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atom7 — Mathew.
Published: 2005-09-24 16:59:18 +0000 UTC; Views: 2929; Favourites: 63; Downloads: 397
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Oscar wilde a dit" le passé a fait de nous ce que nous sommes" ici...dans les yeux de cet homme ..peut être peut on imaginer son passé..Oscar wilde said " the past did to us what we are " here… in the eyes of this man can one imagine his past.
Fatigue shows in Mathew's eyes. Life on the street hasn't been kind to him and, like many other homeless, he spends his days looking for some way to put food on his table. This photo was taken on the steps of Sydney's cathederal, where hordes of tourist walked by without any acknowledgement, oblivious to the fact that he was even there.
Did a vector portrait of this shot that can be viewed here [link]
Thanks to for the comment at the top.
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Comments: 104
Sorry about the length of this post, but the lyrics to the song "Old Girl" by Fernando Ortega remind me of this photo, or vice versa
Every day
She will wander
Down the road
Back from town
Past all your houses
With their pretty lights
And their pretty rooms
Every day, all alone
Down from the canyon
To the shops and cafes,
Looking for coffee
And a word or two
She would have with you.
Have you ever seen her there
With no shoes
Stubborn as she goes
On and on,
Do you know her face?
An old girl,
Tangles in her hair,
She will turn your pity down,
Turn it right around,
Old girl.
Weathered girl,
An old blanket
For a shawl, for a sleeve
Wrapped all around her
With her little dress
And her hard feet
Have you ever seen her there
With no shoes
Stubborn as she goes
On and on?
Heaven only knows
Where she's been
Or the world she's in.
She will turn your pity down
Turn away and frown,
Old girl.
An old girl,
Heaven only knows
Where she's been
Or why she walks alone
On and on,
Or when she's had a friend.
She may have a prayer for you,
She can read you too,
Old girl
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Thanks very much. Thanks for taking the time to write it all in and share it. I have never heard this song before or at least i don't recognise it, but i see how it would remind you. Thanks once again.
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this is DD worthy ! i always get to see it now and then
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Thank you very much. I am very happy that you like it so much that you think it would be worthy.
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...i cant fav this enuff...100
( fact, i think DA needs a FAV gallery button )
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you have at least recognised him and those of us who have added the photo to faves, extend that recognition...
to Matthew...
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Thats true and its a start. Thanks for the comment and the fav.
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Thank you
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High quality portrait. Excellent use of light and toning. A delight of scene!
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Oscar wilde a dit" le passé a fait de nous ce que nous sommes"
ici...dans les yeux de cet homme ..peut être peut on imaginer son passé..
très intense!
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Thank you for your comment. I hate to think what he must have gone through to reach this point. Merci.
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i love this shot, his eye contact really makes the photo.
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Thank you very much. I think i would have to agree with you.
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la mirada captada sobresale de la bidimension!melancolia orgullosa! !!
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Muchos gracias.
I am glad you like it.
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quite a powerful piece, with an equally matching powerful description. nicely done.
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nice portrait, dramatized, good concept and very brave, In this case I usually take photo from observation, not face to face !!
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Thanks. He was kind enough to let me take this shot but i must admit i wasn't too comfortable asking him if i could.
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Holy heck, how did I miss this photo? Great shot man; you've captured his emotions well.
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Thanks very much. Glad you like it
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such a nice portrait, dramatized very well...
by the way I don't know if we are doing good to take shots like this. I mean I am taking shots like this too, but I am confused about presentation.
Susan Sontag says: if you want to take a picture of 'bad', try to show it in a disturbing way. If we are not disturbed enough that means we are not heartfelt for it. That's because we are doing nothing to heal bad because we are getting used to it. Everytime we see it and we take it 'normal'.
I dunno if she is right but there is an awful truth: photography has a social responsibility, because it documents...
Your photo made me think by myself. We are walking in the streets with our cameras, witnessing wretchedness, taking pictures of 'not to be's. But we can not instigate anybody, we keep those shots for ourselves
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Thanks very much for the comment.
This photo has caused me a bit of a moral dilema ever since i took it. I originally took the shot for a contest on which was entitled homeless. I wanted to put some face to the people that we normally just walk by without a second glance. I personally find the look in his eyes quite disturbing. I can't put my finger on quite what it is though that unsettles me.
It has made me think through a lot of things, as i see it made you do as well. A few ideas have come out of those thoughts, such as finding him again and asking if he would mind if i gave the photo rights to a charity of his choosing (i don't know what they would do with it though.) Or trying to do a photo essay next year about the homeless people of sydney and perhaps putting on a small exhibition with some other photographers and again donating all money to some charity. I'm not too sure yet quite what to do, unfortunately I have very little time at the moment to pursue anything serious. Whatever i do it will have to wait till next year. A very big inspiration for me came from and i really admire what he does with his shots.
I guess if our shots are making people think a little bit about things then they are having some desired effect, if they actually influence someone to do something then all the better.
I'm am not sure who susan sontag is but she has a point, one which i have read about before, and i certainly don't want to become some sort of vampire feeding off other peoples misery. It would be good to make the world open its eyes just a little bit.
Hope i didn't bore you with such a long answer
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You're welcome
I think you have overcome that dilemma. Your ideas are wonderful, I am so glad that we share our thoughts on this subject. I think an exhibition would be great, go for it
You must read Susan Sontag, she is a great thinker, and this is the book she share her feelings about the matter what we are talking about until now: [link]
No, of course you didn't bore me. I am not a reckless person, I am happy to be in long conversations about everything
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Interesting, besides the pic is great, you call my atention to the homeless people that we pass by everyday, without any acknowledgement of their existence, Its sad that he looks so beautiful but nobody in real life apreciate him... 
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Thank you very much. I can imagine that you have your own share of homeless in Guatemala. I have spent a fair bit of time in mexico and some in Belize and even though i don't have much money as is expected by the usual European/Australian/American standards i felt very rich compared to some of the people that i met there. It was a very sobering experience in regards to financial wealth. Didn't make me feel too happy thats for sure. I will be sure to pass on your sentiments if i ever see him again. Thank you very much for your lovely comments and thank you heaps for the
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I dont know if you saw what happend in Guatemala, with the Hurricane Stan, here in some places is totallly lost, is horrible, the numbre of homeless people is bigger, but everything will be Ok soon, I hope, thanx for the comment, and again, congrats for the greate shot...
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Thats bad news. I did hear something about it but not too much. i hope it all improves soon. Thanks again.
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awesome, brilliant, stunning shot
thanks so much for telling the story
i´ve been there myself, only change is that i made it back
this all must be shown, so thank you again
instant fav
- natasha
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