sunday girl
girl in alley
san francisco
march, 2007

there's a weight that seems to have crushed her. she's hunched as she steps in quick stabs. she drifts in place and hobbles away. she's frail. like every new blow breaks more than its share.

it's dirty here. and hopeless. the alley smells like urine. the faces turn away as you pass. or they stare expectantly.

she's yelled at by a man as he approaches. and as he leaves.

she needs five bucks.

she's young. she smiles like a spotlight. her eyes speak. but she has trouble.

her name is sheina, but people call her sunday.

and there are moments when you can see the girl she was going to be.

Phil O'Toole says: Your work is artistry at it's finest... -- 07:42PM, March 18, 2007.
pk69 says: beautiful girl excellent shot her eyes tell a lot -- Seen in my contacts' photos. (?) -- 07:43PM, March 18, 2007.
Graeme Smith says: Excellent black & white portrait! -- 07:47PM, March 18, 2007.
Ariel.. says: always excellent! always powerful! I admire your work! :) -- 07:48PM, March 18, 2007.
.tyler. - Claudio Martella says: The picture's great but I like your last sentence at most. -- Seen on my Flickr home page. (?) -- 07:51PM, March 18, 2007.
FranUlloa says: Love your work ! Great portrait & words ! -- 07:52PM, March 18, 2007.
Steve Punter says: It looks like the fight to be herself has waned a little in Sheina's eyes today -- 07:54PM, March 18, 2007.
muskva says: I love all your portraits of people in hoods... Your own one too... :) -- 07:57PM, March 18, 2007.
margabr says: Excellent portrait! It is very expressive! -- 07:59PM, March 18, 2007.
niklens says: very impressive portrait......!!!!!! -- Seen in my contacts' photos. (?) -- 08:00PM, March 18, 2007.
Vincént says: Beautiful eyes, nice look. -- 08:00PM, March 18, 2007.
mag.m says: What a piercing look she has.... Amazing portrait and great words. -- 08:00PM, March 18, 2007.
Vickykc says: Wow. I love her eyes. -- Seen in my contacts' photos. (?) -- 08:04PM, March 18, 2007.
that girl from flashdance says: tender -- 08:06PM, March 18, 2007.
Harpersbizarre says: Beautiful...... -- 08:11PM, March 18, 2007.
si3illa says: Her eyes say it all. Moving portrait. -- 08:22PM, March 18, 2007.
d_Dub says: Wow-!! Incredible and haunting images!!! -- 08:22PM, March 18, 2007.
Slimeface says: Beautiful portrait and contrast. -- 08:26PM, March 18, 2007.
alvazora says: your photograthy - is moving something inside me. -- 08:58PM, March 18, 2007.
dust to dust says: great photo,really great! -- 09:01PM, March 18, 2007.
mekron says: Chapeau ! -- 09:17PM, March 18, 2007.
immortallyyours says: "and there are moments when you can see the girl she was going to be." so incredibly sad and haunting. and true. -- 09:45PM, March 18, 2007.
Vincent de Groot says: Great photograph and touching story behind it. -- 10:06PM, March 18, 2007.
somnium! says: blows me away, sensational man + -- 10:43PM, March 18, 2007.
J_B - Johnny B says: Good Stuff Thomas. -- 11:18PM, March 18, 2007.
ElPocho! says: you really captured her beauty...well done as usual. -- 11:25PM, March 18, 2007.
Bill Jones Jr says: One day, when I grow up, I wanna be a real photographer, like you. -- Seen in my contacts' photos. (?) -- 11:43PM, March 18, 2007.
SkyShaper says: Beautifully handled....lovely image -- 11:50PM, March 18, 2007.
snowy4052002 says: Fantastic! Congrats on explore! Beauty is in the *EYE* of the Beholder Please add your Beautiful Photo to: Beauty is in the *Eye* of the Beholder! -- 12:59AM, March 19, 2007.
io the mad cow says: Great shot (and your description of her is very poetic). -- 02:48AM, March 19, 2007.
carf says: Growing up is difficult for any girl in her situation.................... You captured her beautifully. -- 03:47AM, March 19, 2007.
wanderinghome says: excellent photo, and as always, the story adds so much to it. well done. and congratulations on an AMAZING exhibit at the Lightroom gallery. I caught it before it came down, and never let you know how moved I was by it. Inspirational and powerful. -- Seen in my contacts' photos. (?) -- 05:12AM, March 19, 2007.
Kim The Star Princess says: She seems so new to that kind of life. The lifestyle shows in her eyes, but not yet in her face. -- 06:07AM, March 19, 2007.
ckkenn says: as always your work touches me. its extraordinary. -- 08:26AM, March 19, 2007.
chilloutgirl85 says: interesting portrait -- 04:07PM, March 19, 2007.
starikarp says: beautiful girl..very good portrait! -- 04:22PM, March 19, 2007.
nascareer says: Seen on my Flickr contacts photos What a great shot! Still glad you are my contact and am looking forward to seeing more excellent pics like this! Nathan~ -- 04:54PM, March 19, 2007.
carolefun904 says: you picked out her beauty in the ugly life she must be living. very touching. -- 07:14PM, March 19, 2007.
Kindofmonday says: I love your desciptions almost as much as your portraits. They make me feel connected to the world and desperately lonely and sad and content all at the same time. I'm still trying to figure out whether I like that feeling. -- 09:27PM, March 20, 2007.
10142 02:24 says: it is such an honor form me to be in your favorites, cause your work is very very nice . -- 09:36PM, March 20, 2007.
retired1234 says: The last sentence is as beautiful as the spirit behind those eyes... I really hope you don't lose a bit of your life every time you push the camera... -- 09:52PM, March 20, 2007.
fridgeirsson says: Excellent work. WINNER You are my winner! Please add this photo to www.flickr.com/groups/mywinners/ -- 01:43AM, March 21, 2007.
daina loves color says: you are one of my favorite photographers on flickr. soon i'll be living in new york city and every time i go there i see interesting people that i'd just love to ask "can i take your picture?". what i would like to know is how you choose your subjects. how do you know which ones will say yes and which ones will mug you so they can get some money for the camera? is it just a chance you're willing to take? once i live in the city for a while i'm sure i'll get an understanding of who is 'good' and who is 'bad' but it's still unnerving to approach someone unfamiliar. -- 04:39AM, March 21, 2007.
justnerve says: yes, in your picture I can see the girl she was going to be... thank you. -- 05:31PM, March 22, 2007.
Chaka Dawn says: Sunday, the day of rest. But she's not at rest is she. -- 03:28AM, March 23, 2007.
valeriekyp says: I have just finished reading your work. If it wasnt for people like you no one would understand how broken a person can get. -- 11:42PM, March 23, 2007.
Monster_car_car says: wow all your photos are amazing my favorite type of picture! beautiful work!i love it -- 02:15AM, March 25, 2007.
lsuffy says: Thank you Stoneth, for continuing to remind us that these are people not unlike ourselves. I hope this girl finds her way out. Your work is wonderful. -- 03:44PM, March 25, 2007.
jo muñoz says: wow ! -- 04:34PM, March 25, 2007.
Levan Kakabadze says: great portrait! -- 04:02PM, March 26, 2007.
www.orlandohenriques.com says: Hi, I'm an admin for a group called GREAT PORTRAITS-ONLY THE VERY BEST, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group. -- 07:56PM, March 26, 2007.
dlemieux says: i bet she's a lovely girl...sure looks like it... -- 06:46PM, March 27, 2007.
artOtek says: For sure, you have an amazing stream with such moving portraits about real life... -- 08:42AM, March 28, 2007.
charliehomo says: very good portrait. How the hell do you do it?! -- 12:38PM, March 28, 2007.
HellooDave says: very touching -- 02:05PM, March 28, 2007.
digital_don says: Superb portrait. You captured her character in pixels. Great job! -- 04:38PM, March 28, 2007.
( A R T E ) says: Exelentes trabajosss.... Saludos desde chileee... Me encanto tu flickr ahy te vesss.... -- 05:03PM, March 28, 2007.
méndez says: Another great!! -- Seen on your photo stream. (?) WINNER Your fantastic black and white picture is my winner! Please add this photo to flickr.com/groups/bwphotoaward/ Feel free to post this wonderful photo into our weekly competition Invited with SIC -- 05:45AM, March 29, 2007.
corsakti says: i love the words you write to accompany these shots. the portraits are enough, but the words really add to the big picture. -- 08:11PM, March 30, 2007.
spikeblacklab says: Beautiful portrait, she is a lovely girl... poignant. -- 10:17PM, March 30, 2007.
Cecilia... says: $1.2 TRILLION DOLLARS...just in 5 years.. gone to Iraq. I am curious, both girls have sores on their faces.. do you suppose they have AIDS? Isn't there a public agency in San Francisco that goes out to help these kids? I believe Ms. Feinstein should be retired or put in jail. How they have wasted our money. And what chance do Black children have in the U.S.? Thats right...lets send some MORE money to Iraq! Does this girl have a clean bed to sleep in? Is that asking too much, in America. Why promise Democracy to the world when what you deliver are bombs and unending suffering for most Americans. Hope people soon wake up. Great photos, wish they weren't in that shape. Our society has no concept of how to establish social programs such as shelters, free clinics, ect. We just can't think like that anymore. -- 03:52AM, April 01, 2007.
sunburnsideup says: I too hope people wake up soon. Beautiful & heartbreaking... -- 03:06AM, April 02, 2007.
Vince Hopson says: She is beautiful. -- 06:50PM, April 06, 2007.
babushka says: I have tears as I am writing this... I have only just come across your work in the past hour, and I cannot tear myself from it, despite wanting to look away - you make me want to hear these people's stories... Thankyou. This girl, she is so beautiful. She could be a model on the most exclusive catwalk - she could be the girl next-door - she could be my sister... Absolutely incredible photogrphic captures of these people... what an empathetic soul you have... -- 12:56PM, April 14, 2007.
MaxRab says: this is so beautiful -- 09:49PM, April 14, 2007.
ratraceforspace says: thank u stoneth -- 06:55PM, April 16, 2007.
good to be here says: God bless you for your work! -- 04:48PM, April 19, 2007.
Seemp says: Wow, love all your portraits. -- 03:33PM, April 27, 2007.
kathalijne says: so beautiful, her eyes are amazing -- 09:38AM, April 29, 2007.
Jorge Sato says: wowwwwww!! your portraits are fantastic!! -- 12:23AM, May 05, 2007.
filipe acácio says: she is so beautiful, her eye tells a long life history -- 09:53PM, May 07, 2007.
photoriel says: Gorgeous portrait ! -- 04:44PM, May 20, 2007.
d_wooden says: a little cleaning up and she would appear like she could just be a normal girl in society. So many of your other shots show people that have gotten so far into the 'back alleys' that they probably will never be accepted into society. The facial piercing and visible tattooes keep most from ever attaining a job that would achive financial viability. I see kids getting tattooes all over their bodies and then they don't understand why they are not taken seriously. What have their poor parents raised to be completely oblivious to what is right in front of them? -- 12:52AM, July 17, 2007.
underparachutes says: I feel like you captured her so well. -- 12:39AM, August 27, 2007.
J.Valldaura says: I really love your portrait work. Congratulations. -- 08:10AM, October 20, 2007.
sauriani says: great job dude. You are helping them with rejection, it is awesome!!! You are the one who is showing that they are the PEOPLE!!!! What i also noticed from your streamis that all of us could be in the same place. Photos are astonishing, all of them. It is kind of poetic inspiration . Drama of life. You are the best of the best !!!!!!! You are my inspiration. -- 10:35AM, February 27, 2008.
Bazalai says: Great portrait and story ! Congrats, you have the artist's eyes ! -- 05:59AM, April 15, 2008.
DaríoMartínez says: guauuu una galeria de profesional, menudos retratos!!! impresionante! -- 11:13PM, September 01, 2008.
cadolly says: oh my gosh... I was sent a link to stoneth's photos and i just can't stop looking and reading about these people. This is facsinating work and totally pulls at the heart strings. The stories these people tell... we could all be there someday. We are not doing enough for our fellow americans if this is the way some people are having to live. We need to not just look and read, but get out there and do our part to help. -- 07:53AM, November 02, 2008.
Halawiyat says: incredible portrait. -- 10:43PM, March 23, 2009.
Heart of Áfrika Designs says: Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Áfrikan Portraits (Photographic, Fine Art, Tribal & Scenic), and we'd love to have this added to the group! -- 01:20AM, July 03, 2010.
Heart of Áfrika Designs says: Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Áfrikan Adornment and Body Art, and we'd love to have this added to the group! -- 01:20AM, July 03, 2010.
Heart of Áfrika Designs says: Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Áfrikan Eve - Visual Arts, Video, and Photography, and we'd love to have this added to the group! -- 01:20AM, July 03, 2010.
croquisdenico says: little quick sketch : flickr portrait : sunday girl -- 03:55PM, July 31, 2011.
Omar Carter Photography says: Beautiful -- 08:31PM, October 26, 2011.