Nicky

The photo of Nicky is beautiful.
In my opinion however the flickr set needed a warning for potentially offensive content. I understand as a long-time user of the internet that I can choose to click away from it, but I had not anticipated that the vast majority would feature illegal behaviour.
Just my 2¢ of course.

I'm sorry, but is this ethical? To print her name and corner, does this not subject her to harrasment?
Can she give consent if she's addicted to drugs? How old is she?
No offense, but why not post a photo of the person(s) who use up and abuse young bodies like this, put their name and corner out for public attention.

Larry, I think your motives, or intention concerning photographing Nicky comes from a genuine desire to see the condition in which she lives improve. However, I find your photographs very problematic and your work threatens to de-humanize Nicky as, “God’s precious creation, beautiful and valuable.”

Firstly Larry, you get to name her, and locate her, her body and “story” are literally available to all of us online. You are not offering Nicky as a complex being, with a complex history. You offer her to us as a prostitute, who is addicted to drugs. You are telling us her story, from your lens and your perspective. How does that work to humanize Nicky or have others view her as precious? Problematic representations (i.e your photos) have the power to reify conventional understanding of what it means to be black, a woman, a prostitute and a drug addict. There are ways to highlight this issue without recklessly infringing on her confidentiality.

Secondly Larry, the photos you have posted online of Nicky doing drugs, puts her at severe risk, due to the illegality of prostitution in Canada; and zoning and solicitation by laws. I understand that you have received “consent” from Nicky to take her picture; however, through paying her, knowing her economic situation, you have disabled her ability to give full consent. As a working woman on the streets, your money only seduced Nicky to say yes in the face of poverty.

I understand your desire to show the real experiences of people who live in Hamilton, but your “art project” has to deal with the real people it profiles. It’s not about you as a photographer, it’s about her and the necessity to respect her rights to privacy. We as human beings are accountable for what we say and what we do. I’m asking you, at the very least, to take down the pictures of Nicky doing drugs, for her own safety. As a community we need to find ways of helping vulnerable women, while respecting their dignity and self-worth.

awesome picture! and way to bring issues like this to light! i think that in today's society we try to see only the 'beautiful' or the 'right'. too many times do people in our communities fall through the cracks because people don't want to help. also the fact that you kept asking her permission is awesome. maybe this way she will get if she wants it. i know this is a very sticky issue, but maybe people now a days need to open there mind to helping people as a community, helping the vulnerable, while respecting their dignity and self worth.