Vegas beggars / homeless

Just some pictures from my recent business trip to Vegas.

Bigger would be better.

With the exception of #3 I like them all. You seem to have caught a raw bit of life. In #3 he's looking at the camera and I get the sense of a posed shot.

Nice set - I like the feel & tone of them.

Yeah, #3 was just a guy begging, look at his shoes. He wasn't a true homeless and I took this shot after giving him $$.

feel and tone= distant and exploitive

My buddy does great work with homeless folks. He makes a connection before clicking. Take a look -

http://www.flickr.com …r/sets/72157620​289696283/

Lots of debate exists on shooting the homeless. I keep them out of my work. They're an easy target and cheap way of eliciting an emotion from the viewer. You get that "aww, so sad" reaction but little else because the shots offer no real narrative depth.

This is what I get when looking at your shots. Perhaps if they were part of a larger work where you could craft a story they'd have more of an impact for me.

Just my $.02.

crashthenet44 wrote in post #11325824
Lots of debate exists on shooting the homeless. I keep them out of my work. They're an easy target and cheap way of eliciting an emotion from the viewer. You get that "aww, so sad" reaction but little else because the shots offer no real narrative depth.

This is what I get when looking at your shots. Perhaps if they were part of a larger work where you could craft a story they'd have more of an impact for me.

Just my $.02.

I like the juxtaposition of the homeless blight against all of the "glitz and glamor" of Vegas, which is actually a very sad and pathetic city in my experience.I found shooting the people of Vegas much more interesting than shooting the architecture, it's like the homeless beggars were the only real thing there. Everything else is a facade; glittery masks covering very ugly faces.

As for eliciting cheap emotions: that can be said for many subjects including puppies, babies and big boobs.

Green Man wrote in post #11325901
As for eliciting cheap emotions: that can be said for many subjects including puppies, babies and big boobs.

Correct! And very nicely put.

The fourth one is the best if you are going for juxtaposition. With the others, you can't tell they are in Vegas.

I couldn't agree with you more about Vegas. After two days I need to get back to the Midwest and shower. I find the vanity, especially of the young people, overwhelming. I like your concept because really, the homeless are really the people in Vegas that stand out as not presenting a facade.

Of course, I'm referring to the strip. Not to offend those that live and work there.

emotions elicited from puppies, babies are completely different from big boobs, imho.

i'm also not a fan of beggars pictures. the intentions might be true and honest, but it needs to be narrated in a story.

crashthenet44 wrote in post #11325824
Lots of debate exists on shooting the homeless. I keep them out of my work. They're an easy target and cheap way of eliciting an emotion from the viewer. You get that "aww, so sad" reaction but little else because the shots offer no real narrative depth.

This is what I get when looking at your shots. Perhaps if they were part of a larger work where you could craft a story they'd have more of an impact for me.

Just my $.02.

I guess you could say the same about anything that has to do with photo journalism, war, earthquakes, floods, huricanes etc. In my opinion it's the connection that the photograper makes with his subject and his audience that makes it a worth while photo. Number 3 has that connection and seeing the eyes is what makes the story complete.

on a side note: If someone has newer looking shoes it doesn't mean there not as needy or there not homeless; I have collected and have given tons of clothing items to shelters that are new or in near new condition.

jodelak wrote in post #11326712
emotions elicited from puppies, babies are completely different from big boobs, imho.

i'm also not a fan of beggars pictures. the intentions might be true and honest, but it needs to be narrated in a story.

You mean you "think" its needs a narrative. I can't agree with your absolute. These are people just going about their day, no different than any other street candid subjects. I find some of this patronizing, treating people different because of their social class.

Did this picture need a narrative?:

^^^ don't show my wife she doesn't have that Coach bag yet.

Green Man wrote in post #11326856
You mean you "think" its needs a narrative. I can't agree with your absolute. These are people just going about their day, no different than any other street candid subjects. I find some of this patronizing, treating people different because of their social class.

Did this picture need a narrative?:

...

Just a random person going about their day.

Anyways, this is a good discussion. I posted for technical C&C but this is much better, thank you.

No, it doesn't need a narrative because there was no apparent reason to take it. (Perhaps the narrative would be your thoughts as to why you took it?). The homeless are a bit different in that they don't fit the accepted norm of 'going about their day'. If the picture is well done it should bring up the questions of how, why, and for how long which your random shot of a person crossing the road doesn't do for me. Your first two accomplish that for me but there is no narrative to help.

And technical merit isn't all one should expect in this section. I've seen many images that were technically very good but artistically stink.