My fault, Glen. I noticed you mentioning working with the homeless, and my hat is off to you for that. I probably would not have the patience.
My comments were not addressed to you personally, but were of a more general nature. One of the problems with a list conversation, unless one is very careful, it is easy to take a general statement personally. Both side should try to make it clear where they are coming from. I did not do that. My apologies, if you took it as a personal attack. Ciao, Graywolf http://pages.prodigy.net/graywolfphoto ----- Original Message ----- From: "Glen O'Neal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, December 16, 2002 10:35 AM Subject: RE: My new Pentax-A* 300 f/4 and an interesting shot > Tom, > > Thank you for your words. I think I understand what you are saying. I have > worked with the homeless for nearly ten years in several shelters (in > several cities) and with groups that try to help provide for their needs. As > I mentioned in my first note we have a local group that helps out when we > can. We are not affiliated with any organization. We like to determine > ourselves what we can do for them without the "help" of any government or > civic agency. We were started by a little Chinese woman with a very big > heart who runs a dress shop in my hometown. Her name is Kim. We take them > coats, gloves, blankets, food and other personal needs items. We try to help > the ones who can work find jobs. We try to help reestablish relationships > with those who have been forgotten by their families or can't find them. We > work to get rehabilitative assistance for the chemically dependant and > emotional help for those with emotional or psychiatric difficulties. We work > to get financial assistance from the government to those we can get > permanently located. I have known some of them personally, have had them in > my home for a meal or fed them at the Denny's where I meet with them on > Tuesday and Friday mornings. The people at Denny's get real ticked at me but > I don't care. Some are afraid, some are mad, and yes some are mentally > handicapped or dependent on chemicals. But they (almost) all need help. My > camera has sometimes been an introduction to a new friend. I take the > pictures so that we can put a few at a time up in the store where Kim works. > A lot of people in suburbia never see someone this unfortunate and if they > did they might just look the other way. So thoughts of their needs never > enters their mind nor would they know how to help. When they see a picture > at the store and ask about it, Kim shows them an album we have showing what > we do and often people give a donation to help. We don't make a big deal > about what we do. We don't go out and solicit assistance. Most of what we > have to give comes from our own pockets or donations made at Kim's dress > shop. I feel it would be wrong to look the other way and ignore when seeing > someone who needs help. I would rather look through a lens and then keep > looking for a new ways to provide assistance. Now my son is getting involved > and helping out at the shelter. > > By the way, I am glad you are doing better and hope the driving school is > going well. I still hold my CDL having gone through the Swift driving school > in Ft. Scott, Kansas and driving for them for some time. Life on the road is > hard, very hard, but it can be a real adventure if you look for > opportunities to find the experiences that make it fun as well. > > Glen > > -----Original Message----- > From: T Rittenhouse [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Monday, December 16, 2002 7:35 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: My new Pentax-A* 300 f/4 and an interesting shot > > > IMNSHO, having been there a time or two in my life, I can tell you the down > and out really like people sniping them with a 300mm lens. It helps keep > their paranoia at a high level which is probably a survival factor. But, as > a former street (road, actually) person I do so like to snap yuppie > photographers when I find them in embarrassing situations, and posting them > on the web. Make no mistake, unless they are far gone into insanity, drugs, > or alcohol, street people are embarrassed by their situation. > > I never have figured out the faciation of photographing the destitude, > unless it is the feeling that they can't afford an attorney and therefore > will not wind up sueing the photographer. > > Ciao, > Graywolf > http://pages.prodigy.net/graywolfphoto > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Glen O'Neal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Monday, December 16, 2002 12:46 AM > Subject: My new Pentax-A* 300 f/4 and an interesting shot > > > > I got my new A* 300 f/4 a few days ago and finally got the opportunity to > > take it out for a spin today. I like to go up into the city and photograph > > the homeless on the streets of our town. We have a local group that brings > > them help whenever possible. I have taken quite a few images of them, but > > two that I am particularly fond of are listed below. The second shot is > the > > one I took around 4:00pm this afternoon. I had no idea the poster was > behind > > this gentleman as I exposed the image. I didn't realize it's presence > until > > I picked the prints up from the photo lab this evening. All I could think > > was "what a coincidence". By the way, the "no parking" sign in the other > > image was a complete accident as well, but it says so much about the > plight > > of the homeless everywhere. They are constantly having to move on to avoid > > loitering charges. They literally have no place to "park". > > > > I am searching for a title for the new picture. Any suggestions would be > > greatly appreciated. > > > > Thanks, > > Glen > > > > http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1070436 > > > > http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1178334 > > >
