Again, not buildings, but still a part of St. Louis so I feel that these images are fitting.



Sleeping in Keiner Plaza





Sleeping in Keiner Plaza 2





Walter on Olive St.





Joel on the Riverfront





Jimmy On Market

That's the first time I've seen a "homeless" person in a NorthFace. Great shots though.

newstl2020 wrote:That's the first time I've seen a "homeless" person in a NorthFace. Great shots though.

lol, i thought the same thing, but it could be stolen or a fake. I just don't see why a scammer/day time businessman would subject themselves to the weather from that night just to sale teddy bears and roses for a couple of bucks. It was about 10 degrees that night.

I have seen Joel on the riverfront. I see him on the landing frequently as i work there from time to time. he always strikes me as niclely dressed/clean for being homeless. He also doesn't panhandle that I have seen anyway, and is usually very cordial. Actually I am nt quite sure how he is homeless. I keep saying that one of these days i will sit down and buy lunch for a homeless person on the grounds that they tell me their story and how it is that they got where they are today....

Magnatron wrote:I have seen Joel on the riverfront. I see him on the landing frequently as i work there from time to time. he always strikes me as niclely dressed/clean for being homeless. He also doesn't panhandle that I have seen anyway, and is usually very cordial. Actually I am nt quite sure how he is homeless. I keep saying that one of these days i will sit down and buy lunch for a homeless person on the grounds that they tell me their story and how it is that they got where they are today....

Yah Joel was interesting to talk to. Whenever I ask someone to take a picture for me, I normally ask them about their selves, how they got there, and what are they doing now. Joel actually wanted to sell me some CD's that he had. He told me that rather than beg he rather sell things to people. I declined to purchase the cd's but gave him a few dollars and talked to him for a bit. Here is his story from my blog.





Keep Hope Alive...



Those are the words that Joel (Vietnam Vet) left me with after making a portrait with him. I met Joel on the riverfront while I was out on an assignment. Joel said he had been living on the streets for a while and he’s been selling different items (the item of the day was a case of cds) to survive. He made the comment about how may people take pictures of and in front of the grafiti wall but they should see how things look behind it (implying that a lot of homeless people were living there.)



I don't remember the specifics, but I asked him why he didn't move in with his family. He said that he didn't want to be a burden on anyone and that he could take care of his self. He mentioned that he has a son down south (ATL if I recall) but he hasn't heard from him in a long time. Joel also told me that he was a Vietnam vet. A lot of the guys I run across all tell me they were in 'Nam. I'm curious as to why this is so common?

A lot of the guys I run across all tell me they were in 'Nam. I'm curious as to why this is so common?

Everyone's story is different, but it's not entirely out of line to say that government aid for vets is beyond sub-par. But that is a whole other conversation for another time and place.

Was he refering to the grafitti wall on the south end the the arch grounds? I know a lot of homeless take shelter in that area. As well as just north of the landing. I almost got attacked by a pack of dogs when I was snapping some photos up by the Cotton Belt building until what looked like a homeless guy stuck his head out of a neighboring warehouse and called them off... I was quite terrified, they were extremly mangy and looked like they hadn't had much to eat in a while.

Magnatron wrote:

A lot of the guys I run across all tell me they were in 'Nam. I'm curious as to why this is so common?

Everyone's story is different, but it's not entirely out of line to say that government aid for vets is beyond sub-par. But that is a whole other conversation for another time and place.

Was he refering to the grafitti wall on the south end the the arch grounds? I know a lot of homeless take shelter in that area. As well as just north of the landing. I almost got attacked by a pack of dogs when I was snapping some photos up by the Cotton Belt building until what looked like a homeless guy stuck his head out of a neighboring warehouse and called them off... I was quite terrified, they were extremly mangy and looked like they hadn't had much to eat in a while.

Yah, I'm wrong for tempting the political debate. Yah he was referring to the south end graffitti wall.

^I like hearing these guys stories. When you hear of someone like Joel it makes it harder to dismiss "the homeless" as a homogenous group. And I don't think it's politically controversial to say that our Vietnam Veterans deserve much better than they have gotten.



I hope we learn our lessons, but I'm afraid we've already paved the way for future homeless vets from another war fought not in the jungle but the desert.

I hope we learn our lessons, but I'm afraid we've already paved the way for future homeless vets from another war fought not in the jungle but the desert

Which one?

A lot of the guys I run across all tell me they were in 'Nam. I'm curious as to why this is so common?

Because many of them lie to obtain your sympathy and money. Not to say that there aren't homeless veterans but you can't believe everything you hear.



See this article: http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.a ... yid=133920



A recently released report found Missouri has the fourth highest rate of homeless veterans. The same report claimed veterans make up 1 in 4 homeless people in U.S.



But the director of Human Services in St. Louis City disagreed. "Our census that we did in January revealed on a given day in the city of St. Louis among the total number of homeless population which constitutes about 1386, there were only 136 homeless veterans among that population," Bill Siedhoff said.

Leroy Moore wrote:Leroy Moore who joined the Army in the mid-70s blame alcohol and drugs for the beginning of his demise. "Before going into the military I never used drugs or alcohol."

Sorry bud, but the military never made you drink alcohol or do drugs. I was a Marine and am not homeless yet.

innov8ion wrote:

A lot of the guys I run across all tell me they were in 'Nam. I'm curious as to why this is so common?

Because many of them lie to obtain your sympathy and money. Not to say that there aren't homeless veterans but you can't believe everything you hear.



See this article: http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.a ... yid=133920



A recently released report found Missouri has the fourth highest rate of homeless veterans. The same report claimed veterans make up 1 in 4 homeless people in U.S.



But the director of Human Services in St. Louis City disagreed. "Our census that we did in January revealed on a given day in the city of St. Louis among the total number of homeless population which constitutes about 1386, there were only 136 homeless veterans among that population," Bill Siedhoff said.

Leroy Moore wrote:Leroy Moore who joined the Army in the mid-70s blame alcohol and drugs for the beginning of his demise. "Before going into the military I never used drugs or alcohol."

Sorry bud, but the military never made you drink alcohol or do drugs. I was a Marine and am not homeless yet.

Wonderful point that you make here. My father was in the Vietnam war and he downs his share of budwieser but is by no means an alcoholic nor has he ever been homeless. He may be a workoholic if anything though.

1 in 4 homeless are veterans. Ironically, I only believe about 1 in 8 that claim to be veterans.

Technically excellent photos.



Shooting sympathetic portraits of the homeless/downtrodden is a grand old tradition in photography circles.



I'm still waiting for a brave photographer to produce a series of sympathetic portraits of gas station owners or stock brokers. Now that would be art.

I'm still waiting for a brave photographer to produce a series of sympathetic portraits of gas station owners or stock brokers. Now that would be art.

.....or strippers

Roy314 wrote:Technically excellent photos.



Shooting sympathetic portraits of the homeless/downtrodden is a grand old tradition in photography circles.



I'm still waiting for a brave photographer to produce a series of sympathetic portraits of gas station owners or stock brokers. Now that would be art.

I could see that. Have a guy standing in front of a gas station pulling his pockets out and money flying everywhere.

Nerrej wrote:

Roy314 wrote:Technically excellent photos.



Shooting sympathetic portraits of the homeless/downtrodden is a grand old tradition in photography circles.



I'm still waiting for a brave photographer to produce a series of sympathetic portraits of gas station owners or stock brokers. Now that would be art.

I could see that. Have a guy standing in front of a gas station pulling his pockets out and money flying everywhere.

Actually, in today's climate, these could be captioned "the future homeless." With Bear Stearns' troubles (and 14,000 at-risk jobs) and market uncertainty, stock brokers are probably not feeling too secure these days.



And gas station owners are getting pretty squeezed by the oil companies making only about three cents on a gallon of gas. If money was flying out of their pockets it would likely be monopoly money.

Actually, in today's climate, these could be captioned "the future homeless." With Bear Stearns' troubles (and 14,000 at-risk jobs) and market uncertainty, stock brokers are probably not feeling too secure these days.



And gas station owners are getting pretty squeezed by the oil companies making only about three cents on a gallon of gas. If money was flying out of their pockets it would likely be monopoly money.

But President Bush told us that the economy is fine and that the war is going swimmingly... Like he would ever lie to us...

^ If you're going to interject off-topics politics, at least be intellectually honest. Bush has said the economy is facing challenges. Also, the surge has improved conditions in Iraq. Even the Democrats and UN Ambassador Angelina Jolie say it has. Jolie ref: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wir ... id=4362610

^

#1 This is definately not off-topic....This war, free-trade, outsourcing, among many other things is directly related to the current condition of the economy which is headed down a pretty steep hill... We dont have manufacturing jobs anymore because nothing is made here anymore.... By here I mean the US. People get laid off when the economy is bad...thats a proven fact.... Of course not all of those people become homeless, but some do.... also a proven fact.

Did you actually hear Bush talk about the economy? He had the same smirk on his face that he has had since he was elected.... "I am the Decider, and I decide whats best"... He says things without merit all the time..You should know by now that we can not take anything he says seriously.... The economy never ceases facing challenges even when it is strong.



So the surge slighty improved conditions.... so it made a GIGANTIC CLusterF*** pointless war... slightly better..... Why are we there and for what???? Back to the topic.



But if Angelina says it's ok then we are saved....

Do not turn this into a political thread. I'm getting tired of having to put notices up, as it is typically the same offenders. If you want to get into deep homeless talk, please do that in the existing thread in Urban Living.

Sorry.... Great Pics Nerrej! You know you are a good photographer when your photos spark controversial political debates in inappropriate places!

It's not the talk about homelessness, but the repetitive political comments that come along with it. We already have a pretty extensive thread for homeless issues as well.