Lue
Lue: "As far as my history goes, I was a twenty-four year member of the motion picture industry. And when that went south I wound up working at a couple companies that went in chapter 11. Then I wound up working as an executive accountant for a company that was selling computer software. One of their employees did something wrong, I don’t know what the real deal was but the Federal Trade Commission came in and shut the place down. So what do you do then, ya know? So then I ended up trying to get any kind of little part time job I can get to try to keep me above water. And I wound up working for a day laborer company and after a couple of months I wound up getting in an accident and that’s how I became blind. I took about a forty foot fall through a hole in the floor that was unmarked or not barricaded.”
M: “Do you get social security?”
L: “Yeah, I’m on disability.”
M: “They still cannot help you with housing?”
L: “I know that the homeless situation in our city is, in our country, is over the top and there is just not enough housing for everyone. I understand that. However, I know someone in a disabled situation, such as myself, that I can’t afford to be out here on the street. I have already been a victim of violent crime several times.”
M: “Do you get social security?”
L: “Yeah, I’m on disability.”
M: “They still cannot help you with housing?”
L: “I know that the homeless situation in our city is, in our country, is over the top and there is just not enough housing for everyone. I understand that. However, I know someone in a disabled situation, such as myself, that I can’t afford to be out here on the street. I have already been a victim of violent crime several times.”
Overview
Homeless
On the street corner of Sycamore and Romaine in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, Martin photographed the homeless throughout 2015 for Hollywood Food Coalition (formerly known as the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition), which was co-founded by friends Ted and Penny Landreth. The coalition provides many services, but notably, they have been serving hot meals made from scratch every single day for over thirty years. Through partnering with the Hollywood Food Coalition, Martin photographed and interviewed over three hundred individuals.
“Most of the people in this series are clients of the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition. I wanted to give them a face and a voice. The interviews are recorded on my phone and then transcribed. Sometimes it’s a five-minute exchange, other times it’s over an hour - it all depends on how much somebody wants to share with me. The interviews were then condensed to fit the Instagram format, as this series was shared on the platform. Editing is always subjective, but I try to present these interviews as authentically as possible, using only direct quotes from our conversation.
I am very grateful for everyone’s trust and time.” – Martin Schoeller
For more portraits and stories, please visit Martin’s Instagramhere.
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On the street corner of Sycamore and Romaine in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, Martin photographed the homeless throughout 2015 for Hollywood Food Coalition (formerly known as the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition), which was co-founded by friends Ted and Penny Landreth. The coalition provides many services, but notably, they have been serving hot meals made from scratch every single day for over thirty years. Through partnering with the Hollywood Food Coalition, Martin photographed and interviewed over three hundred individuals.
“Most of the people in this series are clients of the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition. I wanted to give them a face and a voice. The interviews are recorded on my phone and then transcribed. Sometimes it’s a five-minute exchange, other times it’s over an hour - it all depends on how much somebody wants to share with me. The interviews were then condensed to fit the Instagram format, as this series was shared on the platform. Editing is always subjective, but I try to present these interviews as authentically as possible, using only direct quotes from our conversation.
I am very grateful for everyone’s trust and time.” – Martin Schoeller
For more portraits and stories, please visit Martin’s Instagram
Martin Schoeller’s Portraits of Homeless People in L.A., Time, USA
A Celebrity Portrait Artist Photographs L.A.’s Homeless, National Geographic, USA
Photographer Aims to Raise Homelessness Awareness Through Stunning Portrait Series, People, USA
Photographer Martin Schoeller’s Newest Subject: L.A.’s Homeless, Los Angeles Magazine, USA
When A Celebrity Photographer Turns His Lens to Homeless People, Buzzfeed, USA
Martin Schoeller: Interview, The Photographic Journal, USA
A Celebrity Portrait Artist Photographs L.A.’s Homeless, National Geographic, USA
Photographer Aims to Raise Homelessness Awareness Through Stunning Portrait Series, People, USA
Photographer Martin Schoeller’s Newest Subject: L.A.’s Homeless, Los Angeles Magazine, USA
When A Celebrity Photographer Turns His Lens to Homeless People, Buzzfeed, USA
Martin Schoeller: Interview, The Photographic Journal, USA