FEATURE I don’t worry about their hands being dirty. Shaking their hand is a sign of respect, and that goes a long, long way with people. After I’ve introduced myself, I tell them I’m a journalist and name the outlet I’m working on a story for. “I know other photographers who won’t take photos up close of individuals experiencing homelessness because they feel it’s exploitative. To make sure I am not exploiting anyone, I first ask if I can talk to them and photograph them for a story. Before I leave, I thank them for their time, but first, I show them the photos in my camera’s viewfinder. If there are any they don’t like, I don’t use them.” This approach has allowed Clasen to build trust with many folks living in encampments or tucked away in spaces that are out of the view of foot, car, or bicycle traffic. His work has led him into difficult and sometimes dangerous situations, including interactions with people amid mental health crises and confrontations with law enforcement. Over the years, Clasen has covered how Denver’s different mayoral administrations have handled homelessness, and how the various mayors have relied on sweeps to remove people staying in encampments. He described the impact of police-led encampment sweeps as deeply traumatic for those being displaced and why he feels he must continue to shed light on how the sweeps are handled. “I am committed to documenting those people who are being treated like cattle.” To illustrate the “less-than-human” perception of unhoused individuals that media outlets help engender, Bowen and Capozziello’s study found that when writing about homelessness, most outlets frequently use images of “homelessness paraphernalia” — such as remnants of shelters made from cardboard, tents surrounded by piles of trash, or shopping carts — without showing people at all. Such representations can dehumanize and distance the public from the real individuals affected by homelessness. For example, the authors wrote that they noticed “that in photos of presumably homeless people who did not show eye contact and were not identified, the photographs were frequently shot from a distance so that a person’s face was not clearly visible; shot from behind; shot while a person was looking down or away; and/or shot while a person appeared to be sleeping, often covered with blankets obscuring much of their face and body. Although we cannot be certain, these photographs gave the impression that the photographer did not interact directly with the subject and that the subject may not have known their photograph was being taken.” “That’s how [individuals experiencing homelessness] are represented,” explained Clasen in response to this finding. “No one is asking for permission or asking if it’s okay with them if they have their picture taken. In contrast, Clasen’s photos acknowledge his subjects’ full humanity, where they are facing the camera or going about their daily routines. Whether they are of a couple resting in their RV, children playing soccer in a parking lot next to their encampment, a tattoo artist sitting at a table and inking someone’s arm in exchange for a place to sleep, or someone warming their hands by a makeshift fire in a hidden alley, Clasen’s images are designed to honor the dignity of his subjects. “I spend time talking to people, and my photos are all of humans living in exceptional circumstances. I try to celebrate the people I’m talking with, regardless of whether they’re dirty, living in a tent, or sleeping in an alley. “I see tragedy in the work I do, but I also hope I’m showing that these people feel the same emotions as those who are housed. They experience joy and sadness, feel love and anger, and deserve to be treated humanely and with respect.” “I’M A NOBODY,” NAILHEAD SAID. “BUT OUT HERE I’M KIND OF NOT A NOBODY. I AM KIND OF RESPECTED. YOU CAN’T FIND THAT EVERYWHERE.” 6 DENVER VOICE June 2025
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