Portraits from a Job-Starved City

The New York Times Magazine has published an online package of portraits and audio interviews from Rockford, Ill. Rockford hit 16% unemployment last year and Alec Soth, from Magnum Photos, and Michael Catano headed there to talk to people who still had a job.

Most of the portraits have short audio clips with them, people talking about how they got their job, or how hard it was to find a job or how things have just changed in general.

Overall, it’s a nice documentary piece on where the community is now that looks at those who are making it, even if it’s just barely. While not an up-beat piece overall, I really liked this because it does tell the story of those who are doing alright, not those who are struggling or completely lost.