Seven months later.....

Recently I went to America and visited Pinellas Hope, the 'tent city' I photographed last year as part of my MA. It was very strange to go back. Many people had moved on, some were still at the camp and most had still not found work or a stable place to live.

For me it was a very important visit and as I drove to the camp where I had spent so much time I felt strangely nervous. What would the people I photographed think of the work and their own portraits? What would the people running the camp think of the images of the camp?

After running into one of the residents and chatting to her I found out that she was still in the same situation. 'S' had left the camp for a while but was now back. She still hadn't found work and was on anti-depressants and anxiety pills. Things were not looking up.

I also talked to a former resident, he wasn't in town but was away working. He had managed to find a place to live and his daughters had moved to be near him. He said he felt good - he had followed his goal to get the hell out of the camp.

Here is an image of Karen, she has moved from the camp and is currently living at the Salvation army.

Karen at the Salvation Army Emergency Shelter for the Homeless