I spent some time photographing Hobo Travelers (also referred to as “Gutter Punks” by New Orleans locals) while in New Orleans last week. There has been a large influx of Travelers into the French Quarter in recent months.
The locals hate “gutter punks” due to their violent nature. This poor kid had his face smashed while in a drunken dispute with a fellow Traveler the day before his arrival to New Orleans.
We have travelers come through Chicago during the summer all the time. Good panhandling and cheap heroin brings them in. The BBC offered to pay me to travel with them, but I turned it down. I’m just a bit too old to be jumping on boxcars, and these folks are a rough crowd.
New Orleans offers a safer way for me to document. I’m finished with the heroin project. After Greg overdosing, it’s just too depressing for me to be involved with.
I’m looking to spend part of the winter in New Orleans shooting street, and documentary.
I”m really happy to hear you’ve stopped with the heroin project Chuck. One can only do that kind of thing for so long. Anyway, you did good work, so time to move on. The “gutter punks” sound pretty rough too. Dangerous in a kind of different way. You take care!