Welcome to Market East with the K50

After seeing your pictures my mood's turned sharply down .

Orman Hall wrote:

I'm sure these images were completely well intended, but in my mind they fall into the genre of "poverty porn". As photographers, if we decide to shoot disadvantaged or disabled people, we need to accentuate the dignity of the human spirit in a way that elicits deep connection and understanding. With respect, I think these shots miss that mark.

These photos depict an area where these people are no longer welcome. A area that's been deblackified, where the homeless and junkies are told to move on, where specific target branding is aimed squarely at the white Millenial of means. These are people and not refuge. Every photo was taken with permission and I know everyone of their names. The 30 photos that I've posted are a small fraction of the total portfolio. To deny these type of photos is to deny these people exsist with the same arrogance of blindly stepping over them on the street.

Part 2

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/62968493

Part 3

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/62969051

atlrob wrote:

Thank you for a peek into a world most of us do not know. I don't agree with

writer Hall that the pictures are "Poverty Porn" but rather an insight into the

homeless in our society.

ROB

Thank you

Polacofede wrote:

I don't agree they are poverty porn. To me is more insulting to present a photo of a homeless as if it were a super model and that it seems to like to be in that situation.

So that thing of presenting them with "dignity" seems to me as present them as everything is cool. Their dignity comes from somewhere else, from having the strength to fight another day.

I live in Argentina, and we have tons of poverty, so is not something that will surprise me. However, when i was in Chicago was different. It was a striking thing to see the homeless among all those huge buildings. Is not that they were just poor but many of them seemed clearly to have a serious mental illness, so in my opinion they should be in some kind of institution that gives some contention to them. In other case was a woman with her little child, sitting in a corner, it was pretty late and cold. They seemed so alone, like abandoned in the middle of all that opulence.

Now that i'm reviewing the scenes in my mind, it seems that the word "homeless" is a perfect match, coz is not that they are just poor, they are abandoned, with no family, no home to return to even to a little miserable shelter, nothing. So that is much more that being just poor, is an even inferior condition.

Thank you. These are proof to this city's leaders and new wealthy residents that no matter how hard they pretend these people exsist and their hyper-gentrificaton will only make it worse.

Binet wrote:

I agree with Orman Hall's sentiments regarding these images. I also disagree with the poster who describes Philadelphia as an absolute dump. Philly is one of my favorite cities to visit and I find it to be very user friendly in terms of mass transit, safety, and tourist attractions. I do not believe it is any worse in cleanliness than other large east coast cities (I live in Baltimore).

Glen

I've spent more than half of my 50 years in Old City which is the heart of the tourist district. 21st century downtown Philadelphia is very far from a dump.

Orman Hall wrote:

My only point is that we need to find the essential dignity of our subjects. I'm sure that was Old Ricoh User's intent. Please forgive my unkind words.

These are the photos that the subjects wanted taken. I asked, they said yes and within a few weeks we all called each other by our first names.

I would like to thank all the crybabies who reported the post. It gave me a chance to talk to the owner and realize what a bunch of oversensitive gear junkies you are. See ya.