Elise Klysa – Shining a Light on Those in the Shadows

While drafting this essay, I saw an obituary in the Washington Post about the passing of Brian Lindstrom, a filmmaker who created documentaries that shone a light on society’s underdogs and inspired change. He was described as wanting to tackle challenging topics with a lens that restored dignity to his subjects.

A commitment to dignity inspired me to photograph people experiencing housing and food insecurity in Augusta, Maine. For the past five years, I have documented them in parks, at community meals, and on the street.

The causes of homelessness are complex and interwoven. Rather than passing by, I wanted to look into their eyes and understand their lives. I learned how caring community members see these people and strive to help, and how their actions shine a light on the broader challenges of homelessness.

These photos aim to illuminate the issue and humanize the people who experience homelessness. My approach is influenced by Dorothea Lange, whose documentary photography during the Great Depression gave enduring visibility to those facing economic hardship. Lange’s portraits, like Migrant Mother, bind resilience and vulnerability in a single frame. I strive to evoke a similar dignity in today’s unhoused and financially insecure communities.

A woman in a sleeping bag, her face lit at the opening—darkness surrounds her. Light reveals a person who is both exposed and vulnerable, yet hidden. The sleeping bag frames her, turning fabric into abstract shapes while highlighting the humanity within.

The widening gap between the wealthy and the poor, especially since the 1970s, highlights systemic issues that continue to affect communities across the nation (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2024; The Economist, 2006). The challenges faced by those struggling to access basic needs like food and shelter are starkly visible, as evidenced by the long lines at food banks and the increasing demand for services like Meals on Wheels, free community meals, and shelters.

It is difficult to imagine having no address, no predictable place to sleep, or wondering where the next meal will come from. Street Walker captures the loneliness of the streets. A man is shown moving through the dark toward the light. The street sign seems to offer guidance, as if to say, “Walk this way.”

Disability makes homelessness more likely—and homelessness makes disability harder to live with, trapping people in a cycle of crisis. Here, a young man holds a sign soliciting support and sits at a picnic table, revealing the loss of his lower leg. He is framed by his crutches and a backpack of belongings nearby.

Housing, food, and financial insecurity prompt a critical reflection on the effectiveness of current policies and the need for comprehensive strategies to address these inequalities. Solutions may involve not only improving access to immediate resources but also addressing the root causes of poverty and economic disparity. Community initiatives and support systems are essential in providing relief and fostering resilience among those in need.

The United Community Living Center (UCLC) in Augusta is one such support system. Organizers have rallied over the past few years to open a center for people left on the street with no place to rest, dry out from inclement weather, or have a hot meal. They found a way to fill gaps in services, provide a safe space and basic care, and offer support in connecting people to community resources.

Hot meals served by helping hands illustrate the bond between those giving and receiving. The patterned tablecloth leads the eye to those gathered in line. The UCLC seeks to address these deficiencies, leaving larger policy decisions to city officials—decisions that too often result in barriers rather than solutions.

The unhoused and those with housing insecurity are particularly vulnerable to illness and chronic conditions. The UCLC collaborates with the Maine General Residency Program and the Maine Mobile Health Clinic Unit to offer free medical care. For many, walking is their only reliable mode of transportation, and feet are especially susceptible to problems. In one image, a volunteer resident offers gentle, tender treatment almost biblical in nature.

A volunteer physician in the Mobile Health Clinic assesses a patient. The figures form a triangle as an overhead cabinet light illuminates the interaction between clinicians and patient—providers selflessly offering care to the underserved with dignity and grace.

The UCLC also goes out into the community, seeking people in need who find it challenging to be around others. Volunteers make sandwiches, gather supplies, and head to the street. Here, a volunteer—light illuminating the right side of her face—selects a sandwich, while a man’s hand clings to his chest, waiting to receive food.

During the most recent annual point-in-time count, 2,413 people were found to be experiencing homelessness statewide. Advocates note that there are more than 3,000 unhoused individuals, yet there are only about 1,200 funded shelter beds (National Council of State Housing Agencies, 2025).

Housing and financial insecurity is experienced by the young and old, male and female, able-bodied and disabled alike. They are a sister, a grandfather, an uncle, a neighbor, a father, and a mother. Shining a light on them reminds us that these people—like all of us—need the same things: a safe place, a good meal, and companionship.

Now, when I drive around Memorial Circle in Augusta, I look for familiar faces and wish them well in their struggle to survive another day.

 

Postscript

After taking these portraits, I print them and go back to find my subjects, giving them copies of their photos. This is usually greeted with delight, as shown here. Many had not had their photo taken in years.

 

References

National Council of State Housing Agencies.

Sherman, Arloc, Danilo Trisi, and Josephine Cureton. “A Guide to Statistics on Historical Trends in Income Inequality.” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Last modified 11 December 2024.

St. Hilaire, Betty. Executive Director, United Community Living Center, Augusta, Maine.

The Economist. “The Rich, the Poor, and the Growing Gap Between Them.” 15 June 2006.