Isaac 5/100

The morning of this picture I decided to go out and try to find someone for the project, so I grabbed my camera and headed out the door. In the rush I forgot to bring my notepad and pen, so I decided to stop and grab what I needed from a dollar store.

This young man was sleeping outside the store on the sidewalk as I hurried into the store. While I searched the isles for what I needed, I knew that I should try to engage with the young man outside when I had what I needed.

My camera was still in my car so I had to go back there to fetch it, and I have to say, my instinct was to just say forget it and carry on, but I grabbed the camera and headed back towards him.

Isaac appeared to be asleep as I approached him, but he opened his eyes and noticed me coming at him and sat up. There was no way to bail out now!

I introduced myself and explained what I have been doing and asked if he would be willing to take part in the project.

 

Without hesitation he said yes, brushed himself off and immediately produced a smile. I chatted with him a bit and he explained that he had just lost his apartment a couple of weeks ago, and has been living like this since. He said it was temporary and hasn't been too bad, but the recent nights have been getting cooler so being outside was becoming more difficult - as evidenced by the black plastic bag he was wrapped in when I found him sleeping.

This is not his first time living on the streets. When he was 18, circumstances led him to leave home and he spent his first nights without a roof then. Isaac did seem optimistic and hopeful about improving his situation. He told me that he wanted to get a job in construction, and that he was heading to an agency later that day to get setup with some help with that.

I wished Isaac good luck, thanked him for sharing a tough situation with me, and gave him a little something to get a breakfast in him.

 

I did get a head shot portrait of Isaac, and struggled somewhat with posting the one I chose above. But I felt this environmental portrait you see was more accurate of the interaction we had, and more honest to the situation I found him in.

This interaction was not one I expected to have during the project, and while there is not much I can do to help Isaac, it feels good to share his back story and maybe humanize the struggle that he and others like him are going through.

 

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This is my 5th submission to the Human Family Group! To view more street portraits and stories visit The Human Family group

 

This picture is the 5th in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page

 

You can also follow along on my Instagram Project Page

 

or on my Facebook Page.

Done