Hamburg

When I first began expoloring photography in 2011, social issues quite naturally became one of my biggest focal points.

In the case of Germany, many here will claim "homelessness does not exist in Germany" or go even further to claim "homelessness is only an American problem".  However, it certainly does exist, not only in Germany, but worldwide, and certainly throughout Europe- west, east, north, south.  In the case of the United States, there have been attempts, such as in Utah, to help reduce or eliminate homelessness, though there have been some criticisms of the program and if it was actually even effective.  However, the fact remains that attempts were and are being made to solve the situations in some way.  In Germany, homelessness, by contrast, is a dissonant topic that people would rather not discuss because it shatters the image of Europe's wealthiest country that has heavy influence over the rest of the continent.  However, beyond not discussing it, people go much further to try and unrealistically claim it "does not exist" at all.

Due to this, documenting homelessness became a strong focal point in my travels throughout Europe and the United States, often with startling similarities.

Hamburg, Germany, 2011