455: Mark Schumann - Capturing Homelessness with Humanity

·44 min·4 clips

Photographer Mark Schumann traveled to over 70 cities to document homelessness, asking what it truly means to bear witness through a camera.

The episode begins with host Matt Payne introducing photographer Mark Schumann and his documentary project on homelessness, which spanned over 70 cities in the United States. Mark shares his personal background, including moving from Florida to Santa Fe, New Mexico, 11 years ago with his wife Sherry. He recounts starting photography as a ninth grader for the Vero Beach Press Journal, where he created a weekly 'Inquiring Photographer' feature asking strangers questions and taking their pictures. Mark explains that the project on homelessness was sparked by a quiet thought about using his photojournalism background, followed by finding Dorothea Lange's book 'Grab a Hunk of Lightning' in a used bookstore, which he took as a sign to proceed. He details the research phase, focusing on cities with high homeless populations and expanding to rural areas, ultimately visiting 70 cities over nearly five years via plane and train. Mark describes his approach to subjects: he would have conversations first, sometimes for up to 30 minutes, then ask to 'make' a picture rather than 'take' one, with about 90% agreeing. He notes that homeless individuals often feel invisible, and even eye contact can be a small gift. The discussion shifts to misconceptions about homelessness, with Mark clarifying that only 38% of the homeless population is unsheltered, and among them, 80% face mental health issues, addiction, or alcoholism exacerbated by street stress. He emphasizes that 60% are sheltered, including single mothers working multiple jobs who cannot afford housing, highlighting the gap between wages and housing costs as a fundamental problem. Mark reflects on how conversations, more than photography, deepened his understanding of homelessness. The episode concludes with insights into the ethical dimensions of documentary photography and the human stories behind the statistics.

As heard by us

Mark Schumann's homelessness project keeps its ethical focus on the people in front of the lens.

Mark Schumann's homelessness project is strongest when it stays with the question at its center: what it means to approach someone with a camera, and what responsibility follows once the image exists.

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Why you'd press play

You can follow one photographer from a Dorothea Lange spark into a careful question: why take this picture, and what human connection can it make?

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