June 4 2005: Destitute by Ray :)

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Destitute

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04-JUN-2005	IMG_27294

June 4 2005:
Destitute

I spotted this young woman near Waterloo station today. She explained that she had been left homeless and had been ended up begging on the street, often sleeping rough under the arches. She obviously had more of a story than she let on about – she had not turned to drink or drugs and at 5 o’clock she was after another Ł10 so she could find a place at a hostel that would also feed her.

To think that three days ago I was using a Ł20 note just as PAD fodder…..

Photoshop:
Cropped and Resized
Converted to Grayscale
Added Noise
Added Film Grain

This time last year I was admiring the ‘Village Hall’

Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel
1/125s f/4.0 at 17.0mm iso800 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto

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photo and copyright: Ray Pettit

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Donald Verger 25-Aug-2005 08:32
me too! voted so others will see and think and act where i can, i will, thank you Ray, and i am slso glad you spoke with her, i will try to do that more

Sheena Woodhead 06-Jun-2005 19:59
It is so sad and makes me feel me feel guilty at the times I just walk on by. I like the fact that you spoke to her.

Jeanne Newman 06-Jun-2005 14:49
Touching. Saddening. And beautifully captured.

Guest 06-Jun-2005 06:31
Impressive photography Ray, congratulations, gets my vote
Iannis

virginiacoastline 06-Jun-2005 02:07
wow . . excellent photojournalistic shot . . and heartbreaking story

Pall Gudjonsson 05-Jun-2005 22:39
10/10

Guest 05-Jun-2005 22:21
I hope she got her money. Powerful stuff Ray.

Wenche Aune 05-Jun-2005 20:39
A strong image and story. The treatment works well here.

Chris Sofopoulos 05-Jun-2005 14:09
There are so many homeless people around us, close to us every day.. So sad photo but so powerful. It touches all of us. Bravo Ray, once more!

Larry Ahern 05-Jun-2005 11:40
As a photo this is fantastic ... as a story so shocking and way to common ...

Marisa Livet 05-Jun-2005 05:31
You have captured the essence of loneliness, solitude and despair. But you have done it with respect and a kind of momentaneus, but sincere tenderness. The fact you have spoken to her, you have listened to her, gives dignity to this picture.
A very strong and powerful work.
M.

jude 05-Jun-2005 00:13
The angle and composition of this adds to the way her world must be.. always minute to minute.. hand to mouth. Never predictable. I agree that your talking to her instead of just taking her photo was good.. you humanized her .. to us and to her .. just by listening

Clyne 04-Jun-2005 23:49
Great picture, all the better for the interaction you had with her. It never does any harm to be reminded how fortunate one is.
Stuart

Guest 04-Jun-2005 22:57
Ray ya know what I'm thinking? you spoke to her..you didn't click the camera just for the sake of a pic..and that's why I love your work..some of us don't have support..vote

Guest 04-Jun-2005 22:49
great and very sad scene...

Robin Reid 04-Jun-2005 22:18
Heart wrenching.

Gayle P. Clement 04-Jun-2005 22:14
Such a desolate scene and a pitiful face.

Leo Charette 04-Jun-2005 21:49
You've captured this image well... the griddy look and sense of isolation fits this image well. A sad tale.

Guest 04-Jun-2005 21:27
Great real life image. All I can say is "There go I except for the grace of God."

poetry666 04-Jun-2005 19:58
Nice street image Ray.
It certinly does capture a story.
Excellent!

JeremyGood 04-Jun-2005 19:37
A sad story. One wonders how things can turn so bad for someone. Is there no one she can turn to? No family, no friends? Sometimes you wonder whether it might be partially fear or pride that prevents people like this from seeking help where they might get it. I read a story about runaway teens in Phoenix, AZ who often turn to drugs and prostitution, rather than admit to their former friends and family that they made a mistake. Apparently a lot of these teens end up in jail or dead when they've got wealthy and even understanding families in the Midwest or East coast.

Al Chesworth 04-Jun-2005 19:32
The picture tells the story Ray.

Gail Davison 04-Jun-2005 19:24
There seems to be less of this than a few years ago - or else I've just become used to seeing it and don't notice it so often. A sad situation - especially as this is supposed to be the first world.

Donald Verger		25-Aug-2005 08:32
me too! voted so others will see and think and act where i can, i will, thank you Ray, and i am slso glad you spoke with her, i will try to do that more

Sheena Woodhead		06-Jun-2005 19:59
It is so sad and makes me feel me feel guilty at the times I just walk on by. I like the fact that you spoke to her.

Jeanne Newman		06-Jun-2005 14:49
Touching. Saddening. And beautifully captured.

Guest		06-Jun-2005 06:31
Impressive photography Ray, congratulations, gets my vote Iannis

virginiacoastline		06-Jun-2005 02:07
wow . . excellent photojournalistic shot . . and heartbreaking story

Guest		05-Jun-2005 22:21
I hope she got her money. Powerful stuff Ray.

Wenche Aune		05-Jun-2005 20:39
A strong image and story. The treatment works well here.

Chris Sofopoulos		05-Jun-2005 14:09
There are so many homeless people around us, close to us every day.. So sad photo but so powerful. It touches all of us. Bravo Ray, once more!

Larry Ahern		05-Jun-2005 11:40
As a photo this is fantastic ... as a story so shocking and way to common ...

Marisa Livet		05-Jun-2005 05:31
You have captured the essence of loneliness, solitude and despair. But you have done it with respect and a kind of momentaneus, but sincere tenderness. The fact you have spoken to her, you have listened to her, gives dignity to this picture. A very strong and powerful work. M.

jude		05-Jun-2005 00:13
The angle and composition of this adds to the way her world must be.. always minute to minute.. hand to mouth. Never predictable. I agree that your talking to her instead of just taking her photo was good.. you humanized her .. to us and to her .. just by listening

Clyne		04-Jun-2005 23:49
Great picture, all the better for the interaction you had with her. It never does any harm to be reminded how fortunate one is. Stuart

Guest		04-Jun-2005 22:57
Ray ya know what I'm thinking? you spoke to her..you didn't click the camera just for the sake of a pic..and that's why I love your work..some of us don't have support..vote

Gayle P. Clement		04-Jun-2005 22:14
Such a desolate scene and a pitiful face.

Leo Charette		04-Jun-2005 21:49
You've captured this image well... the griddy look and sense of isolation fits this image well. A sad tale.

Guest		04-Jun-2005 21:27
Great real life image. All I can say is "There go I except for the grace of God."

poetry666		04-Jun-2005 19:58
Nice street image Ray. It certinly does capture a story. Excellent!

JeremyGood		04-Jun-2005 19:37
A sad story. One wonders how things can turn so bad for someone. Is there no one she can turn to? No family, no friends? Sometimes you wonder whether it might be partially fear or pride that prevents people like this from seeking help where they might get it. I read a story about runaway teens in Phoenix, AZ who often turn to drugs and prostitution, rather than admit to their former friends and family that they made a mistake. Apparently a lot of these teens end up in jail or dead when they've got wealthy and even understanding families in the Midwest or East coast.

Al Chesworth		04-Jun-2005 19:32
The picture tells the story Ray.

Gail Davison		04-Jun-2005 19:24
There seems to be less of this than a few years ago - or else I've just become used to seeing it and don't notice it so often. A sad situation - especially as this is supposed to be the first world.