Hope In Focus

- by Jim Spelman

Description

These are portraits from our 'Hope In Focus' portrait project. Our aim is to provoke questions about the stereotypes attached to homelessness while creating community, gratitude and awareness for the amazing efforts of The Carpenter's Place . Often we forget. This project has opened my eyes to people who are purely grateful for the smallest things: a pair of socks, a cup of coffee, someone to listen. Our goal is to photograph 1,000 portraits of anyone and everyone from now until November 4th. We're creating a visually stunning traveling exhibition that will stir our own thoughts about gratitude, hope and what it means to have a home. It's about awareness--being aware of the beauty that we each hold----being aware that we have a choice every day (even moment to moment) of what we want to feel and how we want to act. I think if we look at our own lives without judgement and without comparing ourselves to anyone else there is beauty in that. It's then that we can see ourselves in an uncompromising, yet gentle light and shed what we think everyone else is thinking about us. I hope that these portraits will help us all to do that. Unretouched. Unflinching. Unresolved. And beautiful. Just like the true us. If you're interested in becoming involved in the project please contact me. Thanks, Jim more portraits and info at www.jimspelmanphotography.com