"Home for a Family of Six" by photosbytony

Netflix Fan Art + Redbubble = Awesomeness for Artists

Home for a Family of Six

Wall Art

Poster
Canvas Print
Photographic Print
Art Print
Framed Print
Metal Print

Home Decor

Throw Pillow

Accessories

Tote Bag

Stationery

Greeting Card

Artist's Description

1377 Views & 21 Favorites as of 3/5/13

Featured in “Analogue Photojournalism & Street Photography” 4/1/11
Featured in “Black and White Enthusiasts” 4/1/11
Featured in “# Artists of RedBubble” 4/14/11
Featured in “Life in the City, Suburbs or Bush”
7/30/11
Featured in “Days Gone By” 8/7/11
Featured in “Photographers of RedBubble” 9/12/11
Featued in “That 70s Shot” 9/22/11

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In the late 60’s through the 70’s Mexico City was growing at a rate of 24000 people a month. Most of these people were from rural areas and were subsistence farmers. Many were not familiar with indoor plumbing, the only electricity they knew was a bare bulb sometimes hanging outside their palm thatched huts. They came for work and were unprepared for the city. Many settled in Shanty Towns, called Lost Cities in Mexico, on the outskirts of the city. Cardboard, plastic, corrugated metal and scrap wood homes huddled closely together with open sewers running between them. They were constantly harrassed by the police and told me at night bulldozers would sometimes collapse the walls of the exterior huts. The government wanted them to move saying they would build housing but the residents didn’t trust them and had nowhere to go. The leader of this settklement of 5000 people was a school teacher who lived in the center of the maze with uzzi carrying security at different checkpoints as you were led through the maze. I spent a day inside the one of these settlements in the early 70’s getting to know the people and photographing them. This is a fairly typical one room dwelling although they had a pretty big bed compared to others.

Tri-X Scanned Film, Nikkormat Camera with either a 50 or 35 mm lens.

All Products Tags

shanty towns black and white film photojournalism documentary people street

Artwork Comments

charitygrace almost 12 years ago

Very moving
photosbytony almost 12 years ago

Thank You Charity, what surprised me most of all at the time was how upbeat these people were and the children were still children not really aware of their circumstances all they had ever known. tony
jtmeirose almost 12 years ago

Hey! Ya got the scanner. It does a fantasic job. What’s the rez of this? Well made photo of a very sad situation.
photosbytony almost 12 years ago

No sent them out to be scanned to a great place but it took forever to get them back, muyorder got mis-dated somehow. I had them do tiffs and jpegs, the B&W tiffs are12.8 megs and the color ones are 32 megs with
All at 3000 DPI. Reasonably priced to. I think mine were.69 each because I got tiffs and jpegs but they have prices as low as .29. Scancafe
Valerie Rosen almost 12 years ago

wonderful work, tony! love when photojournalism is used to raise awareness…we can always be reminded to show compassion and have understanding… :-) val
photosbytony almost 12 years ago

Thanks Val, just had 300 negs scanned from 35 years ago so i am having fun today. :0) tony
dinghysailor1 almost 12 years ago

what quality in such circumstances .. a really moving capture

:)
photosbytony almost 12 years ago

Thank You Maggie! It was a moving day but the people were so upbeat about us being there it made me question what right I ever had to get down on my bad days. tony
stephaniemwood almost 12 years ago

Definitely a shift in perspective. Nice shot.
photosbytony almost 12 years ago

Thank You Stephanie and thanks for the favorite! tony
F.A. Moore almost 12 years ago

It’s wonderful to see that despite “conditions”, home is still where the heart is.
Posters, framed pictures, hanging linens and blankets, bed, child— everything meaningful consolidated into one small space.

Excellent photojournalism, Tony.
photosbytony almost 12 years ago

Thank You Frannie, they did their best to still create a home. tony
Tania Palermo almost 12 years ago

….very touching image and words….
photosbytony almost 12 years ago

Thank You Tania! tony
J.K. York almost 12 years ago

wow, powerful documentary image. hard to put words to it. i think it really speaks for itself. beyond all the technical mumbo jumbo you have captured emotion. well done.
photosbytony almost 12 years ago

Thanks JK, I am glad you apprecate it. tony
rodeorose almost 12 years ago

Tony this is such a strong piece my friend- documentary work and so full of compassion and Heart xxx
photosbytony almost 12 years ago

Thank You Rose! tony
berndt2 almost 12 years ago

amazing photo and back-story!
photosbytony almost 12 years ago

Thank You Berndt! tony