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Chico State Instructor, North State Photographer Sheds Light On Homelessness

A Chico State instructor’s photography series documenting homelessness throughout California has garnered attention across the Web in recent weeks.

Aaron Draper, who teaches digital photography and has worked professionally throughout Northern California for many years, began the series, titled “Underexposed,” in 2013 in an attempt to humanize those who are homeless and inspire social activism. The documentary portraits were taken throughout the state, in cities including Chico, Oroville, Marysville, Modesto, Oakland and San Francisco.

Credit Courtesy of Aaron Draper
A behind-the-scenes shot of Aaron Draper working on his photography project titled "Underexposed."

Draper began the series as a personal project titled “Forgotten Faces,” but while earning his master’s degree of fine arts at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, he decided to continue the work as his master’s thesis project under the new name.

“My intention with this series was to present the homeless community in a way that the public would want to know more about them, increasing their exposure and generating more awareness of the homeless problem in the U.S.,” he said.

For each of his subjects, Draper asked permission to take their photo, paid them for their time, asked them to sign photo releases, and returned within the week to share their portrait with them.

“I approached the project as a guy who was trying to learn about another man or woman that happened to live on the street,” Draper said in an interview with DIY Photography. “When I’m looking for subjects to photograph I usually base it on two things: their story and their face. While I will pay everyone I photograph, I generally display the ones whose stories resonate with me and whose faces mirror those stories.”

Credit Courtesy of Aaron Draper
A behind-the-scenes shot from photographer Aaron Draper's "Underexposed" project.

Draper said the attention the project received was unexpected. Though most of the responses have been positive, some online commenters have accused him of exploiting those who are homeless for his own purposes.

“Once they hear more about the scope of my project they'll see that this is entirely untrue,” Draper said in a written response to critics. “But I do enjoy controversy. I enjoy it because it keeps people talking about an issue that is close to my heart.”

To learn more about Underexposed, visit Draper’s website.

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For a list of homeless shelters and services in the North State and elsewhere, visit shelterlistings.org.