Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/04

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Subject: RE: [Leica] Documenting DC folks - was "sneak thief photographers! " still longish
From: "B. D. Colen" <BDColen@earthlink.net>
Date: Fri, 4 Dec 1998 10:07:11 -0500

> To make a small suggestion.  If your really want to document
> folks in the SE side of Washington, D.C., why don' you
> approach this in a slightly sideways manner?  Approach one
> of  the non-profits that are providing aid and ask them if
> they would like or need your photographic services.  I would
> probably look for one that looks for their funding from the
> hinterlands and has some type of newsletter or bulletin
> about activities.  (e.g. perhaps a outreach mission from a
> medium sized church group or philanthropic organization).
>

Great advice...as was the warning that one will be taking ones life in one
hands wandering around many areas of Southeast - or other poor areas of D.C.
for that matter - with white skin and $X,000 in photo equipment. This is NOT
something to do on an "Oh, I think it would be interesting to shoot poor
people in D.C." kind of basis. They shoot back.

No, I don't live in D.C. now, but I did for 16 years and keep in close
touch. There are areas of D.C. that are as safe as any other city. There are
black neighborhoods in D.C. that are among the wealthiest and nicest in the
nation. There is no need to be paranoid while visiting, and taking pictures
in, D.C. But there are also areas of the city that rival many areas of the
third-world in terms of hopelessness and crime.