Some assignments can be best visualized with an environmental portrait. I’ve had a few over the last month that really summed up what the story was about.
This first one is of a man named David Johnson. I met David at two in the morning at the scene of a fatal house fire. He lived in the neighboring building and rescued many people from the burning building. He expresses much guilt for not being able to save one woman who died in the fire. We did a followup story on David and I met him to shoot a portrait. I had him stand in front of the burnt building and took a few shots.
David Johnson stands in front of a home on 18th Street where an early morning fire on July 16 left one woman dead. Johnson lives in a neighboring building and tried to rescue as many people as possible when he saw the fire. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010
The next portrait I did is of a woman named Lisa Archey. Lisa lives on a block where there are neglected and abandoned homes bringing down the neighborhood. She has a background in helping revitalize rough communities.
Lisa Archey stands in between two abandoned and neglected homes on August 25 along North 17th Street. Archey said that having homes like these on the block hurt the entire community. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010
Lisa Archey stands in between two abandoned and neglected homes on August 25 along North 17th Street. Archey said that having homes like these on the block hurt the entire community. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010
The final portrait is of Bud Bush. Bud, on top of all of his community service, has built a website tracking the genealogy of much of the county. He recently became wheelchair bound and volunteers helped him by building a ramp at his house.
Bud Bush, who frequently participates in the Henry County Day of Caring, sits on his front porch Thursday afternoon next to a new ramp that was built for him by volunteers. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010
Bud Bush, who frequently participates in the Henry County Day of Caring, sits on his front porch Thursday afternoon next to a new ramp that was built for him by volunteers. (C-T photo Max Gersh) ©2010
For a photojournalist, a portrait needs to tell a story. I think these do the job.