Photo in exchange for a bagel

American photographer Justin Bettmann, as part of The Bagel Project, treats homeless people with bagels in exchange for a portrait and stories from their lives.

Here is what the photographer says: “Since last year I have been living in the heart of Los Angeles. Like any city, Los Angeles is full of voices. We are used to listening only to the voices of the rich and famous; their songs and speeches crowd out the voices of ordinary people who inhabit the city. In most cities like Los Angeles, we're starting to get used to people sitting on the sidewalks or pushing broken supermarket carts. These people are talking to themselves because no one is listening. The homeless in our cities are often forgotten, while they become part of the city in their own right, fit into the city like lights, traffic lights and other things that we see a hundred times a day.

The project is quite simple: a bagel for an unheard story. I was always surprised by the fact that these people are satisfied with their lives. On top of that, they are happier finding a friend to talk to than just getting food. The aim of my project was to give a voice to those who have no voice.”

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