Quitting Wall Street To Tell A Prostitute's Story

[tunalegs]

Tuna, I have yet to see anyone in the circumstances Arnade documents have the wherewithal to own a camera and document those circumstances. This gets back to the discussion about photography being a 'first world' pursuit. You can only make images if you can afford to make images... the pursuit of 'enlightenment' at the top of Maslow's Hierarchy of Need. You can't pursue enlightenment until your basic needs are met.

I would be surprised if there weren't others who do/have done similar but just don't get the attention. These days the entry cost of photography is much much lower than it was twenty years ago. Taking pictures is not expensive, but making connections and getting attention usually is.

 

[daveleo]

I did more homework, on Arnade's Flickr site and the various links he has to other pages. It really is a good piece of work, and it adds well to body of work that already is out there on the topic, and my initial doubts about his committment to the plight of street people are pretty much reduced now.

But (ever the cynic) my question is no longer "Why did you do this project?", but it is "Okay, nice piece of work there. Now what? "

I don't expect an answer. It's just my way of saying "I don't think anybody cares enough to throw any resources at these very well-photographed problems." (Not that I have a clue either.) Good thread here. Conflicting opinions, but civil (what a concept!!) !

 

[Bob Michaels]

Dave: I cannot tell if the photographer set out to make the public aware of the plight of these people in hopes of bringing them some improvement in a manner similar to Roy Stryker's FSA photographers. Or, maybe he was just looking for something different to do a series about and some press made his work more public.

I know at times I am convinced my work fits the first description while there are also times when I think I am no more than the latter.

I certainly did not set out to photograph the prostitutes shown in my previous post. I just read this thread and realized that I knew and had photographed a number of them but with a different approach. I just pulled all the photos together because it was a slow rainy day.

 

[hellomikmik]

Question: are these photos any different knowing that I spent my working career in corporate finance?

They are, especially if you would mention it in the title of the project or before showing them.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Hellomikmik: Sorry I cannot tell is your reply was serious or not. I posed the original question facetiously believing the answer was a very obvious "no". I have never given any biographical information at any of my exhibits or in my book as I have always believed the only important people were those in the photos. The photos are what they are regardless of the background of the person who made them.

Question: are these photos any different knowing that I spent my working career in corporate finance?

They are, especially if you would mention it in the title of the project or before showing them.

 

[Michael Markey]

I preferred your take Bob .... you and they seemed to be more positive and to be emphasising hope.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

I preferred your take Bob .... you and they seemed to be more positive and to emphasise hope.

I agree entirely with Michael. To me, there's no question at all that you're showing people as people, not objects, which is what I don't like about Arnade's attempts.

 

[hepcat]

I agree entirely with Michael. To me, there's no question at all that you're showing people as people, not objects, which is what I don't like about Arnade's attempts.

That's an interesting point. Bob and Arnade have taken totally different approaches. Arnade is photographing 'in situ.' His photos have context. They're gritty, dirty, painful, and the context is frightening. It's the context in which his subjects live. Bob's portraits show people... smiling people without context. Both work, but they convey very different messages.

 

[Bob Michaels]

I perceive the difference to be that Arnade set out to photograph "prostitutes" while I simply photograph people, some of which just happen to be prostitutes. They are just all people to me the same as if they made their living as a nurse or a software engineer. I treat everyone the same.

The posed work I have done is a result of someone asking for such while I was doing my normal b&w documentary work. They love it because it is free including nice prints. Besides being a nice thing to do, it has a benefit when someone with real street credibility steps forward to vouch for me in situations where I certainly do not fit in.

 

[Chris_Arnade]

Thanks, I think

Thanks, I think

I am the person behind the Faces of Addiction series.

I have tried to read a few of the comments here, and am thankful for the attention. A few things I want to set straight.

1) I have been doing this series for three years. Two of them intense. Every day, 8 hours a day. This is not parachuting in.

2) My goal? To bring greater focus to the issue of addiction. Humanize. Conventional portraits of unconventional people.

3) I have made no money from this project. Rather the opposite. Two years with no income.

4) Yes I was a Wall Street trader before. I have written about the juxtaposition between the two. I feel it is relevant.

5) Explotation. Please. Losing money taking pictures of addicts is chump change in the explotation world. Maybe one day I will move up the explotation chain to become a Fashion photographer

6) Every picture, every story, has the consent of those involved. Most who are now my friend.

7) Many people made suggestions on how the project could be different. My advice. Do that project. This is how I want to do it.

8) THanks again. If I sound strident its because I have thought a lot. A lot about these issues. Yes, everyone can listen and figure out how to do anything different. I read, listen, take it in. I enjoy constructive critiques. Navel gazing for to long only ends in stagnation.

9) Risks. Personally they are minor. Once you gain the trust, safety comes.

10) Want to ask me more, give me constructive advice. My email is Chris@arnade.com

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Thank you very much for chiming in, Chris!

Phil Forrest

 

[zauhar]

Chris, that is a stand-up response. Best of luck with your work as it progresses.

As stated above, I think many of your portraits are excellent.

Randy

 

[daveleo]

Chris, your input is very much appreciated. Thanks for dropping in and commenting.


Best of luck taking your next step down this path (whatever you decide that should be).

 

[Thardy]

Chris, I thought it was about 4 years ago when I first read of your project and saw many of the images on Flickr. Glad to see you're still at it.

 

[tunalegs]

5) Explotation. Please. Losing money taking pictures of addicts is chump change in the explotation world. Maybe one day I will move up the explotation chain to become a Fashion photographer

Why do I get the idea this isn't the real Chris Arnade? 3 ____3

 

[NazgulKing]

I believe that the theory's easy: compulsory maximum wage gap of 10 times in all organisations and/or 100% death taxes.

The practice? Hmmm, that's another matter. Perhaps ask the Russian and Chinese poor how well it's worked for them? 🙁

There is no such thing as Communism in China. It is only in name.

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

There is no such thing as Communism in China. It is only in name.

I'm sorry that i did not express myself clearly. My point was exactly the same as yours.

Why do I get the idea this isn't the real Chris Arnade? 3 ____3

It would not matter whether it is or is not, in my opinion. I take the view that, once you put stuff out, particularly if it is controversial, you must be prepared for criticism.

If you choose to respond to such criticism, you will need to be very careful as to how you frame the response, if only because any response may be perceived as arrogant, self serving or both, whatever your real intention.

I would always recommend accepting that others will interpret the work and your intentions, as they choose to. Maintaining a dignified silence, it seems to me, is generally the least dangerous response.

 

[Pablito]

More anger, resentment of the project, from the Bronx, as reported in the Hunts Point Express

http://brie.hunter.cuny.edu/hpe/2014/01/17/a-magazine-of-their-own/

“His success includes being featured on the NY Times, Guardian, and many followers on Flickr and Tumblr,” writes de la Cruz. “His claim to fame is the constant exposure and embarrassment of addicts and prostitutes. Assuming that community members are simply ignoring this situation is the perspective and air of a poverty pimp,” she writes.

 

[BlackXList]

Whilst I understand some points of view (such as the military one) about photographers "parachuting in" (it must be impossible not to feel some way to someone who may endanger your life, and the fact that they get to go home sooner is probably hard to deal with too). In general I don't have an issue with the concept of "parachuting in".

If I was to have a problem with "parachuting in" I'd presumably be saying that the likes of Nachtwey, McCullin etc should only have ever shot in their own neighbourhoods, and that would be depriving the world of some astonishing work. and work that I feel was genuinely worthwhile and neccesary.

In this particular case I find myself unable to seperate the "Wall Street" element from the work, in part because the activities of the markets and those connected to them have created a harsher climate for many people to exist in, and I would say have pushed more people towards the kind of lives that are being photographed here.

Comic Frankie Boyle used to have a joke about investing in landmines, and then in a prosthetic limb company to maximise the return on investment. I'm aware that this is an extreme comparison to many, but the concept of being involved in the damage then somehow gaining from the aftermath doesn't sit easily for me.

That's not an artistic critique of the photos, I recognise that because of my feelings on this matter, I am unable to give one.
It's also not a personal attack on Arndale, I know nothing of him other than what I have read on here, so I don't wish to attack him, I hope that I have pointed out my issues with the work in a non personal way.

I will make one direct criticism though.

The Tumblr entry on Jan 15th:

"On Sunday morning I drove Eric and Sonya out of New York City. In doing so I might have broken a law. Eric probably had a violation of probation charge. He talked about it, but Eric talks about a lot that isn’t always true...

...Giving a **** about a dope addict means sometimes doing things for them that don’t sound rational to you.

It means feeling a tiny tiny bit of the crap they deal with on a daily basis."


Whilst it may be true that Eric may be economical with the truth, if it is at all possible that you did drive him out of the city in violation of his parole, then "Giving a **** about him" would mean that you don't put that information on the internet for all to see, possibly highlighting and/or providing evidence of the violation.

That would most certainly NOT help him.

The same goes for providing time stamps for their drug buys in previous posts.

I think there is a lot to be said for telling these people's stories, especially in a time when the less fortunate are not having their stories told, but PLEASE find a way to do it that doesn't read like Exhibit A in a courtroom, and potentially cause them harm.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I am the person behind the Faces of Addiction series.

I have tried to read a few of the comments here, and am thankful for the attention. A few things I want to set straight.

1) I have been doing this series for three years. Two of them intense. Every day, 8 hours a day. This is not parachuting in.

2) My goal? To bring greater focus to the issue of addiction. Humanize. Conventional portraits of unconventional people.

3) I have made no money from this project. Rather the opposite. Two years with no income.

4) Yes I was a Wall Street trader before. I have written about the juxtaposition between the two. I feel it is relevant.

5) Explotation. Please. Losing money taking pictures of addicts is chump change in the explotation world. Maybe one day I will move up the explotation chain to become a Fashion photographer

6) Every picture, every story, has the consent of those involved. Most who are now my friend.

7) Many people made suggestions on how the project could be different. My advice. Do that project. This is how I want to do it.

8) THanks again. If I sound strident its because I have thought a lot. A lot about these issues. Yes, everyone can listen and figure out how to do anything different. I read, listen, take it in. I enjoy constructive critiques. Navel gazing for to long only ends in stagnation.

9) Risks. Personally they are minor. Once you gain the trust, safety comes.

10) Want to ask me more, give me constructive advice. My email is Chris@arnade.com

(3, 5) Few of us can afford two years with no income, even if it is "chump change" to some people. In this context, "chump change" is a fairly arrogant phrase. This DOES require comment. Most photographers have to work (even if intermittently) at "real" jobs to pay for their photographic habit.

More power to you for doing it. I applaud what you have done. On the other hand, surely you must understand why some people are less than fully supportive.

Cheers,

R.