Andrew Wohl

 

It is not clear what possessed me to photograph portraits of people experiencing homelessness but it might be due, in part, to the pervasive loneliness and isolation experienced during the pandemic. I felt a desire to connect, to overcome the fear and awkwardness of approaching total strangers. 

 

While driving through neighborhoods in Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, I overtime developed techniques to set the person I was meeting at ease before asking to take a photo.  This included smiling and raising my hands in greeting, keeping a distance comfortable for both myself and the other person before asking permission to come closer.

And it turned out that the people I approached also had a strong need to connect. Almost all expressed gratitude for my inquisitiveness and for the opportunity to share with me. They were warm and humorous and desperately wanted to tell their life story.