If you walk across my camera

“If you walk across my camera I will flash the world your story.” 

― Woody Guthrie

The First 10,000 photography blog's name comes from a quote by photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, “Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.”  The blog devoted a bit of space to consider what a photographer could learn from Guthrie.

There’s a simplicity and honesty to Woody’s work that isn’t such a bad quality to have if you’re a photographer. And a lot of the singer’s other qualities — the sense of humor, the willingness to collaborate, and an ability to get new things out of old subjects — would probably serve you well, too. But there’s another lesson lurking in all of this as well: perhaps the single most important thing to have in your kit isn’t your lenses, your flash, batteries, memory cards, air blower, or even your camera. Pack your curiosity first and you’ll be amazed at how much better the rest of your kit — whether it’s the physical one or the metaphysical one — works as a result.

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Photographer Jenna Pope is an activist and award-winning freelance photographer living in New York City. As a born and raised Wisconsinite, she became involved in the Wisconsin Uprising in the Winter of 2011, and spent many nights sleeping on the floor of the State Capitol Building. That was just her first taste of activism, and has been fighting for social and economic justice ever since. As she began taking photos at a very young age, there was no question that she needed to combine her photography experience with activism.

In 2011, Jenna began documenting the protests in Wisconsin's State Capitol. In November, she quit her job to work full time in support of efforts to recall Governor Scott Walker. Supported by donations from people who would like to support her efforts, she began her full-time journey to document social protest movements around the world.

From beach at Coney Island after Hurricane Sandy 

to the streets on the West Side of Chicago for the March for Education Justice

From the steps of the Supreme Court for the announcement on Prop 8

to the Mall in Washington DC for the Climate rally

taking video of people chanting “We want music, not gas” in the streets of Istanbul

sharing the view from her roof in Harlem

Out. Of. Focus.

You can support photographer Jenna Pope's work by making a donation here.


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“My eyes has been my camera taking pictures of the world and my songs has been my messages that I tried to scatter across the back sides and along the steps of the fire escapes and on the window sills and through the dark halls…”

― Woody Guthrie

One of A Kind Love Affair

A year ago, Tenderloin resident Delano Seymour wrote and filmed this video essay for the San Francisco Chronicle's blog, "The City Exposed: Touring the Tenderloin.

Del Seymour operates the Tenderloin Walking Tours.
http://www.tlwalkingtours.com/

The City Exposed: Touring the Tenderloin from San Francisco Chronicle on Vimeo.

Seymour, 65, was born in Chicago but has lived in the Tenderloin for more than three decades. "I've lived in the homeless shelters. I've eaten in every soup kitchen. I've experienced a lot of ghosts and devils in the Tenderloin," he said. 

For 15 years, he gave mini tours of the city from the front seat of the cab he drove. Two years ago he began his Tenderloin walking tour, hoping to make people more aware of the troubles facing his beloved neighborhood. The 90-minute tour is free, although Seymour eventually wants local companies to sponsor his efforts. 

"This is not a business venture. It's a love affair," he said.

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A year later, Del Seymour has launched an Indiegogo campaign.
Through August 11, a $25 donation includes a Tenderloin Walking Tour for 1-2 people.

Tenderloin Walking Tours from A Tiny Drop of Change on Vimeo.

Hi, My name is Del Seymour. I operate the Tenderloin Walking Tours.

I have been conducting tours for 4 years now. I was formerly a homeless occupant of the Tenderloin (TL) with serious substance abuse issues. I eventually cleaned up my life and decided to form this project so that I could show other people in the same situation that homelessness and drug/alcohol are not life sentences. 

I have been offering free tours of the Tenderloin for three years. This is not a business venture. It’s a love affair. I do the tours for free because I want to show people the Tenderloin; I want them to see the beauty that I see, and I hope that by bringing attention and awareness to this part of the city, tourists and residents will begin to see the Tenderloin in a different light. 

It is my hope that if the Tenderloin receives more positive exposure, it will give the residents reason to have more pride, improve their personal outlook, and inspire them to be better stewards of their neighborhood. 

I do not charge for these tours but I rely on donations. I currently take about 60 people per week. My participants range from middle school kids to doctors from Australia. 

I do a special venue with the youngsters where I show them some of their peers that are immersed in the TL drug/prostitution lifestyle. I let them know that they are only one step, one joint, one hit of Ecstasy away from being a part of the TL. When I do my "speech" there is not a dry eye among the kids. 

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One of a kind love affair is

The kind of love that you

read about in a fairy tale

Like the sun that shines

on a rainy day

it's a cloud of love

One of a kind love affair is

When your down is up

when your up is down

but love stays around

And when you know you're right

but you got to make a little sacrifice

you make it for love

“One Of A Kind Love Affair” by Joseph B. Jefferson

performed by The Spinners - Live 1976