Earlier today, on Twitter, I visited Douglas Clark's Twitter feed, and then clicked on his website link, which took me to his Flickr account. I knew right away what I was looking at--photos of working girls--but the context was enigmatic.
Who had taken these photos? How? Why? Their frankness reminded me of Philip-Lorca diCorcia's street work and their happenstance of Merry Alpern's Dirty Windows. The images are curious, voyeuristic, coincidental.
I sent Clark, who lives in Miami, an email, asking him about his enigmatic photographs.
He replied:
It started because a friend had given me a supertelephoto lens, and I happened to have some time at work one day.His "Street Life" set is here. His Twitter feed is here. And his Tumblr, "the street," is here.
The photos are of the people that habit the area around my work, and most end up being crack/heroin users.
Many turn to prostitution to support that habit. There are multiple agencies near this location that provide programs and help to anyone that needs it, but I end up seeing the same faces time and time again in the area....
I hope these images provoke a discussion at least.
[Thank you to Douglas Clark for allowing me to republish his work and words.]
