Not a pretty picture for sure Roxy! So many of these people on the streets homeless. Great surrealism action you used.

The monster called "today's society" rears it's ugly head. Some down and gritty postwork Roxy, well presented!

this picture is worth 10,000 words Roxy.... thank you. I want very much to jump up on my soapbox, especially because this man could very well be a Vet... but, I won't. We all know the sad state this country has fallen into... sickening. Even though this subject matter is disturbing, your captures of life in all it's various states are always some of my very favorite posts here. Thanks for showing the other side of life in Gotham... Seth

Fantastic shot Roxy. So true with our vets and families. and so sad!

The post work on this is excellent..Gritty reality for sure.

You did a great job on this sad image Roxy, what a powerful message it contains

This character looks like a statue!Brillaint postwork, Roxy!

Amazing and stark capture. So true through out cities here in the US. I see this everyday here in the city.

A sad reality. Scary.

A terrible image, but an amazing realization of it Roxy. Your postwork treatment of this is perfect for the very sad subject matter...and subject. There are a lot of them here too. Excellent dedi for Seth.

wonderful shot and post work

yeah and i bet if he smokes a cigarette in this park he will even get fined. must be an ugly feeling,when you serve your country and while serving the politicians are selling your ass for higher stakes and when you come home they spit at you.

It is gritty, but I'd consider it social realism rather than surrealism. And this image is certainly very effective at conveying the grim reality of this man's life. My wife & I have run a rural food bank here for several years & many of the people we provide food to live in marginal circumstances not very far removed from this type of existence. I personally don't approach these types of topics or images in my own art or photography, because for me, art is the pursuit of beauty. Which is not in any way a criticism or putdown of those like you who do portray these types of images - art has a different purpose & meaning for everyone & as long as it's an honest personal expression, I completely respect that...

With all the help going to non-American citizens this is one truly sad render. Excellant postwork showing off grim reality...

Well titled, great image. Very well done.

very disturbing it is Roxy, sooooo sad..

Not a pretty picture at all, but sad realism. Very well done work!

we are all just a blink away from this happening to us. Some of us are closer than others. My brother years ago ended up being homeless and we didn't find out until he ended up in the hospital... that was couple years ago. the last I heard, he's living with my cousin, has a steady girlfriend and is going to church.... With me being jobless, I try not to visualize this happening, but the scary truth is it's just a blink away.

Such a sad reality, Roxy captured so well through your camera.

A very poignant image, Roxy - it's so sad that anyone has to live this way; especially in this country. I could go off on a lengthy rant, but no need - your photo says everything better than words.

cool, excellent

Poor guy, and he's not the only one.

Magnificent in every sense!....I agree to the barryjeffer;"this picture is worth 10,000 words Roxy.... thank you."and Also I agree to René!.. No matter what,which countries citizens we are...This is the naked truth of all of us!These peoples are exists in every country!actually all humanity shares the same problems and disappointments and hopes for future!I believe our differences are not much important,we are the humans,all of us needs the food,a shelter,love,hope for future,trust and respect.....ıs it too much? no! I don't think so!:-)Magnificent shot and postwork my dear friend,Thank you for your sense of humanitarian responsibility Roxy:-)))))

Beautiful pic...as for my comment on society, no words can be said. I shake my head in shame...

Although it is rare to see such pictures, it does not mean that homelessness does not exist anymore. On the contrary. There are more every day .... everywhere. In Berlin, too. The gap between rich and poor is widening. Many people in cities have become accustomed to the sight. To me it ripping the heart every time. This picture needs no words. What I see makes me sad and I ask for charity, and attention...please Thanks for sharing!!

Great title and effects. So sad!

Unfortunately this scene is all to common these days - NYC, LA.... anywhere. It was bad enough before the economy went south 4-5 years ago - just got worse since then. Nice work - even if it is not a pretty picture

I am glad you chose to post it.. It is too easy to forget those that society wishws weren't there. I lived like this once.. it is not fun, nor was it by choice.

This is one of those photographs that NEEDS to be seen; I always judge a society by the way it treats its most vulnerable citizens. Photos like this are very difficult, simply because they ruffle feathers that need to be ruffled, and reveal the ugly underbelly of what makes the society that we live in. I've been delving, quite a bit into the fiction of Ursula K. LeGuin, recently...and this image reminds me, at least metaphorically, of her short story: "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas." For so short a work, it was a hard-hitting, enlightening, entertaining, shocking, magical, honest, muscular story. It's one of those stories that looks at the price of Utopia. I won't give away the kicker portion of the story, I will say that this image is the philosophical twin to that story. In US-American (and most other societies) we live good, happy, prosperous lives because of those we wish not to see, those we wish to turn our backs on. They are reminders of our own frailty, and we don't like to be reminded of that. Seeing this reminds too many of us too much of how close we actually are to being in this sort of situation. It isn't really hard work and perseverance that gives us good things: it's blind, stupid luck. I'm sure that this guy did "everything right," especially if he is a veteran! He fought for us, because it was the right thing to do; regardless of any mistakes he made in his life, he's probably done MORE for us than we'll ever do for ourselves, and I have a theory: people in this sort of position are sometimes people who have expended a lot of time and energy that serves us rather than themselves. I find that...telling. I can't say whether it's good or bad, but I think it's a part of the price we pay for being humans who live in this part of society. We don't live in Utopia, but I think that Omelas bears more in common with us than we care...and it's people like this, and other situations like this that cause many of us, myself included, to walk away. I'm back, only by accident, and while I'm here, I have to say a great, big THANK YOU for seeing this image, for capturing it, and for showing us the cost of our society: In LeGuin's story, most people are able to tolerate the price that must be paid for living in Omelas...but there are those who cannot tolerate that price...they cannot stand by and allow a terrible thing to happen, but they're powerless to stop it, to fight against it, because in doing something about it, they'd ruin the prosperity of Omelas, and so their only option was to...walk away. I don't advocate walking away: there are things we can do and things we should do, and I love the marvel of this as it confronts us with that, and forces us to look at ourselves and ask: What can I do and am I doing it, and it does that beautifully. This is a gorgeous image, not in its subject matter, but in its refusal to ignore the humanity of its subject. Thank you for posting this!

I too agree with Barryjeffer............This pic is worth a 1,000 words...and this is taken in the summer heat.........the cold cold winter is what I worry about the most...........This country music singer I met wrote a song and he (the singer) has been to my house since my hubby died....and played the song...It is called American Hero by Terry Wooley........he went off to fight the wore came home to find his home sold........his wife divorced him for his best friend and all he has is the clothes on his back...........the singer bought him breakfast the first he had ate in 5 days.....he was tickled to death just have someone think of him as a person and not a derelict and buy him some food.........all he has are the clothes on his back...........he said he drove back by the next morning and he was there again..........he got him coffee and a donut.......and the man grinned thanked him and shook his hand.....Terry said he wondered about the guy and if he was still there on the street corner..and I bet he is........I wish someone would offer him some kind of help......He helped his country and look how he got left in return...........The song is called American Hero by Terry Wooley and can be listened to on you tube...if you get a chance go listen to it.......then think of this picture......they go hand in hand together............ Great pic and capture and message as well...I hope you take time out of your day just to go listen to this song..........you will be glad you did This is going to my favs for sure............. PS Only like about 5 or 6 pics and I am caught up with you Hugs n love Susan~