Vladimir Massillon
Poverty
The topic I have chosen to discuss for my semester project is poverty, an issue that is common in America, and many parts of the world. Although it is an issue that has been swept under the rug for quite some time, it is important that we shed light on this issue through as many platforms as we can. One of the many female photographers that has done just that is Diana Kim, a photographer who had spent 10 years photographing the homeless only to find that her estranged father was amongst them. Kim’s father had taught her the trade of photography at an early age, but walked out of her life when she was only eight years old. Not knowing where her father was, Diana Kim continued doing photography with the intention of humanising the homeless who are often overlooked. What is interesting about this story, is that if Diana was not passionate about taking pictures of the homeless, she would never have reconnected with her father. We should also note that he was a man who suffered from schizophrenia and was incapable of taking after himself. It’s a common trait for people in society to walk past homeless people for the simple fact that they look unkempt.
With that being said I have chosen to shed light on poverty and homelessness in the same way that Diana Kim has in her photography. I will utilize my own camera and take pictures of the homeless in the same way she has. Each picture taken will represent a theme or raw emotion that I feel accurately depicts homelessness at its worst and best. My project will also incorporate photographs of Diana Kim and my pictures taken in NY that will be displayed through a Tumblr page. I will explain the meaning behind each one of these photos and attempt to publicize the issue of poverty, because it has been ignored for so long. It should not be a norm for people to accept that others are miserable and living on the street. Therefore, this Tumblr page, along with the female photographer I am using, will draw attention to women who impact poverty and will also humanize those who are homeless.
I really like the whole idea behind this because it brings awareness to one of the many issues that is going on in America and even in third world countries. Looking forward to your presentation.
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ReplyDeleteI am a big fan of photography so I'm excited to see how this project turns out! I also love that you are using photography as a way to shed light on an important issue that many people not just in America, but the world, have to live through everyday; poverty. Most families in America are considered poor so this is a topic that is very relevant of the times. Check out this video I found! I think it could maybe help in giving more insight into the poverty in NYC specifically since you said you'll be taking pictures there. It's from 2014 but it is still relevant for today. Hope this helps, and again, love the idea.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pbs.org/wnet/chasing-the-dream/video/tracking-poverty-in-new-york-city/
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