Images of homelessness shape public perceptions about the lives of people who are or have been homeless. It’s easy to repeat visual stereotypes, such as images of people sleeping in doorways. Yet homelessness often looks very different to this, and the people who experience it are as diverse as any other group. When we repeatedly portray people as helpless or pitiful, we risk reinforcing an ‘us versus them’ divide that can inadvertently cause harm. Research shows that images evoking pity can make it seem as though homelessness happens to people who are completely different from the viewer.
Alternative approaches to depicting homelessness already exist. With this in mind, we’ve created a series of questions and prompts to encourage a more positive, respectful approach to photographing and representing homelessness. They’re intended to spark ideas, not set rules. Use them as a guide, and let your creativity take the lead.
