September 1st, 2010
by Melissa Brooks
How many times have you walked around the bay area and have been asked for money? Enough to make you walk faster, turn a deaf ear and hold your breath? Yeah… me too. Not for Thomas Hawk and a growing number of photographers. You want a couple bucks from him? Let him take your portrait.
After realizing he would avoid people who asked him for money, he decided to change. Hawk’s belief in the goodness of human interaction and desire to celebrate other human beings as human beings motivated him to start the project. Making it a commercial transaction allows him the opportunity to engage with his subjects and makes it a win-win.
What does he do? To make things easier, he keeps $2 reserve money in his wallet. When asked for money, he offers them $2 in exchange for their portrait. While shooting, he talks to them to learn their story. The pictures and story are then posted to the Flickr $2 Portrait Pool.
The $2 Portrait Project has been going on for over two years now, so I asked him a few questions:
How has this project affected your attitude towards people who ask you for money?
Thomas Hawk: I think the biggest thing about this project in terms of my attitude towards people who ask me for money is that I no longer shirk from these people. I used to really go out of my way to avoid these people. Now I will no longer try and avoid them but see the interaction as a positive thing and actually welcome it. There are probably still times that I’ll try somewhat to avoid people asking for money if I’m in a rush or hurry or need to be somewhere or am late. But mostly I view the possibility of an interaction as a good thing.
Have you had any memorable stories while shooting these portraits?
Thomas Hawk: There are so many great stories while shooting. Each portrait carries little tidbits of the interaction. Some are more meaningful than others. I’ve met some real characters. Some that I know were lying to me about things, others who tell me sincere and heartfelt stories of desperation. I’ve been asked for money so someone could make it to a hospice to die. I’ve been told stories about lost children. About being knifed or beaten. About being in jail. About drug abuse. I’ve talked to younger kids and older drunks and lots of people in between. Almost all of them have a story. Some more interesting than others.
Do you have any tips or advice for someone who wants to shoot $2 portraits?
Thomas Hawk: The biggest tip I’d tell people about pursuing a $2 Portrait Project is to relax about it. Don’t feel stressed out about the conversation and confrontation. Almost all of the people who ask will agree to the portrait sitting. I think sometimes people are just afraid to ask another human being to take a portrait. This represents a great opportunity to do just that.
SHAWN by Thomas Hawk read Shawn’s story here
RENEE by Thomas Hawk read Renee’s story here
HARRY by Thomas Hawk read Harry’s story here
RAPHAEL by Jeremy Brooks read Raphael’s story here
BABY ELMO by Troy Holden read Baby Elmo’s story here
David by Erik Wilson – read David’s story here
Walt by Scott Roeben/LVShooter- Read Walt’s story here
Deon by Justin Korn-Read Deon’s story here
To explore more portraits or join the project, visit the $2 Portraits pool on Flickr
Thomas’ $2 project is a fantastic idea and I plan to start making them soon too. I once witnessed the making of one of his portraits. Here’s a photo of it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stefanb/4253185714/
But in the bigger picture what did you actually do to help them? Maybe brightened their day a little or got them enough money to get a water or even a meal if they’ve accumulated enough – but possibly also drugs or booze. I’ve heard about this kind of project before but to me it is not enough unless you are using your photography to get them – the beggars, the downtrodden, the tramps, the abused – more help than $2 can provide. Build the projects into a large collection. Submit it to media or to the places where it can get exposure to the right people to put things in motion – this might be a start if the right people see it. The National Coalition for the Homeless could use all the help they can get to help deal with hate crimes on the homeless for example. Tell the stories to them through your images and words. The person has given (or you have taken) their photo for your use and exposure, what have your REALLY given them in return? That’s just the way I feel about it but I’d welcome other viewpoints.
Ed: I believe the point was missed. It’s not about politics, it’s about human nature and the desire to celebrate other human beings as human beings. Attitudes change with interaction and that helps everyone.
There are countless outreach programs for the homeless. The media and the “right people” have been raising awareness forever… but what good will the big picture do if the little picture, our attitudes, don’t change?