Striking new images show how some residents living in Poughkeepsie, north of New York City are living below the poverty line as drugs and sex work run rampant in the small city.
Photographer Caleb Stein captured the images as part of an ongoing project titled ‘Down by the Hudson’. The captivating photos showcase how 19 per cent of the 30,267 residents struggle to make ends meet.
As a result, many of those who are impoverished live on the streets or turn to prostitution to earn cash, he claims.
‘Recent years have brought a great deal of economic hardship to this lively, character-filled place,’ Stein, a british-born photographer, told Petapixel. ‘Some people attribute this to the downsizing of IBM’s local headquarters. Others say that fault lies with the Poughkeepsie Galleria Mall, or the additions to the highway system, both of which have de-emphasized the role of Main Street.’
The images are part of his interactions with residents along a three-mile strip of Main Street in the city and is a record of his walks. Stein, who is originally from London, currently lives in the Poughkeepsie area after graduating from Vassar College in 2017.
Striking new images show how some residents living just outside of New York City in Poughkeepsie are living below the poverty line as drugs and sex work run rampant in the city. Pictured above is a man named Artie showing off his ‘smoked out’ chest tattoo
Photographer Caleb Stein captured the images as part of an ongoing project titled ‘Down by the Hudson’. Pictured above is a woman named Karen with a cat on Main Street
The captivating photos showcase how 19 per cent of the 30,267 residents struggle to make ends meet. As a result, many of those who are impoverished live on the streets or turn to prostitution to earn cash, Stein said. Pictured above is Nikki on Cherry Street in the city
Nikki came from a home where her mother was a drug addict and she hasn’t seen her family in years, including her daughter. Prostitution and drug addiction have become a vicious cycle for her, Stein said
The images in the series are part of his interactions with residents along a three-mile strip of Main Street in the city and is a record of his walks. Pictured above is Nikki looking into Jose’s eye
Stein, who is originally from London, currently lives in the Poughkeepsie area after graduating from Vassar College in 2017. Pictured above are a group of residents playing basketball near Market Street
Stein captured this image showing Virginia relaxing in Malcolm X Park in the city. He claims she has been addicted to heroin for decades and that her entire family has died of overdoses
Kaleb is pictured above enjoying a slice of pizza near the White Bridge watering hole in Poughkeepsie
Residents Danny and Michael are pictured smoking cigars at Joe Netherworld’s Satanist ‘Winter Frolic’ Party on Clinton Street in Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie resident Rebecca is pictured above walking down Main Street in the city with her dog, Ruby
A young teen is pictured above before going to prom on Raymond Avenue in Poughkeepsie
Thomas is pictured above holding a basketball and a bag while on Main Street in Poughkeepsie
A painting inside of a window on Main Street is pictured above in Poughkeepsie
Discarded items and trash are pictured around a tree on Rose Street in Poughkeepsie