Anodyne
Monday, April 17, 2006
 

Homeless Couple's Shelter, Vancouver, B.C., 2006

Made while ghost-hunting near Science World. Drawn to my attention by the well-dressed man at rear left, who had just finished screaming at them, and then interrupted my picture-making to loudly lament the "addicts shooting up in front of kids." So I walked over to talk to them.

A couple, man and woman, about my age, with open needle wounds on their forearms and poorly-concealed needles on the sleeping bags drawn up around them. The man reflexively apologized and asked if he was offending me.

No, I said, and asked if I might make a portrait of them.

Both asked if I was interested in them because they were using drugs.

No, I said, I'm interested in how angry the man was who just confronted you.

What do you think?, asked the woman.

I think his anger is misplaced.

Will you pay to take our picture?, asked the man.

No I won't, I said. But I will try to make a good picture.

The man and woman briefly conferred among themselves.

Please don't photograph us, said the man. We just want to be left alone.

Can I photograph your shelter?

If I say no, will you still?

No, I said. I won't. I'll go away.

Go ahead man. That's fine.

This is the best of three exposures, and it is dedicated to Vancouverites Roy Arden and Bob Rennie, for very different reasons.
- posted by cjb @ 9:14 PM


<< Home

Powered by Blogger

.post-title { display: none!important; }