San Diego Fire Evacuees, Qualcom, Stadium

I got a call from People Magazine to shoot portraits of evacuees at the Qualcomm Stadium. I had a little over 2 hours to make these portraits, however I am really happy with them.

Overall, it was very easy to get these people to be real with their emotions in front of the camera. Most of the people there had been under so much stress and lack of sleep- the last thing they wanted to do was smile in front of a camera. While they agreed to be photographed- most boundaries that keep people from being comfortable in front of a lens had dissipated.

I encouraged them not to smile- but to express what they were feeling in that moment, in front of the lens. It really worked. As I was taking these portraits, I was floored by how powerful the experience was. I don't think I have ever made a series of portraits of people in a traumatic situation such as this. It was an amazing experience.