As I mentioned yesterday, so many Metro Stations and major attractions had homeless people at them, asking for money for food.
It was bitterly cold in Paris, and I felt such pity for those forced to beg for their very existence. Surely some of these people will die this winter in the perishing cold and bad weather that will hit Northern Europe.
Don't get me wrong, this isn't a superiority form of pity. I am no different to these people, and had occasion to sleep rough on the odd night as a teenager when things got too tough at home. I just feel strongly that wherever you are in the world, you have a basic right to shelter and food. How inhuman are we if we cannot provide that for those with less wealth than ourselves, whilst our governments still spend billions on defence, consultancy from the large accountancy firms, failed IT systems, relaunched education, health and benefits systems, shoring up incompetent financial institutions........
This ladies stare drove right through me, she looks hungry and cold. Language was too much of a barrier for a meaningful discussion.
Her look of hunger and cold reminded me of another quote from Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London;
“It is fatal to look hungry. It makes people want to kick you.”
More to come tomorrow. I understand that photos of this nature are not everyone's cup of tea, but I think they should be seen.
Very heart-renching capture. She is so young. One also never knows what hardships she might have left behind to live like this. In our part of the world we have a problem with small children living on the streets like this, as their life at "home" was too horrific. Very sad.
This is a very sad image and as you say another side of Paris which often gets over-looked. I am sure it is a very complex problem and the only positive thing I can say is that there are the Restos du Coeur in Paris and elsewhere which offer free food and sustenance to everyone in such circumstances and turn no-one away.
I also agree with you, Sean... most governments really could do so much more. They get paid such massive amounts of money to basically argue like freakin' preschoolers and live the high life when on the opposite corner are people like this lady.
They should be shown Sean...too easy to pretend they don't exist by turning your back...just dreadful being outside in the freezing weather , bad enough in the summer but intolerable in the winter. There will be many people in the same boat unfortunately. A very poignant picture.
Strong picture! Your youth must have been really tough. When I look at it, it frightens me since I'm convinced it can happen to all of us. All it takes is a series of misfortunes at the wrong moment.
I find it difficult to comment - like war photography the story is too dreadful but it needs to be recorded and like war photography the emotion to the image is powerful.
These kind of photos are so hard to imagine what the person is going through. You are right though they need to be seen and this problem needs to be fixed.
We saw this side of Paris as well. However, your homeless, hungry person looks more believable than the gypsies who used to crowd around the tourist areas begging for money when we were there 20 years ago. Very sad, powerful photo!
I also agree with you, Sean... most governments really could do so much more. They get paid such massive amounts of money to basically argue like freakin' preschoolers and live the high life when on the opposite corner are people like this lady.