Photographing Tramps in the Los Angeles Freight Yards
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- čas přidán 25. 02. 2017
- John Free is a social documentary photographer. John has taught at USC, UCLA, PCC, LACMA and has worked professionally at this craft for more than 45 years. For his personal work he does social documentary/street photography. Follow the founder of the John Free photography CZcams channel @deeno_andfree
John Free @john_free_photography on Instagram.
His just published book is available now!
Based upon his photos of the tramps in the Los Angeles freight yards "End of the Line: Railroad Tramps of the Los Angeles Freight Yards" is a collection of John’s black and white, candid, full frame, available light photographs. These rare historical photographs document a place and culture that no longer exists. The book also includes the unique and moving stories told to John by the tramps as well as John’s approach to getting to know these unique people and his photographic techniques.
The Foreword by his son describes what it was like growing up as a street photographer’s son.
Here is a link to more information johnfreephotography.com/book/
#photoessay
#streetphotography
#documentary photography
#losangeleshistory
#Railroadhistory
When a photographer can sit down and tell a story about every photo with such attachment, you know he's a real photographer. In fact, more than a photographer.
Dom J He is telling stories both with words and pictures
Yessir. A legend
Wow- this is photography at its best
Brilliant
I wish to thank everyone for their positive comments on a video which was very difficult for me to make with my friend Deeno, who I have had the great pleasure of working with for several years. I met Deeno at a high school photography class where I volunteered to spend the day with his class at Bell high school. Deeno and my son Scott and I have been friends and fellow workers since that time. The video Deeno made has brought something out of me and my sometimes very painful memories of those days down at Taylor yards that I had held inside for 37 years and until now was unable to write about to tell my story. Deeno's video brought all the memories to the surface, so that I could share my recollections with everyone. Photography has made my life much richer and for many years I have had a desire to reach out to all photographers to encourage them to place themselves in a position to do big things with their heart and camera. For me to help others with little bits of friendly advice, makes me happy. Photography holds a great and loving high potential for any photographer who chooses to help humanity and to help photography with a dedicated purpose to document the lives of humans anywhere and everywhere so that a more compassionate understanding of all men might be achieved with a simple camera and a large throbbing heart and loving intent with the knowledge of where to point their camera to achieve something far bigger than anyone of us could ever imagine. My son and my close friends have enabled me to pull this story from inside my soul, a story too difficult for me to expose by myself. Hooray for Deeno, hooray for my son Scott and hooray for me. A wonderful white dog named Casper made the whole effort possible.
John... I just wished you could share even more. I've saw all of your videos and I'm always moved by the way you talk about photography, talk about making it hard, making it matter. How to do some meaningful work. but more than just photography. There is an emotional side of photography in you that makes all the difference. I think that the way you talk about photography and the need you have to share, is your way to leave something for others to make the world a better place through photography. You are a very inspiring person. Your photography is an extension of that. You kind of remind me of my grandfather. I lived with him for a few years between my 4 and 10 years more or less, and I always remembered his stories, and the vivid way he recalled even the smallest details on some of his adventures. Later when I got older I would go and spend my Christmas with him and I was always looking forward to listen again and again to his life stories. Even if it was the same story. It seemed to me as having something new every time, because he had that passion and that vivid way to pass on. I see in you a lot of that. You are a story teller and we all need to thank you for sharing. The world needs more people like you. Cheers from Portugal
You honor me by comparing me to your grandfather. Lets all reach out to our fellows with words that might help us all to do what is good inside all men and women. Lets help others to bring that goodness to the surface of our photographs.
I conducted a workshop in Lisbon with my wife a few years ago. We went up to the castle on the hill and I looked for the spot where Henri Cartier-Bresson made a fine photograph of some men by a cannon. A wonderful trip for us.
Hi John. Thanks for that. I didn't know that HCB, one of my references btw, had a famous photo taken in Portugal. I need to check that out. Portugal is an amazing place to live and to photograph. I carry around my camera almost every day and specially on weekends me and my family travel across the country to many different places and we cant get enough of it :) Its a very small country as you noticed but one that has a huge range of regional differences in a very small package. So in the morning you can be photographing on a castle and in the afternoon at the beach, and later on a country landscape. I dont want to bother you with my so named "photographs" but if you have the time, here is a bit of Portugal by my me. : instagram.com/joaoscardoso
John Free
Fantastic video and story , beautiful and stunning photography a great insight. I really wish I could just have one day with you your an inspiration, thank you.
The many years I spent photographing in the train yards have always caused me some regret. How do I excuse myself from all the time I devoted to the tramps and not to more productive work. The many positive remarks about Deeno's video have made me very happy and now, I feel my time with the tramps was not wasted.
That's good,
I have watched so many rubbish video's about camera gear ect on CZcams. I'm so happy to have made to the real deal here.
This is what its all about.
I hope you continue to show us much more John.
This is better than 99% of the photography videos out there, real stuff and great stories.
This is photography: the relationships, the stories, the images. ‘Jesus Saves’ photo is absolute perfection.
Thank you Matthew. I am working hard to get my book out in the spring.
Imagine that. A world-class documentary photographer is also a world-class story teller. What a story.
Hello mr. Free, my name is Alexey and I'm from Russia. Sorry for my poor English, I just want to say thank you for this and other your videos. For this 50 minutes I learned about photography more than a lot of books that I read and more from other so called photographers with I chat. But much more I hear this incredible stories about people, people from other side of the world, and my heart was beat and I almost cry, like they was my friends. You did very important work, you show for all over the world that misery is very scary thing, but also you show that even in this hard situations people still people, they have honest, they kind, and probably much better then people who drives expensive cars... I check it myself than have chat and spend times with Russian tramps, they become my friends too and I take a pictures of them too, but my pictures ain't so good as yours, because you is a great photographer and documentary journalist, I'm just learn. I very upset that I can't go to your workshop, but even this video is very informative, and I'm glad that I found it and internet gift us this opportunity to interact. Thank a lot and my truly respect for your great work!
Alexey, Thank you for your good words. You write very well. We are friends. We both share photography and together with each other we will grow to be better at what we enjoy. I am happy to have a friend in Russia.
What an amazing piece of LA history that not many people ever got to see. Truly a treasure!
John, I was sitting in my recliner and looking at train sites and someone was referring people to your video. So I found it and started viewing it, my wife was playing a video game at the time. I noticed nothing was happening on the video on the TV. I looked over at her thinking she was sleeping, but in fact she was listening to you telling about the different tramps. I said I would turn it off and listen to it some other time. She said, No! No! It's so interesting to listen to. So we watched it together. What a wonderful thing you have created, the beautiful photos with the beautiful people in them. You have such a way with the camera! I have recently picked up a camera again and am taking photos of trains once more. At 61 years of age and with two different cancers going on I'd better get busy. You have truly inspired me. We thank you so very much.
Hey Gary, Thank you. Nice to know you will be out there with the trains. The tramps always figured I was photographing the trains, but it was always the tramps who were my main subject. I make the videos because I must. I wish to help all people discover the magic into which I enter when I have a camera around my neck, which pulls me to special places in my heart. How can I not photograph with the hope and intent of explaining man to man and each man to himself. I am with you as a brother in your cause to photograph what you enjoy. At 75 I am still very excited about what I might be able to make with an old Nikon and some Ilford film. Now I will go into another magic area of my life, which is my very messy darkroom in the garage. to sit and make prints. Today I will finish making some prints for my son Scott of some of his best work. What could be finer than that. I hope you will thank your dear wife for me, for almost forcing you to watch my video of those fine but troubled men down by the freght yards.
Thank you so much for sharing. My great uncle road the trains from Los Angeles all over the country over 40 -60 years ago. His name was Mitt.
out of all the videos that I have ever seen over a decade or more of CZcams....This one will be the one video that will always stand out above the rest. These are the most important stories to share with the generation of tomorrow. The stories of where we have been, and what life was like for some. thanks to you this small section of your life in a Million stories will now never be lost and can be shared for many generations to come. Thank You so much John Free.
-Ken from Australia.
Hi Ken, Thanks for your kind comment. I am happy to have told the story and shared my photos. I made a silent promise to myself and to the tramps I met to share their story and mine. For years I was unable to keep my promise, for an unknown reason. Maybe it was fear or not being sure of the importance of my story or maybe I thought the photos were not strong enough, or maybe people would be put off by the nature of the dirt and tears of the people I photographed and cried with. Now the pictures and story are out there for you and me to look at and maybe know a little more about the power of the photograph to explain man to man and each man to himself. Now I am happy about the long struggle of mine and my wife's fear for my safety and her great understanding, which allowed me to continue the effort down at the bottom of life in the gray and painful area of Taylor Yards at the end of the line. Thank you mate.
I watched the video all the way to the end, and now I can't get my mind off it after watching. The stories you tell just takes me into the scene like I was there in person. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you. I wish to take all people into a special place. A walk to the store, can also be a walk to seek out and then notice a subject or event that has the potential to be a love story in a picture. The combination of elements, factors and details which can be adjusted to fit in the cameras frame and the center of our hearts. The intent to combine these wonderful events into The frame and to let your heart make the shot. Rise up to your potential and let your heart and smile lead the way.
Tears still drop from my eyes each time I view these videos put together by my friend Deeno. He put many scraps of my talk and photos to make effective lessons for others to consider.
I joined you in tears at Isaac Kato's story, thank you for showing him such compassion in the hospital - RIP. I'm sure you have probably heard of them but you may enjoy the anthropologists Bourgois' and Schonberg's work on heroin addicts in San Francisco in the 1990s. It's called Righteous Dopefiend and it's a very revealing and compassionate investigation of their lives. Lot's of photography used in it too. Stay free John :)
@@miloholmans9665 Thanks Milo. Thanks for the tip. I will check.
My book End of the Line is available now! Here is the link for info johnfreephotography.com/book/
I worked 42 years as a Conductor/Brakeman for the Southern Pacific Railroad. I hired out in 1973. Many of the locations that you took pictures with the Tramps I worked at. I dealt with many Tramps, Hobos and Bums during my time with the Railroad, some were wonderful folks just down on their luck, others were just plain bad and to be avoided. This is such an amazing video, I had to share! John, if you ever publish a book with just these photos and stories, I want to be first in line to purchase it.
Hooray for the good guys that worked on the railroad and who treated the tramps with compassion and understanding. Thanks from me to the guys who would wave to me with a big smile.
Hi John-- like Steven P above, I also spent a few years working in and around the LA railyards, that stretch along the LA River. With a slightly different job, and not as long as Steven, I still encountered the Tramps and other denizens of these domains from time to time. It was an eyeopener for me; coming from a bland suburban upbringing. I'd never seen this side of life. By the way- my favorite image by far in your compilation-- is the Blond Girl by the Boxcar. I almost fell off my chair. Well- thanks again and carry on, sir.
Thank you Rail Roader. That very young girl at 15 years old was the most touching scene I had ever witnessed down by the Taylor yards. I hope she is happy and well somewhere. She will be in her late fifties by now. I still cant forget her or the brief time I was with her in her very distressed situation.
I'm not sure whose photographic body of work is my favorite. But without a doubt, John Free is my favorite photographer.
This was actually greatness.. Liked and will also share..
I lost a good photographer friend in Costa Rica back in March. You remind me of him so much.. He was private but always shared his work with me. Now that he's gone his work may never be seen. He was stabbed to death while photographing the sunrise in Costa Rica one morning. Died doing what he loved to do.
Thank you 32ndFoto. I am here and alive to carry on where your friend left off and away. A tear of sorrow and a smile of hope and love will be mine today. Photography can take us all to a wonderful place in ourselves and provide photographs that have the visual power to heal and entertain others who view our photos. Lets us both celebrate the life of your friend and feel good about what we try to do with our images.
Amazing... I am just a musician with a passion for photography, but this video is so inspiring and so touching. The first thing I thought is that you are a poet of the forgotten people, you're the Bob Dylan or the Woody Guthrie of photography :-) But your teaching and art, for me, goes far beyond photography. I wish I had the courage to fully commit to people like you do and to put all my naked emotions, with no fear, in what I do. Your photographs are incredible and I could sit here listening to all these amazing stories behind them for hours and hours. Clearly, beside being a great photographer, you're a great human being. I think today I understood what real photography is... and now I wanna go out and photograph the world! Thank you...
"Friends for five seconds"
Dear Lord, thank you for blessing the world with a man like John Free. I now have a new appreciation on photography and am inspired to pick up a camera and practicing. Thank you for your amazing work Mr Free.
Thank you for the blessing. I am blessed now because of your kind words.
Iv been a photographer for 20 years, I’ve watched thousands of hours of material and read a lot of literature… but this video has struck a chord. The sincere passion, emotion, love, understanding and skill is incredible. The fact you recall this amount of detail after 35+ years lays testimony to you as a photographer and a decent human. Inspirational. Best wishes from Ireland 🇮🇪
Just woke up this morning to find your wonderful note. I started my photography in Dublin in 1969. My wife and I were traveling in Europe. I worked in a garage in Dublin fixing cars. Photography has enriched my life. I hope it will be good for you as it has for me.
@@JohnFreePhtography if you permit me i can share my insta
I was also sent here by Ted Forbes. Wow. Such powerful stories and images. Most of us will never know the pain of the life lived in the ways of these men. I think it helps us to understand ourselves better as well as those around us when we know a bit about their life. As they say "try walking a mile in someone else's shoes if you want to get to know them. Thanks John.
Mr. Free, I was a freight switchman, brakeman and Conductor who started railroading in 1976, I too photographed the men we call hobos, this was in the PNW, I'd bring them scrap wood from the lumber mills for there fires and throw it from the flat cars as we krept past the jungle. I photographed some of them and after 9 years of railroading I went to college studying photojournalism while working a 4pm switch engine. Needless to say my instructors enjoyed the intimate nature of my work, I wheatpasted large prints of my work onto boxcars as exhibits for my grades, I moved on to Amtrak as a conductor and photographed onboard crews in their away from home environment for 11years. I later moved on to live in Australia and upon moving back to the U.S. later meeting a student of yours named Andy in Portland who told me about you, I sold him an F-3 on the cheap. Love your work and maybe we'll meet. Thanks so much of your beautiful work in a world I once lived!
Hi Andrew, You made my day with your thoughtful note and good story of your photo life. Pasted on boxcars for all to share and feel. Hooray that we have met here. You took care of the tramps and so did I. Happy you met my friend Andy who is a great person. Andrew and I are brothers of the lens and the right of way.
@@JohnFreePhtography yes, I got the feeling right away that Andrew was indeed a special person and brother sharing the same passion, he spoke highly of you and happy for him that he found you. Just retired, Railroading and the railroad life still remains the central focus of my life and I'm so grateful for being able to work in and record a wonderful era. The RR hired a lot of ww2 combat vets who took me under their wing and the tramps of that Era did in there own way as well, a great way to come if age. Thanks for your time and we ever have the chance to meet I'll shout you a coffee, sit down and have some laughs. Yours, Andrew
I always come back every so many months to watch this again to remind me of my humanity. Thank you again, John Free.
Thank you Justme. Yes, I always felt very sad knowing I could go to my warm home with wife and children, while these poor souls had to sleep out in the cold and very dangerous conditions.
I am happy my photographs of the tramps I met and photographed have made an impression on people. I was changed to a better place in my life because of what I saw, felt and photographed.
@@JohnFreePhtography You and others of your era have inspired me in photography. The older videos I watched to learn my skill are now hidden deep inside CZcams due to their new algorithm. Occasionally these great works resurface from time to time. They are invaluable resources.
Growing up I was too poor to have a 35mm camera. Knowing what I know now, I realize it would have take a master instructor and a lot of time and money for my then-immature self to comprehend the exposure triangle. I now own multiple cameras, most of which are film, a majority being 35mm.
A big thank you is well deserved of a now disappearing generation of great men. I have passed down my gained knowledge of photography to others; may classic photography live on forever until that Great and Wonderful Day of our Lord's appearing.
War, poverty, depression, affluence, and complacency have all influenced the historical state of photography, documenting and cementing in posterity life as we knew it, preserved for the next generations.
I am greatly moved, sometimes to tears, of the backstories to and images presented from photographs of both great masters and the average Joe happenstance of being in the right place at the right time with camera in hand.
I am comforted knowing that your work will live on long after you pass from this world, and that I can access it time and again in remembrance of you and the mark you left in the world and the impression you have left in our lives. Once again, thank you John Free for your contribution to society.
What amazes me is that compared to today where we have blogs, facebook other media platforms where we can write and share stories of our photos, this man remembers every story of every photo he has taken. All in his head.
To me these are the modern day parallel to the ancient greek cynics, like diogenes of sinope. Fascinating and sorely undocumented. Hope youre well John!
That's What Photography Is All About. Life's Good Times Bad Times Sad Times Happy Times Awesome Essay thanks Mr. Free
thi is by far one of the best docuS I've seen on here so so touching
John Free, you are a man full of love and compassion for the far less fortunate. You are a man after God's heart. This video with your stories about these men is as good as the best movie. And more valuable because they are true. Thank you for insight into a world that very few would know without your love and dedication, not only for photography but for these wonderful people. Amen.
The photos are profound, one and all. The stories make them vivid. I wish there would be more of this kind of videos on photography on CZcams, by photographers with skill and purpose.
Thank you. A very strange and sad time photographing tired men. Men who are trying to lose themselves. No where to go, but keep moving. Get enough for a bottle to take some of the pain away for awhile. My book about them is my tribute to these sad people.
I can hear the emotions in your voice and I'm crying at the stories because these were real people down and out. Albeit some by choice.
As someone that is new to photography I find this video extremely informative, because for me it's about the story a photograph should tell about the subject.
Just an amazing body of work John. You sir, are one of my heroes and mentors in my world.
God Bless.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you for this video John. A truly emotional and wonderful story of hard times. I have tried to take after my father and document my own family life through photography. Videos like this are what we need to keep going. Thank you.
John Free is such a motivation. When you feel a bit invisible, doing photography - just watch John Free and get that enthusiasm back!
Thanks Tony. I am happy you are with me in spirit.
This was both moving and profound. I have long searched for a purpose for photography and I think you just showed me what it is. I have had a few similar experiences with similar people but nothing like this. The dedication is unreal. I too was a bodyman. I restored cars. But you sir, took wrecked humans and told their stories. You did something here that needs to be seen and known. Keep doing it, John. You are an inspiration. I'll have to watch this several more times before it really sinks in.
I have no words to describe the feelings I got when listening to this story. Thank you so much for sharing this !
Me too. Thanks Eric.
You need a show on the history channel. Seriously, you tell great stories and have awesome photographs to document it. It's like I'm watching the Johnny Cash of photography. Keep it up man, I love these videos.
Hi John
I want to take this opportunity to say , that was a bloody fascinating story and thank you for showing us the images and life stories behind them .
I also take mono images of homeless people and have had times when there's been a conversation of sorts .
I would then buy them a hot drink and a sandwich and give a couple of pounds.
Your story of this ten year journey will stick with me, I feel this type of documentary should go on the road and used in seminars so other aspiring photographers can learn the way to approach and connect with their subjects.
I will be looking forward to seeing more of your work.
Thank you John, best regards Graham .
Thank you for the kind words. I just now woke from a long night and your fine message was here fro me to see this morning. I am happy you took time to write me. Getting ready to go out to my darkroom in my garage. I will print photos all day and into the night. Thank you. I hope photography will enrich your life.
Indeed a sad, but important story to tell. Social documentary photography, when it is best. Thanks for sharing this great and interesting video.
This is what the doctor ordered! Great stuff! Thanks so much for doing this!
You talk of “all those great photographers” in a lot of your videos. Well John, YOU are now one of those great photographers. You and your work are now immortal.
You honor me Rutger. Thank you very much.
John Free
No, thank you John. You’re helping me in a lot of ways. My instagram is sandboxvet, and I use photography to get me out of my war stuff, and keep me doing things.
I am a veteran who will offer FREE workshops in street photography for veterans who have depression. I have P.T.S.D.S. and I know first hand how making photographs with a noble intent can be a wonderful medication for those of us who have the blues.
Hi Rutger. I am a veteran who knows about the blues. I am planning a FREE street photography workshop for vets with p.t.s.d.s. No time for feeling down when I am with my camera and looking for subjects or life situations which might result in a meaningful photograph. For many years I have seen first hand how photography can be a great treatment or medicine for the blues.
John Free , thank you. Yes, I was medically retired with PTSD after serving 11 years with United States Army 18th Airborne Corps, deployed for Panama, and Desert Storm. From what I’ve read, there is a lot of veterans and other people with PTSD that have used creativity as a therapy. JRR Tolkien, was one of them, when he wrote The Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings. He was a medic and an ambulance driver during World War I working for the Red Cross, and saw a whole lot of screwed up stuff.
This video just changed me, thank you John and Deeno
i can not sit and listen to someone talk for almost one hour, but i always find myself coming back to your channel and enjoy your documentary and street photography talks. I learn so much from what you say, the way you tell the stories, it shows really how close you were, and how attached you were. Not forgetting the fundamentals, but they come up naturally. i feel that i need to have the honor of meeting you. You are a legend, John. The tips you throw here and there while you talk, are marvelous. I stopped taking candid street and documentary, but when i miss doing that, i come and get inspired.
Thanks John
Thank you Husain. I wish to help photography itself and all photographers who are on a private search for a better personal understanding of what photography might hold for them. The craftsman teaches by example but also with words of encouragement. To build a better stone wall or a boat or a photograph. Craftsmen of great skill have helped me so much in my life in the different aspects of, or endeavors in my life which have been helpful to me in whatever craft I was involved with. I truly believe in the power of the single photograph and in the single photographer to create great worth for all humanity and in doing so provide a much better love of self and love for all humanity through the grand process of combining mind, heart and soul together with a need to make this life better for all. To do this grand heartfelt gesture will make us all a little bit more human.
Mr Free, your photographs and the stories behind them pulled me in and held me in wonder and admiration. Thank you for sharing this important history.
Your a Kind and Compassionate Person. 👍 you gave those men. Your time. You made them feel like they were worth something. When the world gave up on them.
I'm very impressed, you were their family and you remembered their names.
Humanity undressed. Congratulations on such a heartfelt and brilliantly told account of these stories from your life. A whole lot more people need to see this video.
A rare lesson on photography that really matters from someone who obviously cares and knows what he's talking about and I hear you, John - a good number of images I've taken over the last 4+ decades haunt me to this day as well.
Big thanks and keep it up!
Enjoyed this video and those photograph so much. I was living in Los Angeles during my younger age, now back to my home town in Hong Kong. At age 60, i am started a new hobby which is taking monochrome photos wherever I go, thanks for the video and it inspired me a lot. Good luck to you and stay healthy ! - Davis from Hong Kong
Hi Davis. Happy for you and me. We have a camera and a chance to make photos which can live for thousands of years to carry your name and skill through the ages. I was in your town in 1963 with the U.S. Marines.
Thank you for this John. You have inspired me beyond belief. You are the true definition of a photographer. 10 years, every day, you gave us something so priceless and special. You've shown me the obligation I have to photograph for the rest of my life. I love this so much, and I can feel your burning passion for this as if it was mine. Thank you, truly, for everything you do John. Never for the money, but for the love of photography and life itself.
- Josh
The best thing about photography is the feeling of nostalgia and memories,it's like a rush.
Greetings from Latvia.
Great photos.
I think this is probably the most underrated video on CZcams. This is a hidden gem. A lifetime of work shown an recollected so vividly. So much emotions in these 51 minutes. So many memories. I felt like walking down those streets with John. This is more than just photography. This is pure storytelling.
Nikhil, your words have touched my heart. When I read your comment, I knew my time at the bottom of the world was not wasted. I have always tried to do something good for photography and for mankind. The camera can lead you to very special places which need to be recorded to show us what we must see in an image that might have the power to change us in some way . Pick up a camera and follow your true heart.
John Free your work is an example of how to fall in love with photographing people and places. I do street photography as well and it means a lot to me because it gives me opportunity to explore and show things that go unnoticed otherwise. Thanks for showing us the way John.
Thank you Nikhil. I found a magic place for me in life. The most important job I have ever had. I found and live in a wonderful state of mind devoted to the process of visual poetry. I must share with others what has been so good for me.
John Free I am very glad that I found your work and experience here. Its priceless. I am new to street photography and thats how I came across your videos. When I watched you, I realised how easy it is to walk with a camera and take pictures, but how difficult it is to tell a story through pictures. You need to know the people, you need to share the emotions, you need to laugh with them, cry with them... In order to tell their stories, you must know their stories first. What you are sharing here is priceless John. You have all my respect and admiration.
Probably the best photography video I've ever watched. The moving photo's, the moving stories, I was moved.
John, excellent documentary. So personal and evocative. Your narrative is as powerful as your pictures. Just wondeful. My father rode the rails. He was an orphan and it made him the wonderful man he became..a man who knew what made people tick. Thank you. Hobos, tramps and bums. My father told me about that distinction. Like my dad, you are a humanist who identifies with people on a personal level. How wonderful. How rare.
Ted Forbes send me here too . Great video man.
Those guys on the train are so right. Where are you going - I don't care.
Like in life, their life is the trip and for us life is only the destination, who's crazy here ??
Thanks for sharing
Great...everything...you sir, and your photographs, are so rare in nowadays. it's always the man behind the lens who makes the difference.
Thank you so much for sharing this with us John. I haven't been moved so much in a long time. We all capture moments in time with our photographs, but your video really brings home to me how a photograph is evidence of a person's existence. For me it was also a masterclass in photography. Apart from the extraordinary way that you made contact with these people to give you the possibility of photographing them, it was a lesson in how to see and build compositions. These are wonderful photographs. I also would be excited to see them up close in a book - with your stories too - if you ever felt that this was possible.
A poet in action! Truly a masterpiece, with your emotion & passion through your voice & photos. Thank you John Green.
You are a big inspiration for me with your photography, i follow you for quote a while. And After seeing this video where u talk with so much respect of these people, and talk with so much passion about each and evryone of these pictures, i just have to tell you, that you are my hero in photography. It makes me want to go out and photograph. Thanks for your inspirational talk, greeting from the Netherlands.
Thank you John Free.
I'm watching this for the Third time in a span of about Three years. Thank you for producing and sharing.
John this is royal class in photography and social documentary !Thanks for sharing /greetings from sweden
This is essence of photography.
This is one of the very best videos I came a cross in youtube, John you're a great human being and a fine man, no many people takes the time to listen stories from the people that they photograph.
I always tell to people that being a photographer is not just to press a button is more than that, in fact what makes you a good photographer is what you are as a person, all your experiences, what you read, what you see, the persons you know, what you believe or not believe, the choices you make in life etc, etc, all those experiences come together when you press the shooter and translate into a photograph, your photograph! with your own style and character.
The camera is just a tool you need to master.
Thank you John for being the person that connected those forgotten souls to the outside world, to the world once they were part of it.
Thank you Nuurs. Your words have given me much pleasure. The dirt and the danger of the train yards will never be forgotten, but your wonderful note to me is very special and makes me happy. Thank you for being a fine human being.
You're very welcome John! I sometimes go to LA I'll like to meet you in person one time. I'm a photographer as well and Nikon shooter too Nikon F5, I don't specialize in street photography but at some time I'll like to shoot that subject too. I checked your website for workshops but I guess you don't have scheduled the 2018 yet.
Thank you.
THIS IS FUCKING INCREDIBLE. SO, SO, SO INSPIRING.
Thank you John from Italy !!! You are an example for me,
I can listen to this and watch it over and over again from time to time.
Wow Mr. John Free I'm so glad to see you on CZcams! I have been watching your videos and they brought back great memories... I had the great honor of taking a photography class of yours 10 years ago. You had instilled in me a passion for photography which I have to this day. Your photos are amazing, and the stories and the passion in which you tell them are inspirational. Thank you for sharing!
Oh John! I just loved this video! Thank you for sharing and educating us. Just wonderful!
Thank you. The book is coming.
Mr.. Free, Thank you so much for sharing!
fascinating ..... The stories made me cry.... I can feel why you devoted your time to them.... There but for the grace of God I am.....
Everything you say should be made into a book with the photos, this is so inspirational.
Your photographs and words are simply beautiful. "you carry the pictures with you, the pictures never go away".
Thank you so much for this video!
I did't want the video to end.
I just love the stories you tell. Your photos are so on point. I'm primarily a landscape photographer but have immense respect for people who can tell stories with street photography. Regardless of the photography, it's always about the story and whenever I need a little motivation I come back to these videos.
Breath taking both the images and the narrative.
Thank you Neil.
my go-to vid when i feel down. anyone here feels the same way?
This is one of the best videos on social photography i have ever seen. You re a great photographer and human being.
Thank you. My book “End of the Line” includes 60 dúotone prints from this project and many of the stories about the Tramps. Here is a link to more info.
johnfreephotography.com/book/
Ted Forbes helped me land here and there is no way I can't get inspired by this work. I am an amateur photographer and most of the time I get scared approaching people on the streets selling stuffs for photos for my blog but after watching this,I think am more inspired and motivated to peel in more and get what i want to inspire and help feed the world with better understanding on life beyond my camera lens.
I wasn't expecting to cry today, but Christ this did it. John your work is amazing - the pictures are amazing, but it's the stories that you have with these images. They make the images mean so much more. Thank you for sharing, just thank you
Excellent work John!......both in your photography and your storytelling.....hopefully this project will become a book.........
Beautiful video, beautiful pictures, beautiful story 😍😍😍
John...you are truly an inspiration to me...I can't say it enough...deep thanks for perpetually sharing your life and work! I'm on the east coast but hope to someday soon have an opportunity to "walk the streets" with you. Very best, James
John - these are moving videos for me. Enjoyable, grounded, Inspirational - the adjectives are too many to list. Thank you
John, you are an inspiration
Hi john
Thank you for this super beautiful and moving story.
Your story and your photos opened my eyes to pick up my camera and photographed again.
I hope you will ever tell more of these beautiful stories.
Great thanks.
Thanks Mr. Floppy. You make me happy. I am also happy you will pick up the camera and go to my wonderful place in my mind to find visual poems to give out to everyone. Doing that will give you great joy.
Iam speechless in awe .
You are a very sensitive artist and a Master of Documentary Photography. You achieved a perfect composition in each photo, without losing spontaneity. I appreciate you sharing the photos and your experience. Greetings from Argentina.
Very brave of doing photos of these people. I feel so shy because I don’t know how they feel or they get mad. Beautiful picture and story. One day I will start taking pictures of people if I stop being shy!
These are great, pictures and stories, I have watch a few this morning.
This s to be the most captivating video I have seen in a very long while. loved the photographs and the stories behind each one, and how you remembered after such a long time shows not just your dedication to the project but your emotional connections with each one. Thankyou for doing this John.
Liam Bluck
Thank you Liam. Your note means a great deal to me today, as I head out to my little darkroom in the garage to print photos of the Tramps I made 40 years ago. The book about my project is on its way. For all these many years, I found it difficult to write about those damaged human beings I photographed so long ago. I guess some things in our lives are meant to be. People like you, with you wonderful comments have helped me to put it all together in book form, which is a good way to preserve story and photographs for others to share. Your kind words make me happy. I would enjoy knowing more about you as a friend.
so would I John, I think you knew when the time would be right to publish these photographs and I am glad that they are finally going to be published , so ill keep my ear to the ground for when it eventually does as id love to see the finished work and stay in contact with you.
Amazing photographs JOHN
John, you talk about dark room and capturing techniques I haven't done in over twenty years. Getting back into photography as an enthusiast I see argument over camera specs more than the art. I think I should have been looking for a channel like yours first.
This video feels like I’m listening to him in person. Unreal how this exist on CZcams.
That was a really fantastic 50 mins.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences.
To have a table filled with images of that quality was a life well spent.
What a story, so much more than photography, I could watch your videos for hours and hours, a true legend!
This video makes me want to go outside and shoot meaningful photographs, thank you John Free, you're my biggest inspiration
John I want to thank you for your inspiring me to "Get Close" Your words are very powerfull and its the reason you are my Favorite street photographer....so many others look fake in comparison.
Absolutely loved this. Not only are your photographs amazing, but the stories behind them and the people in your photographs are phenomenal. To hear the enthusiasm and compassion and emotion in your voice as you tell their stories and your experiences with these people are simply inspirational. Thank you for sharing and telling not just your experiences but the stories of those who society shuns and never wants to know about.
Thank you Charles. The stories are still fresh in my memory after 40 years. A place down at the bottom of life where few people ever visit.
_Love_ this. You can hear John's passion and love for these folks in every word; and _see_ it in every photo.