The APAJH (Association Pour Adultes et Jeunes Handicapés) is an organization that cares for people with mental disabilities all over France. Last year, the APAJH of Guéret (the Capital city of the Creuse countryside in the Center of France) asked me to report on the residents outdoor activities.
I had the opportunity to spend several days over 3 months in their company. I decided to work with black-and-white films but I had a problem two days before the beginning of the report : I had an epilepsy seizure and I broke my Leica M4-P ‘s rangefinder. I had to borrow from my sister her Canon AE-1!
Some days I just spent time with the residents near their home. On other days, I accompanied them to town to do the shopping or to visit friends, or just to go for a walk. Most of the time I didn’t even take pictures, I hung around with them waiting for those coming home from work, or I would drop by to see them after a work meeting in town
Portraits of life is the name chosen by the APAJH’s Director for the traveling exhibition that has been produced: this project was presented in a high school and in public establishments here in Creuse.
