In 2011, I photographed the homeless camps in and around Baltimore, Maryland. As development encroached on whatever woods were left in the expanding suburbs and industrial parks of Baltimore, I found myself practically stepping into a number of encampments that were carefully hidden among strips of trees or bushes running along highways or behind shopping centers. I witnessed not only the effort that went into remaining hidden in plain sight but also the creativity involved - no two camps were alike. They ran the gamut from completely exposed mattresses to epic structures constructed out of milk crates or wooden doors. All of the camps spoke to the yearning and failed hopes of their residents. More than one resident told me that living in a tent was a personal choice - yet it seemed to me that there was no other choice.
By the end of 2011, none of the camps I’d photographed remained.
