Humans of Honesdale; New photography project captures the spirit of community

Posted 8/21/12

HONESDALE, PA — The Internet can be a scary place. Hateful comments and illicit activity have, sadly, become the norm for its more than two billion users. However, sometimes, a light emerges among …

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Humans of Honesdale; New photography project captures the spirit of community

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HONESDALE, PA — The Internet can be a scary place. Hateful comments and illicit activity have, sadly, become the norm for its more than two billion users. However, sometimes, a light emerges among the rubble and the Internet can serve as a beacon of hope that unites us. That is what websites and pages like Upworthy, Buzzfeed, and Humans of New York do, and now there’s a local movement: Humans of Honesdale.

Photographer Michelle Erbach started the project only a few weeks ago and already the Facebook page where she posts photos has over 3,000 “likes” and numerous comments—all positive. It works the same way as Humans of New York. Erbach posts photos of people in the community along with a caption of something they’ve said. “I generally think people are good; that’s always been my theory. I really see that, for the most part, on my page,” Erbach said. Just like Honesdale itself, the positive community is translated to the Internet.

Already comments are pouring in thanking Erbach for her work and also camaraderie with the subjects of the photos. For example, a photo of motorcycle dude “Cousin It” was posted with the caption, “I am a Vietnam Vet and on April 29th I will be clean and sober for 37 years. I look at AA as a fellowship of people staying sober. I don’t care who knows, I am proud of that.” There were 215 comments thanking him for his service as well congratulating him on his sobriety and people sharing their own stories of being sober. As many people on the Internet say: “Faith in humanity restored.”

Erbach is originally from Vermont and moved to Honesdale in recent years. “I don’t know the families of Honesdale and I don’t know the back stories,” she said. “There are a lot of families and businesses that have been here forever and well known people. I guess it’s kind of a good thing that I don’t know all that.” Erbach said she’ll approach people and say, “I’m taking pictures of interesting people and wondering if I could take your picture?” If people say “yes,” she pursues a conversation, and if they say “no,” she just walks away. However, many people do say “no.” She said, “I don’t go into it with any expectations because I get refused a lot; people will decline and look at me like ‘who are you?’ I get rejected a lot before somebody says, ‘Yeah!’”

Erbach said she is interested in observing people. “I’ve always been interested in street photography. I’m a people watcher; I have been since I was young, not in a weird way or anything,” she says with a laugh. She also says that she did not go to school for photography and is self taught. “I’ve had a camera in my hands since I was very young. One of my earliest memories is asking my mom for the family camera,” she said. Now, she has her own photography business, Michelle Lee Photography, which she started a year and a half ago. “I never really thought I could do much with it,” she said. “I had a lot of reservations and not a lot of confidence. Through encouragement of friends, they said, ‘Why don’t you try doing this professionally?’ So I did, and I have not looked back since.”

With Humans of Honesdale, Erbach wanted to do a personal project, not something primarily for business. She said she “didn’t have a clue that it was going to take off like it did.” She says if you see a tall girl with dreadlocks walking around Honesdale with a camera, stop and say, “Hello.” Erbach said, “Most people are hesitant; they say, ‘I don’t look good today, my makeup is not on.’ It’s so funny because I don’t like to have my picture taken at all, and I can understand what they’re saying, but on the other hand I’m like if you could just see through my eyes what I’m seeing, how beautiful you are or interesting you are.”

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