Whereas loads of photographers have documented the hardships of these dwelling on the gritty streets of the Tenderloin, Amos Gregory takes a unique method, really inviting topics into his studio.
“You are taking somebody who’s by no means had a chance to have these lights in entrance of them, and inside 5 minutes you have acquired this skilled mannequin that is posing for you,” Gregory defined.
For the final couple of months, Gregory has photographed dozens of locals, hoping to seize the tender aspect of the Tenderloin.
For many of his topics that is the primary time they’ve ever sat for an expert portrait.
His objective is to refocus the neighborhood’s narrative by showcasing the dignity and resilience of this often-overlooked neighborhood.
54-year-old Corui Pounders lives in an alley simply across the nook together with his two-year-old shar pei named Goldie.
He has been homeless on and off for 20 years. Like many within the Tenderloin, his mattress is the sidewalk. He says dwelling on the streets has made him invisible to others.
“It is good to get some consideration and put your self on the market,” Pounders stated.
Along with the images, Gregory additionally information two-minute movies of his topics telling their life tales.
“Being on the market, that is the toughest factor. You are in a position to see a lot stuff on the streets, a lot poverty,” Pounders stated.
Gregory says his hope is to finally plaster these photographs all around the neighborhood, proving that even within the darkest alleys, there’s at all times a flash of humanity.
“It could be good to have neighborhood members stroll down the road and see themselves featured prominently in a constructive mild,” he stated.
Amos Gregory additionally co-founded the San Francisco Veterans Mural Challenge in 2011 to characteristic artists work in Veterans Alley. Extra info is accessible on the group’s web site.