I notice her hat before anything else — colourful, patterned, with the kind of detail you only get from something handmade. She’s smiling when I approach, the sort of easy, open smile that tells you she’s not in a rush.
I explain the project, how I’m photographing people who’ve been homeless and people who haven’t, so you can’t tell from the image alone. She nods straight away and says yes. Then she tells me about the hat, how she’s had it for years, and the places it’s been with her.
As we talk, she mentions friends who’ve experienced homelessness, and how their stories changed the way she sees people on the street. She understands exactly what I’m trying to do with the project — to make people look beyond the surface.
I take the shot while she’s still smiling, her eyes bright under the patterned brim. It’s the kind of photograph that will make people wonder, and that’s exactly what I want.