Underexposed: color portraits of the homeless by Aaron Draper

Photographer Aaron Draper is capturing stunning and color photos of homeless people living across California for a project called “Underexposed” that is aimed at bringing more attention to people who do not have a place of their own.

Street photography often involves photographing the homeless. There are more than half a million people without a home in the US and most of their photos are captured in black and white.

Aaron Draper is an artist aiming to portray homeless people in a different light. The photographer shoots color photos of people living on the streets or in abandoned buildings in order to send a feeling of “hope” to the viewers, as hope generates more attention and makes people get more involved.

The artist’s project is called “Underexposed” and it reveals the issues of the poor in a “visually appealing” manner.

Aaron Draper puts homeless people in visually appealing light in “Underexposed” series

People put too much emphasis on how they appear to other people. Photographer Aaron Draper says that today’s society is “visually demanding” so you need to make your ideas “visually appealing”. The homeless are often portrayed in an unpleasant light, but Aaron’s “Underexposed” series is here to correct this aspect.

The artist generates hope because it sells to the public when it comes to social activism as nobody wants to fight for a lost cause.

His views of the poor have been influenced by John Steinbeck through his books called “Of Mice and Men” and “The Grapes of Wrath”. Just like the world-renowned author, the photographer is still hoping to change the society’s opinion on homeless people.

Additionally, Aaron Draper says that John Steinbeck has always been “a voice for people that have no voice”. As a result, the artist is hoping that “Underexposed” will influence people who have a place to call home to have a “humane view” of people living on the streets.

The homeless issue is underexposed in today’s society, says the photographer

The photographer says that lighting is key in “Underexposed”. The lighting is setup in order to direct all the attention towards the subjects and to raise the interest of the viewers.

Aaron Draper says that there is a metaphorical connotation to his lighting. An underexposed shot needs more light and the homeless need to be brought to people’s attention. A strobe illuminates the “Underexposed” subjects, while the series brings the homeless into public light.

More information about the photographer as well as more images can be found at Aaron Draper’s official website.