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This is true art. it tells a story.

whatever the printing drawbacks of this photo, I think it's absolutely brilliant for what it captures, I live in LA from NYC and it captures the essence of how americans can truly ignore those in need.

I sat here for an hour and read most of this

thread and feel I've earned a right to comment,

even if it is a little late ...

The photo may not be technically up to many of

the standards on here, but I think it does make

a strong statement and although it could be a

lot better, it sure doesn't deserve some of the severe trashing it has gotten. Photo Of The Week,

maybe not ... but 1/1 definitely not!

 

I would also like to put in my request now, that if by some streak of luck I should get a photo

good enough for the "Elves" to consider "Photo Of The Week" material ... NO THANK YOU!!

I didn't read the rest of the comments, so this maybe redundant. But for what it is worth, I know who that man in the picture is... and he panhandles up to $3,000 a week.

What street photography is about is an open-ended question. What it is not about, however, is long lenses, spying on people from a safe distance, and capturing them as spectacle rather than, say, a delicate ballet or collage of humanity. The coldness and superficiality of your composition detracts from the emotion and realness of the subject. People are not wildlife fair viewed through telescopes from a safe distance in the comfortable seat of a Range Rover. There is a distinct and palpable difference between the voyeuristic nature of street photography and the Discovery Channel approach. People you photograph, and I do mean all people you photograph, deserve the prerequisite respect that comes from an intimate understanding of humanity. You may love, hate, or fear, anyone you photograph, and in street photography one is most often ambivalent, but to capture their essence, you must not view them as inanimate spectacle. It is above all, quintessential that each tripped shutter represent an empathic sensitivity to the subject matter you attempt to capture.

I was originally moved by the above photograph, until after reading a few harsh comments about other of your photographs in this series. The comments above refer less to your subject matter than to your style and approach of said subject matter. Not my favorite photo books, but ones that I think you would most benefit from: Eugene Richards, Cocaine True, Cocaine Blue and Dorchester Days.

As the Director of the American Homeless Society in New York I can't ever say it's the same picture all over the world. Each person suffers his own fate. We are human beings. We care and we feel for those less fortunate. Thank you for taking such a personal shot with thousands of words. I would like permission to use your homeless pictures with credit to you. It would be on my website http://welcome.to/nyhomeless

please let me know if it is at all possible. Elena Munoz-Alazazi at homelessneeds@aol.com

I live near this spot and I've passed this man at least 100 times (both car and foot) and have stopped at that red light with him 3 feet from the car at least 20 times. Friends and I have walked out of the AMC1000 and crossed Van Ness ASAP in order to avoid his impression. Everyday going back and forth to BART and Muni I am exposed to great amounts of panhandling and people using shopping carts and tarps to build their room for the night. I've been desensitized a lot but this fellow always hits me hard. Many times I've had my camera but never any desire to use it. Whether this man is in such hardships as to have to stand on crutches for hours on end seemingly every day and display his futility for a few of our coins or whether he is consciously using his malady to garner sympathy and handouts makes no difference. I feel an immense soaking of futility as I cross that crosswalk but I have absolutely no courage in addressing it.

 

I know that some view these types of photos positively and acquire a sense of relief that that is not them and how lucky they are because, obviously, things could be MUCH worse. For me, they depress the hell out of me and make me feel guilty. Our lot in life is based a bit, I believe, on luck and the thoughts and tools made available to us thanks to where we landed. I was lucky and built on it. Was he lucky and squandered it or has it been bad luck from the get go? Looking at his picture and debating the question with myself doesn't seem respectful. So what then? I've already concluded that I'm not approaching him. I guess that I just ignore him? That seems cowardly.

 

I don't mean to be dismissive but, fortunately, for me, this photo only serves as a reminder and doesn't portray the full disparity that I feel in the live situation. If I had seen him only once, then maybe.

 

Good social art creates debate and dialogue. It causes self-examination and group-examination. It pokes you in the ribs and reminds you to question and enlighten yourself. In that sense and in my case, I would have to say that Aldo succeeded.

 

This one is definitely a conundrum.

I was shocked to find this picture on this website. it really is very emotional. i remember the first time i saw this man, i was sitting inside mels diner on the corner of Geary and Van Ness in San Francisco. After eating i went outside and gave him my fries i hadnt eaten. he said thank you and asked me to put it in his cart, a few minutes later another homeless man came and took them from his cart and ran off. since that day i see him time to time, but this picture i think portrays his life, i have never fully seen his face although i have given him money over the past few years, hes always very quiet and has a mystery to him like he has seen the whole world and prefers to stay right where he is, for better of for worse.

i don't know what to say about this picture. it's for me sure not an asthetic picture ( well, photography tries to take everything if it asthetic or not, beautiful or ugly ). the content of this picture is very touchfull, very strong image. best regards:SuryoW

very nice!

Great image. The down turned face speaks of the hopelessness, yet his sign speaks of hope to others. Thank you for a reminder to appreciate life.