to recognize the potential consequences of their situation. Drug overdose is a serious risk, and it represents a tragic loss of life and potential. Additionally, there are significant costs associated with emergency responses, healthcare treatment, and the impact on society as a whole. In Canada, while healthcare may be publicly funded, it's not truly free, as the expenses are covered by taxpayers. Moreover, individuals grappling with drug addiction are often unable to work, pay taxes, or contribute to the economy in other ways. The economic impact extends to businesses as well, with increased incidents of shoplifting and the potential for workplace accidents due to drug use. In industries like construction, drug and alcohol abuse poses a significant risk to workers' safety and productivity. As a result, drug testing is a standard procedure in the event of a workplace incident.
It's not easy being a witness and documenting these images. I believe we are all put here to do something on this earth. One of the things I think God wanted me to do was street photography. I've never made any money doing it. It's dangerous and really hard on family and personal relationships. Still, I feel a sense of exhilaration when I capture a meaningful photo while out shooting. Most of my work was done on film and is either in prints or still sitting in negatives. I've shot over 300 rolls of film in the last 3 years, some of which have been processed, and much is sitting in Tupperware ice cream buckets waiting to be developed.