Portraits Of Boston: 'Not Getting Anywhere'

“When I was homeless back in the early '90s, I found some inspiration in an advertisement for a one-man play about a person in a homeless shelter. I started to think, ‘Well, if I ever became somebody and someone wanted to write my biopic or make a movie about my life story and my rise from hard times, it would be like a period piece.’

I still think about it. I’m no longer homeless — I’ve left the shelter life behind — but I’m not getting anywhere. I’ve done some songwriting. I’ve dabbled in poetry and novel writing. But my golden years have passed and life is not getting me anywhere. You know that struggle? You have those dreams and aspirations: you think you have potential and could be a contender, so to speak, but you just don’t get the breaks. You try and try; you’re 40, then 50, and you’re nothing in life.”

Portraits of Boston is a project of independent photographer Ivan Velinov. He is regularly sharing some of his favorite portraits with WBUR. Visit his website to see the hundreds of portraits he has taken on the streets of Boston.