In 2009 I took a workshop, I thought I was going to learn to tell photo stories about food, Instead I spent a week with these men. They lived in North Austin, in a camp along side of a pawn shop, with the permission of the owner. Most had been there 10 years. I learned a lot that week, their names, their stories.
This is Chris, he and his brother were raised by their grandmother. His father had lived on the streets. He didn’t talk about his mother. His brother became a lawyer, Chris was headed to Colorado because pot was legal there.
This is Russel. He had lived in that tent 10 years. His sister lives in town and keeps asking him to come live with him. He said he just can’t live under a roof.
Mike, a sweet soul.He was an electrician by trade. Loved music, he was so excited to buy a radio. He died of cancer a few years after I met him.
Johann, he was the hardest to get to know. He left camp every day and collected cans to sell. I only got this one photo of him, he only allowed it through the mirror. I don’t think he trusted me at first, that’s ok, I like to think we became friends.