"How a small debt can become a big problem" is the first article of a three piece news story by The Washington Post that came out September 8th of this year. During a 10 month investigation by The Post, reporters uncovered a story of injustice and robbery.
People in the DC area have been losing their homes after failing to pay for property taxes as low as $134. After the government placed liens on their homes and auctioned them off to investors, these investors charged the homeowners interest on top off the house debt. High legal fees transformed a tiny debt into an unpayable amount. When homeowners failed to pay, their property was foreclosed and they were left without their home.
Photographer Michael S. Williamson documented the story with a series of pictures that in my opinion illustrate the pain accurately.
Ive chosen these three of the many photographs that were featured with the story.
"How a small debt can become a big problem" follows the story of a man called Bennie Coleman. Coleman was 76 when he was forced out of him home. His initial debt of only $134 turned into $4,999, 37 times the original amount!
This man is the subject of the first and third picture.
In this first picture Coleman just walked past his old house and told the reporter that "he could not look at it--the memories were too painful." This photograph works well in the context of the story because it shows a man who is clearly defeated. He seems to be in a neighborhood with low income houses. Low income housing neighborhoods are some of the main affected areas.
This photograph is colorful and has depth to it; a close up of Coleman and a low income house in the back. This photograph also adheres to the rule of thirds with coleman to the left and the house in the top right.
This photograph has a pink house that seems to be abandoned: the white gate is carelessly open and the shutters are down. The caption for this photograph is "Outsiders come to buy liens." This photograph also works well with the story not only because of the empty house but also due to the row of houses that stretched off to the right side of the picture. It gives the reader a warning: "they might be next."
This picture has depth to it and color as well. There is a beautiful contrast between the intense blue sky and pastel color house.
In this photograph Williamson shows us readers where Coleman is right now: "in a group home one mile from the house that is no longer his." This photograph goes well with the story because it shows us a man who went from having a home to staying in a tiny room.
I would say the lighting is the most special element in this photograph. The dark spot next to Coleman created by the shadow, which he seems to be staring at, gives this picture a tone of despair. The rule of thirds applies as well because Coleman is not in the center of the picture.
Below you can find the link to the story on The Washington Post's website.
