Pulitzer Prize Visual Review: Philadelphia's Homeless

Philadelphia's Homeless, Tom Gralish, 1985

In Tom Gralish’s 1985 photograph, Philadelphia’s Homeless, the viewer's eyes are immediately drawn to the foreground of the frame. The homeless man is the focal point of the picture, created by a shallow depth of field. The background is blurred out and the main focus of the viewer is the man in the box devouring a meal. Gralish also accomplishes a good use of light and the zone system. There is a variety of lighter whites, dark blacks, and various shades of grey. The photo is also grainy, indicating Gralish most likely used a high ISO to capture the light and tone differences.

The use of line is also incredibly important in this photograph. The diagonal line created by the sidewalk and side of the building draws our eyes to the rest of the photo, not just the focal point in the foreground. Additionally, the horizontal lines created by the sidewalk create consistency throughout the entire photo and establish a foreground vs. background. There is also a contrast between the slanted cab sign and the perpendicular line created by the street light and the sidewalk lines

All of the different artistic techniques Gralish employs in this photograph come together to create a clear message about homelessness in our cities. There is a certain irony between the message of the sign, which reads, “No Parking. Cab Stand,” and the man essentially setting up his temporary home right below. The contrast between the sign’s message, the man, and the lines between the sign and sidewalk demonstrate how the world chooses to ignore the homeless rather than address the real issues at hand.

Gralish’s photo also captures the disconnect between the homeless and the rest of society. The blurred woman in the background carries an umbrella to protect herself from the rain, while the man uses a cardboard box to keep dry. Gralish also uses the light and reflection of rain on the sidewalk to demonstrate this divide between social groups. The diagonal line of the sidewalk leaves a light side, where the homeless man sits, and a dark side, where the other two people walk. The homeless are on one side of the city, while everyone else keeps their distance. Gralish effectively captures the stigmas society holds against the homeless. Rather than help the homeless obtain a stable income and living situations, much of society just choose to walk on the opposite side of the street avoids looking at the real problem.

Tom Gralish took Philadelphia’s Homeless as part of a series of photos that depicted this group in April of 1985. He then won the Pulitzer Prize for this photo in 1986. Gralish spent the majority of the winter of 1985 with this homeless community, especially the men. Gralish came to know and develop relationships with the homeless men he photographed. Many of them lived on the streets to avoid going to the shelters, calling themselves “the last free men.” Through his photos and discussions with the homeless, we learn that they are people just as those are who turn their heads the other way. They face incredible difficulties, but still, make decisions in their lives regarding their living situations. While the majority of society looks down on the homeless, Gralish offered a rarely seen point of view. His photo makes us recognize and realize the realities of the homeless and how we, as citizens, contribute to their way of life.