Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

Stories


Covenant House Houston, Texas

Covenant House - Houston 2009

Houston – Covenant House 2009

Covenant House, Texas was just as wonderful as our experience at C.H. New Orleans. Our time was easy, relaxed and filled with dozens of teenage kids laughing, playing, jumping around and joking with C.H. staff, Peter and me. An immediate feeling of unity and family quickly surrounded the shoot. There is nothing like a camera (maybe, Karioke) that illuminates and animates people, faster. While we met a many interesting kids with varied backgrounds at Covenant House, the person the story emerges from is Rhonda Robinson, the director. Rhonda presides over the residents with nothing less than the love of a mother.

Sacramento Tent City - April 2009

Sacramento Tent City - April 2009

Sacramento – Tent City 2009

Peter Duke and I arrived in Sacramento California with one contact that was given to us by a friend. Her name was Susan and she was one of the main volunteers at “Tent City.” She turned out to be an angel. Susan guided us throughout our four day photo shoot, showing us the places most populated by homeless, whom we now call our friends. The photos were captured in a warehousing district outside of downtown, located behind “Tent City”. All of the people who participated in being photographed, each had a unique story. The recent homeless shared a common theme of losing a job and home, then suddenly found themselves going between shelters, sleeping in the family car and in tents.

Covenant House New Orleans - 2009

Covenant House New Orleans - 2009

New Orleans – Covenant House 2009

Hurricanes Katrina and Ike devastated the Gulf coast. The Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans was one of the hardest hit areas. When the levy broke, hundreds of homes were destroyed and left thousands homeless. Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation and others have pitched in to clean up and rebuild the area. We went to New Orleans to see, and photograph for ourselves the places and the people that were effected by these disasters.