hopeinshadows
Hope In Shadows 2011
TITLE: This is Me
PHOTOGRAPHER: James Witwicki
Honourable Mention
James Witwicki is reflected in the window of his room at the Balmoral Hotel, located on a block of East Hastings that is home to more than 400 residential hotel tenants. “Yup, that’s my window. This old, 'giant,’ metal window that goes up and down,” says James. “It’s got a big counterweight on the side and it’s noisy as hell.” He points out the expansive brick wall of the Washington Hotel across the way, and then describes how sunlight crests the building and enters his room each morning. On the day of the photo, James was looking at the brick wall and noticed how that bit of sunlight made it possible for him to photograph his reflection. “This is me saying, ‘This is me.’”
James Witwicki first came to Vancouver in 1972. From 1990 to 2010 he lived in New Westminster where he met and married his wife, who passed away in 2009. When he became homeless in 2010, he sought shelter in the Downtown Eastside. What he finds most interesting about the community is the amazing creativity of its members. James says the confidence he gained from having a winning photo in last year’s contest helped him with other creative projects, including writing poetry for Megaphone, Vancouver’s street paper. His poetry and photography are featured in Voices of the Street, Megaphone’s special literary issue.
From the Hope in Shadows collection
COPYRIGHT: Pivot Legal Society, 2011
Hope In Shadows 2011
TITLE: This is Me
PHOTOGRAPHER: James Witwicki
Honourable Mention
James Witwicki is reflected in the window of his room at the Balmoral Hotel, located on a block of East Hastings that is home to more than 400 residential hotel tenants. “Yup, that’s my window. This old, 'giant,’ metal window that goes up and down,” says James. “It’s got a big counterweight on the side and it’s noisy as hell.” He points out the expansive brick wall of the Washington Hotel across the way, and then describes how sunlight crests the building and enters his room each morning. On the day of the photo, James was looking at the brick wall and noticed how that bit of sunlight made it possible for him to photograph his reflection. “This is me saying, ‘This is me.’”
James Witwicki first came to Vancouver in 1972. From 1990 to 2010 he lived in New Westminster where he met and married his wife, who passed away in 2009. When he became homeless in 2010, he sought shelter in the Downtown Eastside. What he finds most interesting about the community is the amazing creativity of its members. James says the confidence he gained from having a winning photo in last year’s contest helped him with other creative projects, including writing poetry for Megaphone, Vancouver’s street paper. His poetry and photography are featured in Voices of the Street, Megaphone’s special literary issue.
From the Hope in Shadows collection
COPYRIGHT: Pivot Legal Society, 2011