Humans Of Boston

Inspired by Brandon Stanton, Diana Taylor, John Free, Harvey Young, and many other photographers and scholars alike, I started my version of a storytelling photography project: Humans of Boston. Frankly, the advent of this project is somewhat accidental, and the first couple of photos don’t really tell much about stories. It was a half-sunny and half-cloudy afternoon when I was strolling around Newbury street for the purpose of taking pictures of street views of Boston. A homeless guy unexpectedly approached me for help and I offered him some changes. All of a sudden, what these photographers and scholars illustrated above had stressed in their books and lectures magically emerged in my mind, and I instantly had this strong feeling of taking a portrait of this stranger who approached me. As a result, I proposed my request and chatted with him shortly, and I left excitedly with a photo of him. In the subsequently weeks, I started to approach strangers in the streets and I tried to interview each and every single one of them for their personal stories. From my perspective, not only can these pictures (captioned by my conversation with them) spread and share with their readers the emotions and sentiments (love, sorrow, anxiety, etc) embedded in other people’s stories, but the readers can also get informed about how this world, this nation, and this city have shaped other people’s lives and thoughts in this era. What’s more, their answers to my questions apparently are reflections of their perception toward this city, this nation, and this world. Hence, the information of how this world (or this nation or this city) is like and how people’s lives and thoughts are like in our time will all be embodied in this project, and hopefully it could be treasured by next generations.

One

“Would you help me out with a couple of coins?” “Sure! By the way, may I make your portrait? I’m trying to record the lives and stories of Boston residents in the form of static images.” “No problem! But I’m homeless, do not really have a place to reside in.” “But I think as long as you are living in this city, you are definitely a resident of Boston!” “I guess so. Life is so hard to me.” “It’s not easy for anyone. Carry on and good luck!” “Thanks!”

Two

“Do you mind if I take your picture?” “Not at all!” “Do you like it?” “It’s your picture! And it’s your call!”

Three

“Let me take a picture of you two!” “No problem!” “How do you like it?” “My dog is out of focus!”

Four

“May I take your picture? I like your outfit…and your tattoo!” “Go ahead! Are you with any Fashion Magazine?” “Nope! I’m just recording various lives of Boston residents.”

Five

“I have three children: a 24-year-old son; a 21-year-old daughter, and this little one is 9!” “Wow!You must be very proud of them! Is it hard to raise children or to get along with them?” “It’s factually hard for me because I am a single-mother. You will realize how hard the next day is gonna be if your kids cry in the middle of a night. But every time when I see their faces, everything becomes worth doing. And I feel happy about it.”

Six

“I don’t even recall the happiest moment of my life.” “What is your greatest struggle right now?” “money.”

Seven

“I have no complaint about life. You see, this tattoo of my, it says PMA, which is short for Positive Mental Attitude, and this is my attitude toward life. If you don’t have a umbrella when it rains, go get a umbrella; if you can’t get a umbrella, then come with me into a building away from the rain; if there is no building to hide away from the rain, what’s so bad about getting wet by the rain? I don’t understand what people are complaining about life. I love my life : learning new things everyday, meeting new people everyday. These are things that are as important as taking each and every breath to me. Getting over your frustrations and achieving what you want is very important. You know, I started from scratch and finally made myself a tattoo.” “Tell me about a time when you were unable to keep such attitude.” “A couple of months ago, I broke up with my girlfriend. That was the lowest period of time in my life. We had been together for 4 years and we had it all. We would sacrifice so much for each other, and she is the best person I have ever met. But gradually, I found out that she was changing the way she talks and the way she relates with others. At the same time, a sense of insecurity appeared in my heart. And unfortunately, I let that feeling sink down into the bottom of my heart and I refused to communicate. It became a burden for me, and for her as well. I guess that was the reason that ended our relationship. Fortunately, I am myself again now and I learned one thing from it: Don’t hold all the emotions and pressures to yourself. If you find something wrong, take your responsibility and speak it out. Talk to the ones you care about, and leave no regrets behind. “

Eight

“I was born in Philadelphia, but Boston is the most fabulous city I have ever lived in. If you wanna know whether or not a city is a good place to live in, look at its attitudes toward Jews and the homosexual group. But just like many other cities, Boston has its own zones of danger. For example, I used to live in a community where safety was not guaranteed. You know, the other night I heard some gunshots in my community and I called the police. What’s worse, my bike was stolen the next morning. After that incident, I moved somewhere else. Although I’m living in some other community currently, my economic condition is still not ideal. ” “Hadn’t you thought about earning more money after that night? Or earning money has never really been an aim in your life?” “To be honest, I would like to earn some more money if I could. But there are many limitations to me due to my health condition. But what makes me happy now is that I am teaching history, politics, and psychology at some institutions. I coach ice hockey teams, and I sing. My dad left me some money that can be withdrawn every month for a fixed amount. I am happy about how I am doing right now.” “What is your definition of success then?” “Driving my own car with highly ensured security, and I can go anywhere at my discretion.”

Nine

“I started playing basketball from the age of six, and it has been seven years now. The other kid and I are the only seventh graders in our team while others are all ninth graders. Basketball is my greatest passion and I will never give anything up for it. The only moment I feel unhappy when playing basketball is the moment I missed a shot or the time I lost a game. And you know, the coach is quite crucial in terms of winning or losing a game. Although our coach helps us win and he is not bad to me, I wouldn’t always listen to him.” “Do your parents support you? Do they force you to pay more attention to your academic study than basketball? What happens when they find out that you are playing basketball while you are not allowed to do so?” “I am the only one who considers basketball as a serious business. I think I’m gonna become a professional player in the future, maybe I will play in the NBA. But my parents are not that supportive. If they find out I sneak out for basketball, they will make endless calls and I am upset about it.” “What do you think is the most significant quality for becoming a great professional player?” “Basketball comes first, and persistently practice.”

Ten

“What do you like about her?” “Because of my childhood experience, I have been a person who does not care about others at all. This is especially true when I am in a relationship. But this situation was totally changed the moment she appeared. ” “What was changes?” “Let me put it this way. The fact that she appeared in my life is like a stroke of light that falls from the sky, through the surface of the ocean, to the bottom of the ocean at which I live alone. This is the type of light that makes me wonder what the world out there is like, and this is the first time I feel like caring about the other person in a relationship.”

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