100 Homeless People Were Given Disposable Cameras And These Are Some Of The Amazing Results

This July, Cafe Art, a UK based initiative that allows the homeless to express themselves through art and photography, gave 100 Fujifilm disposable cameras to the homeless in London. Basic training was provided by the Royal Photographic Society, and then the camera recipients were asked to take photos with the theme “My London.”

Above: photo by ROL, Which Was Voted To Be The Cover

Eighty of the one-hundred cameras were returned and around 2,500 photos were developed. 20 photos were chosen by judges from Fujifilm, Amateur Photographer, the London Photo Festival, Christie’s, and Homeless Link. Presently, there is a Kickstarter campaign to turn some of these photos into a 2016 calendar

Above: “Telephone Row, Lincoln’s Inn” by XO

“All the money raised goes back into the project,” Cafe Art says, “either to pay for the printing of the photographs and calendar, rewarding the winning photographers, buying art materials for art groups affected by homelessness or helping individuals attend art courses.”

Above: “Left Boot, East London” by Ellen Rostant

“We have several goals: helping people affected by homelessness to be empowered, not only through photography and art, but through connecting with the public. The calendar also has a goal of telling stories from individuals who are affected by homelessness, thereby raising awareness in the general public about issues from a personal perspective.”

Above: “Nature’s Tunnel or Light and the End, Stratford” by Ellen Rostant

“All the money raised goes back into the project, either to pay for the printing of the photographs and calendar, rewarding the winning photographers, buying art materials for art groups affected by homelessness or helping individuals attend art courses. Art is seen as a major way for people to recover from the trauma of being homeless.”

Above: “Everything I Own or Bags of Life, Strand” by David Tovey

“Colour Festival, Olympic Park” by Goska Calik

“Past & Present, City of London” by Ioanna Zagkana

“Tyre Break, Hackney” by Desmond Henry

“Tower Bridge PICNIC, Southwark” by Cecie

“West End Bird, Westminster” by Zin

“The Artist, Whitechapel” by Michael Crosswaite

“Shadow of Self, Hyde Park” by Goska Calik

80 Cameras Returned With Over 2500 Pictures. Voting determined the Winners.

Via Bored Panda, Demilked, PetaPixel