Press Start Photography

About 2 years ago, I started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to give to people living homeless in Chicago. I took some of the money raised out and photographed one group of people living together in Maywood, IL and a man named Tony living under a bridge just outside of Logan Square. I gave them money in exchange for them modelling for a photo or two.

I never edited the photos; I never posted them. Around this time I was also dealing with my life being turned upside down with a diagnosis of PTSD. I am doing much better now and it is amazing to me how similar my situation is to some of the people I photographed. The difference is, I have things the people I photographed did not have. I have an outstanding family and amazing support system. I have a steady income and good insurance. I am lucky to have these things. Without them, I could have very well ended up living homeless on the streets of Chicago.

It was my intention to write an excerpt of the conversations I shared with these people. I do not intend on doing that now. Let the photos speak for themselves. The people living on the street are people. Most of them do not harbor ill will toward others. They just want human interaction and a little kindness.

The pictures posted here are the first set of hopefully many more to come. Be kind to others; you don't know what other people have been through. Without further ado, please enjoy my work in progress, "A Portrait of the Disenfranchised".