Photography Project, Advice Welcomed!

[Caitlin Dalton]

Hi! Happy Saturday, I hope you are all well

I have been thinking about doing this for a while but I don't really know how to go about it or even if it's the right thing to do. I really want to be able to work on capturing emotion in my photos, sharing stories through photographs and I do alot of work with the homeless community in Rochdale. I work with different homeless shelters and I raise money for the charities. Homelessness is something incredibly close to my heart.

I have had this idea for years but I'm a little scared to act upon it so I figured there is no better honest opinion than you all!

I was thinking of going down to a few of the shelters, meeting some regulars on the streets and things. I always buy sandwiches and things whenever I'm out in town to give to them and hot coffees. I want to know them, I want to know their stories and I wanted to maybe take them for lunch a little at a time to a cafe, grab some food, get them a nice warm drink and really get to know them.

I don't want to say 'in return for' but I would like the opportunity to capture a photo of them, on the streets, a portrait of them. I would then like to be able to sell the prints of them and I wouldn't earn a single penny from it, I don't want to earn anything from it at all but to be able to help. I'm not sure if I'd use the money raised to donate to homeless shelters or use the money to put back to the people on the streets and buy them more food.

What i'd like to know if this is a major no no, would it be bad to do? I don't want to come across as a horrible person I just want to help some way and do it as a project?

I'd love some opinions on this!

 

[Phil V]

Most of your post is perfectly sound as an idea, till this...

I would then like to be able to sell the prints of them and I wouldn't earn a single penny from it, I don't want to earn anything from it at all but to be able to help.

Your motives are irrelevant, you're now looking at a commercial venture that like loads of of fledgling photography 'businesses' is questionable at best.

A market requires customers, who'll buy these prints? Why would they? What will they do with them?

All 'business ventures' should start with identifying a market.

Now there just might be a book or article in what you're planning that if done well would have commercial value, but I really can't see the prints flying out of the door.

 

[BBR]

I think the best people to discuss this with would be the people at the shelters you work with.

 

[Phil V]

Just to add, if I was to set out to photograph them I wouldn't aim to show them in a typical 'homeless person' setting laid in a shop doorway in a cardboard bunk, I'd go for classic portraiture, faces tell a story as well as or better than the classic 'homeless shot' that street photographers are so fond of.

Have a look at the work of Jane Bown and Steve McCurry.

 

[BBR]

Just to add, if I was to set out to photograph them I wouldn't aim to show them in a typical 'homeless person' setting laid in a shop doorway in a cardboard bunk, I'd go for classic portraiture, faces tell a story as well as or better than the classic 'homeless shot' that street photographers are so fond of.

Have a look at the work of Jane Bown and Steve McCurry.

Better still, IMHO, photograph them in the shelters, eating and laughing ( only been to one but seemed rather jolly in parts) this would show the benefit of donating.

 

[Caitlin Dalton]

Just to add, if I was to set out to photograph them I wouldn't aim to show them in a typical 'homeless person' setting laid in a shop doorway in a cardboard bunk, I'd go for classic portraiture, faces tell a story as well as or better than the classic 'homeless shot' that street photographers are so fond of.

Have a look at the work of Jane Bown and Steve McCurry.

Steve McCurry is someone that inspires me alot! I wouldn't be taking the typical type that you often see that shows the sadness of them in doorways etc, I want to capture who they are as a person on the whole I want to be able to capture that emotion as opposed to 'this is a homeless person' I was going to be very sensitive to it. I'll take a look at Jane Bown's work, thankyou for the recommendation!

 

[Caitlin Dalton]

Better still, IMHO, photograph them in the shelters, eating and laughing ( only been to one but seemed rather jolly in parts) this would show the benefit of donating.

I really like this idea! thanks so much for the suggestion! It'll be nice to show people what they are donating towards!

 

[Alastair]

As already mentioned, discuss this with the shelters.

If you're wanting to do this as a project, treat it as one and start by defining

• your purpose
• the benefits to everyone involved - you, your subjects, the shelter, the public/society
• the risks to everyone involved - you, your subjects, the shelter, the public/society