Capturing Moments of Homelessness

Capturing moments of homelessness can be almost impossible. Below are the only photos I have from my homelessness, I’m lucky to have them as a reminder of an entire year of my life.

For a brief period I was couch surfing, that’s when both of these photos were taken. I’d been cut off from most of my social circle due to an oversight when I was fleeing.

In the chaos of the night I fled the family home, I’d forgotten to grab my book which had my friend’s phone numbers and addresses written in. I realised my error when I finally reached a pay phone about an hour or so of leaving.

I knew one number, and I called them, reverse charges because I also didn’t grab any money. My friend answered, he accepted the charges, and he made me aware that my parents had called his, and they were instructed to take me back home if I reached out to them. I’m forever grateful for that tip off, not only did it possibly save my life, but I was also now aware that my parents had found the book and were calling everyone in it.

I couldn’t trust anyone in that book now, even if I did there’s the risk of my parents showing up since they had everyone’s address. I could only reach out to a few acquaintances, that weren’t in the book. Looking back, it was so awkward and I asked so much of people I barely knew. I was so fearful of everything.

Both of these photos were taken at the same place, by the same person. She was the younger sister of someone I knew, and while I was staying with them she took countless photos. I only managed to get two of them.

First of two photos of Matt Vapor while he was Homeless.

The first one is of me on the bed, I want to say this is the first one she took. Looking at it, I can’t describe the feeling it gives me. The things that stand out now are how far up on the bed I’m seated and as far in the corner as I could get. I wouldn’t have admitted it at the time, but I was scared shitless of what I was going through, and I feel it with this picture.

Second photo of Matt Vapor experiencing homelessness.

The second one… It’s a weird sense of happiness, just randomly eating breakfast. I remember getting annoyed at her after she took it, but deep down I enjoyed it. Her random snaps, the sound of the camera, the laughter when I got annoyed in response, it took my mind off what I was going through.