Luke Skywalker
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Sincere Smith, 2, of Flint, Mich., is one of three children living with his single mom Ariana Hawk, 25. He is suffering from severe skin rash issues his mother believes are due to bathing in the contaminated Flint water.(Photo: Regina H. Boone, Detroit Free Press)
Detroit Free Press photographer Regina H. Boone didn't recognize the number ringing her cell phone, but she answered the call anyway. The unfamiliar number<span style="color: Red;">*</span>was Time<span style="color: Red;">*</span>magazine, letting her know that her photo of a 2-year-old child from Flint, Mich., had been chosen as the image for<span style="color: Red;">*</span>this week's<span style="color: Red;">*</span>cover.
In Flint, where lead-poisoned water has sparked<span style="color: Red;">*</span>international outcry, the image of Sincere Smith, his skin covered by<span style="color: Red;">*</span>severe rashes his mother believes are the result of bathing in the contaminated water, has become a symbol of the city's suffering.
Boone shares<span style="color: Red;">*</span>her experience meeting Sincere and photographing the residents of Flint:
How the photo came into being<span style="color: Red;">*</span>
Reporter Elisha Anderson and I initially were assigned to go to Flint two weeks ago, Sunday, but we couldn't<span style="color: Red;">*</span>make it, though we tried,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>because of a snowstorm.
Metro then sent Elisha alone to look around. I was not able to return to Flint with her until last Wednesday<span style="color: Red;">*</span>because of media week at the Detroit Auto Show. She found an elementary school<span style="color: Red;">*</span>where<span style="color: Red;">*</span>a meeting was held for parents and children so that they could be informed further of this contamination issue and <span style="color: Red;">*</span>receive lead poisoning tests. Elisha met this family and many others.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>The next day, I came up and met her at Sincere’s home.
Ariana Hawk, the mother of 2-year-old Sincere<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and two other children, was very welcoming to Elisha and me. She opened her home to us and explained her situation with her family in deep detail. There was never an issue about us photographing. However, I am very sensitive when I shoot in these touchy situations. I didn’t want Sincere to ever feel uncomfortable — to feel<span style="color: Red;">*</span>like he is not a beautiful child.<span style="color: Red;">*</span> I was observing Sincere and their whole situation by documenting him just being a little boy.
At some point, I put my camera down and I spoke to him ... I said that I was making photos of him to help him and that I promised him my photos and Elisha’s words would help him get better.
He listened as if he was a much older child.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>I asked him, Did he understand? He shook his head as his eyes locked with mine.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Both Elisha and I acknowledged his intense sense of really understanding our roles in his life this day.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>I definitely connected with his old soul.
His big brown eyes are really what pulled me so close and made me feel his pain. I knew then that his photos and their story were going to be special. Sometimes, you just know, and this was definitely one of those times.
Telling these<span style="color: Red;">*</span>stories
The scene was sad in many ways, as his mom described his skin, his pain... I<span style="color: Red;">*</span> just felt so sorry for this family, who is trying their best with the little that they have, and the fact that water is supposed to be the guaranteed part of this<span style="color: Red;">*</span>equation, and it is not really made me feel so heavy. ...<span style="color: Red;">*</span>His mother explained that he fears water now.
I felt Elisha and I were given a huge responsibility and maybe a onetime chance to really use our instincts as journalists to talk to people and show the various faces from black families to white families, to pets and<span style="color: Red;">*</span>even the plants being impacted by this contamination issue. It just all felt so incredibly heavy as the day went on and we heard more real stories. I felt like we were doing something intensely<span style="color: Red;">*</span>historical and important for the community of Flint, and that we were exposing the ugliness of America when it comes to poor, poverty-stricken communities.
Sincere Smith 2, of Flint is one of three children living with his single mom Ariana Hawk, 25. Note: Sincere has paint on his face from an event the night before, which can be seen on the right side of his face.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: REGINA H. BOONE/ Detroit Free Press)
Anyone that knows me knows I am an intense people connector.<span style="color: Red;">*</span> I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. Documentary-style photography is where I am best.<span style="color: Red;">*</span><span style="color: Red;">*</span>I can immerse myself with someone, and they forget I am there with my<span style="color: Red;">*</span>camera,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>and I can make a photograph that just captures their true essence. We don’t get to do this style of photography of immersing ourselves as much as we used to in this business.
Photos: Closer look at Sincere Smith
I think I was able to do this in a short period of time by becoming entranced by Sincere’s eyes. ... That<span style="color: Red;">*</span>made me feel his pain and that made me truly feel the pain of the entire city through him.
Hardships and dignity
My now-deceased father was a journalist, editor and founder of a weekly newspaper, the Richmond Free Press in Virginia. He definitely influenced me to see<span style="color: Red;">*</span>journalism as a powerful tool. His tool was his pen, and I found mine to be my camera. He exposed me to various photographers from a young age with the tear sheets he would share from newspapers and books. He made a point to tell me about black photographers<span style="color: Red;">*</span>like Gordon Parks. I saw how he documented various people going through hardships, but always capturing<span style="color: Red;">*</span>them with extreme dignity. This intrigued me. I am still intrigued.
I am still trying to shine light on the people I photograph. I keep going, because there is always going to be another story or issue to connect with.
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