Ryan, thanks so much for speaking to us about "The Snowsuit Effort." Please introduce yourself - where do you live, what do you do, and what is your favorite dessert?

My Pleasure... I live in Royal Oak, Michigan - a suburb on the outskirts of Detroit. I stay busy by working at an interactive agency and, more recently, shooting photos for the Metro Times, a Metro-Detroit weekly entertainment/alternative newspaper. My favorite dessert is definitely my wife's Apple Crumble.

Tell us a bit about your photographic background, and how you became interested in the documentary style.

My father was a big influence on my interest in photography. As a teenager he made quite a successful career of shooting for his local newspaper. His photos of Presidents Kennedy and Johnson are still a source of inspiration for me. I studied photography at Wayne State University in Detroit but was never really able to
invest myself in the curriculum. I was working an extremely time-consuming job at the student newspaper and, looking back, feel that I essentially slept through my studies. I took a long break from photography following graduation and focused my attentions on what I felt were more tangible career choices: graphic design and web development. As digital photography turned the corner from practical to professional I invested in a Digital SLR camera and began to re-explore the joy of photography.

The documentary approach is a function of sheer curiosity. I'm attracted to projects like NPR s “This American Life,” which tends to focus more on the human experience and less on the “famousness” of a given individual or event. It's a very intimate and special undertaking to interview a random stranger face-to-face. The people I shoot typically don't have a voice in mainstream culture. It's refreshing for me to get new and unheard perspectives on life.

It is said "a picture is worth a thousand words," but your images amend the old adage. Not only are your images worth more than a thousand words, but in Snowsuit a single world, "homeless," is worth a thousand pictures. Would you tell us how this project began and why you chose to title it "The Snowsuit Effort?"

The project began as I was noticing many of the week-to-week apartments in my area being converted to luxury condominiums. I remember feeling really confused about the drastic change in occupants and thought that it would be interesting to interview the people that were being displaced. I also wanted to step out of my comfort zone on the project. I had used the name “Snowsuit” for several previous projects that had ultimately failed because they were too easy—I wasn't challenging myself enough. So, I re-christened the project “The Snowsuit Effort” as a way to remind myself of committing to the new approach. Growing up in the chilly Mid-West snowsuits were part of everyday life in the Winter and the word has a certain ring to it that I like.

Blogs usually document the lives of the photographers or authors who create them, but yours is an exception. Instead of documenting your own life, Snowsuit is dedicated to serving your community and the subjects of your photos. What do you hope to achieve through The Snowsuit Effort?

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I've always wanted the site to be about the people and personalities and less about my editing/commentary. I wanted visitors to create their own interpretations, narratives and values. There isn't a disclaimer or qualifying statement for the images and it forces users to digest them in a very different way. Some users think that I am simply making up random quotes, others are sure that I work for part of a larger government outreach program.

Take a guess - how many street people have you photographed? Do all of them appear on your site?

I would guess that I've shot close to 500 people. The overwhelming majority of people do get featured, but I often eliminate blurry or otherwise poorly composed shots. Ideally I try to shoot 20-30 frames of each person, but there are a few hasty snapshots that end in unsatisfactory images.

Have any other photographers or photo-projects inspired you in creating/continuing The Snowsuit Effort?

My father is a big influence in terms of mechanics — I always keep his thoughts on sharpness and clarity close at heart. There are the obvious, classic, documentary photographers (Robert Frank, Walker Evans, Diane Arbus) that will always be a point of reference. But, I regret that I'm not much of a scholar on photography. I think I am more inspired by the work of my fellow photoblogging colleagues than the works I studied in college. I'm drawn to the investigative nature of themes, photo projects dedicated to specific groups of people or types of people: factory workers, tall people, musicians, skaters, whatever. There seems to be an endless supply of these types of studies in books, magazines and on the internet. I have a photographic series of kids waiting in line for concerts that I shot last year—I feel like I could shoot that type of work for the rest of my life. But, I'm lucky to be surrounded by a lot of talented friends who are involved in their own self-directed creative projects in music, crafts, writing, carpentry, acting and painting. It's fun to collaborate and work together with our shared skill set.

From the point of view of your subjects, what is it like to live on the streets?

Harsh. It's a constant struggle. There are always soup kitchens and shelters, but even the best municipal program can't provide for all the intangibles. Each person I interview has their own take on the matter, from frustration and anger to guilt and remorse. I think we take for granted that we live in an extremely complex society with bizarre rules, cultural mores and social expectations. I think many people living on the streets find it difficult to participate in this experience.

What does your photographic process look like? How do you meet a stranger and walk away with these terribly intimate, poignant portraits?

I try to treat everyone with dignity and respect. It's amazing how people can open up to you when you demonstrate basic social graces. Many homeless people have never been asked about their dreams, hopes, aspirations — they're usually surprised that I actually want to talk to them. We often develop instant connections, discussing family, pets, local events and issues that are important to them. I always ask permission to shoot and we typically spend 20 minutes talking and just a few short moments shooting. I'm interested
in documenting the images, but more importantly I want to learn the different stories of each individual. People watch me writing down their answers and it's great to see them swell with pride, knowing that their words are just as valid as the next persons.

I understand you offer a payment, of sorts, to your subjects. What is it, and why do you do so?

It's always something different. I try to give what I can, be it cigarettes, money or food. Sometimes companionship is the best payment of all. More than one person has mentioned that I was the only person that has spoken to them all day. Offering money is easy, but giving time is something that takes much more effort and compassion.

Who is your favorite person you have photographed and why?

Frank. The whole project started with getting to know Frank. I spent a lot of time talking to him and realizing that I had unwittingly made a lot of assumptions about homeless/transient people. Frank had a sense of pride that few people exhibit — he wasn't blind and penniless, he was a salesman. Sure, he struggles, but he does what he can to better his situation.

Frank taught me to never assume that people simply want hand-outs or that the desperately poor don't have their own wisdom and philosophy to share.

How do you want us, your viewers, to respond to the poor in America, on an individual level, as communities, and as a nation?

I want people to react on an emotional level. I feel that our nation gets too caught up in the politics of the situation: drugs, political parties, economy and so on. I don't think we need another outreach program or support system, we just need to be a whole lot nicer to our fellow man. I think it's more important to focus on an individual level. We don t have to give money to every homeless person we see, but we can do our best to be polite and respectful. A few kind words can go a lot further than one might think. I see some of the same people
every week and we have fantastic relationships. I truly enjoy walking the streets of Detroit and seeing a familiar face on every block.

Do you have any other irons in the fire? What do you photograph when you are not working on Snowsuit? Do you have any other hobbies?

I'm usually working on a couple different things in various states of completion. Next up is a new web project (not photography related) that I hope to launch this fall. I'm trying to do something creative that will allow me to work a bit more collaboratively via the internet with friends and strangers. I've been shooting news and features for the last year at The Metro Times. It's a great, humbling, and rewarding experience. I'm at the mercy of the photo/design editors, so my work is critiqued through several different people. It's nice to have full authority over my personal work and then be more or less ousted from the decision process in my freelance/professional career. I think photography is my main hobby. If I don t have something to shoot I give myself small projects to help refine my composition and technique. I like experimenting with time-exposures, lighting and post-processing.

How can our readers support you in the Snowsuit effort?

Well, right now the project is on a bit of an extended hiatus. I'm trying to find a way to develop the intimacy of the project into new areas. I'm unsure of whether I should end the project and begin a completely new documentary series or refine the existing approach into something different. I guess the future is a bit uncertain for The Snowsuit Effort...

Ryan Keberly's photoblog, The Snowsuit Effort, has increased public awareness about homelessness by adding human faces and personal stories to what is an ever prevalent aspect of American society. You can visit him online at www.snowsuit.net.

David Shirk is a BLM editor, a freelance photographer and an avid photoblogger. You can visit him online at: davidunplugged.my-expressions.com.