The photographer illuminating life on the margins of society

Breaking bad — By documenting neglected stories on the edge of San Francisco, Alex Welsh came to realise that stereotypes can be created or broken in a flash.

I first went to Hunters Point when I was working for the school paper at San Francisco State University.

At the time I was interested in photographing a story about the health effects of the contaminated naval shipyard on the predominantly African American community living in nearby public housing.

The reporter and I went door-to-door to interview residents about the high instances of asthma and cancer in the community, but it soon became apparent that the health issues were only part of an array of social ills that plagued the neighbourhood, the most pressing being gang violence among the youth.

After we filed that story, I decided to create a larger body of work. I wanted to tell the story of youth involved in gangs because I believed it went largely underreported in the media.

I knew that it would take time to gain the community’s trust. The kids involved in gangs were initially hostile, but after several months, I was invited to photograph the funeral of a kid who was ambushed by a rival gang.

09.21.13_Photoville-Slideshow_009-copy
After I gave those photos to his friends and family, the kids on the block invited me in and I began to photograph their daily lives.

The Hunters Point community quickly became important to me, and the process of telling their story over the next two years was one of the most meaningful learning experiences I’ve had. I think it’s unrealistic to believe the photographer’s perspective will not affect the story.

But that’s the valuable part of long-form storytelling: the more time you spend on complicated stories, the more you are able to breakdown your preconceived notions, and the more truthful your imagery becomes. And I think that is the only way to produce work that is honest.

As I became more invested in documenting the lives of my subjects, I had to navigate to not immerse myself in the story, which proved difficult. In communities like this, working with youth who struggle with poverty, violence, lack of employment and crime, you have to communicate your intentions in an honest way.

When covering issues like gang violence, creating boundaries is also extremely important; you need to be aware of how your presence with a camera is influencing people’s actions.

During this project, I was inspired by the work of Alex Webb, Jonas Bendikson, Mikhael Subotzky and Eugene Richards. It was my first project shooting in colour, and the pastel colour scheme of the neighbourhood influenced the flat and muted toning of my pictures. I shot almost entirely with a deep depth of field to flatten the image, creating a canvas-like image to compose on.

09.21.13_Photoville-Slideshow_024-copy
I still shoot with the first 5D, which has a very unique look compared to the newer models. Overtime, my relationship with the camera has greatly informed the aesthetics of my imagery. I have grown fond of the 5D’s digital noise and saturation, and have done my best to utilise them as tools to create a consistent visual style across all my projects.

Overall, the documentary process is a challenging one, and to succeed the photographer needs to continuously question their approach to storytelling.

How do I balance conveying the urgency of issues stemming from gang violence, while simultaneously breaking the stereotype of criminalisation of black youth prevalent in the media?

I have worked on stories like this for years and I’m still struggling with these questions. My ultimate goal in Hunters Point was to encourage a conversation about race and inequality in San Francisco that at the time I felt was being largely neglected by people in the city, and was ultimately a microcosm of a larger problem in our country as a whole.

For more of Alex Welsh’s work, head here.

This article originally appeared in Huck 41 – The Documentary Photography Special I. Order a copy in the Huck Shop  or subscribe today to make sure you don’t miss another issue.

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.


Ad

Latest on Huck

Red shop frontage with "Open Out" branding and appointment-only signage.
Activism

Meet the trans-led hairdressers providing London with gender-affirming trims

Open Out — Since being founded in 2011, the Hoxton salon has become a crucial space the city’s LGBTQ+ community. Hannah Bentley caught up with co-founder Greygory Vass to hear about its growth, breaking down barbering binaries, and the recent Supreme Court ruling.

Written by: Hannah Bentley

Cyclists racing past Palestinian flag, yellow barriers, and spectators.
Sport

Gazan amputees secure Para-Cycling World Championships qualification

Gaza Sunbirds — Alaa al-Dali and Mohamed Asfour earned Palestine’s first-ever top-20 finish at the Para-Cycling World Cup in Belgium over the weekend.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Crowded festival site with tents, stalls and an illuminated red double-decker bus. Groups of people, including children, milling about on the muddy ground.
© Alan Tash Lodge
Music

New documentary revisits the radical history of UK free rave culture

Free Party: A Folk History — Directed by Aaron Trinder, it features first-hand stories from key crews including DiY, Spiral Tribe, Bedlam and Circus Warp, with public streaming available from May 30.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Weathered wooden building with a tall spire, person on horseback in foreground.
Culture

Rahim Fortune’s dreamlike vision of the Black American South

Reflections — In the Texas native’s debut solo show, he weaves familial history and documentary photography to challenge the region’s visual tropes.

Written by: Miss Rosen

A collage depicting a giant flup for mankind, with an image of the Earth surrounded by planets and people in sci-fi costumes.
Culture

Why Katy Perry’s space flight was one giant flop for mankind

Galactic girlbossing — In a widely-panned, 11-minute trip to the edge of the earth’s atmosphere, the ‘Women’s World’ singer joined an all-female space crew in an expensive vanity advert for Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Newsletter columnist Emma Garland explains its apocalypse indicating signs.

Written by: Emma Garland

Three orange book covers with the title "Foreign Fruit" against a dark background.
Culture

Katie Goh: “I want people to engage with the politics of oranges”

Foreign Fruit — In her new book, the Edinburgh-based writer traces her personal history through the citrus fruit’s global spread, from a village in China to Californian groves. Angela Hui caught up with her to find out more.

Written by: Katie Goh

Huck is supported by our readers, subscribers and Club Huck members. It is also made possible by sponsorship from:

Signup to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to informed with the cutting edge of sport, music and counterculture, featuring personal takes on the state of media and pop culture from Emma Garland, former Digital Editor of Huck, exclusive interviews, recommendations and more.

Please wait...

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.