Issues: 3 Faces of Unemployment

Unemployed and forced to leave Florida to find work, Nicole Tyrell, 28, sees off the last of her possessions as they are loaded onto her mother's work truck. This is the last time she will see her things outside of a Uhaul truck until they're unpacked in New Hampshire.

As part of his daily routine, Tim Griffing, a 53-year-old Coast Guard Veteran, enjoys a meal of all-you-can-eat chicken. Griffing has been living on unemployment checks for two years this November after being let go from Harley Davidson. He now spends most of his considerable amount of free time helping the Boy Scout organization, volunteering in Jamborees (large Scouting conferences) across the world.

Eddie Garner is a 57-year-old homeless man living primarily in the downtown area of St. Augustine. He hasn't held a job in over two years and receives a $550 Social Security check to live off of each month. Due to an issue he wouldn't discuss with me, he's unable to eat at the St. Francis house and relies on other homeless friends to bring him food until he's able to eat at one of the charity meals given out each night in the Square.

For my issue I wanted to look at unemployment through the eyes of three different people in three very different situations. Each is impacted by the issue but each have responded to it in a different way. As the unemployment rate in Florida reaches an all-time high, the importance of finding and keeping work takes paramount importance.

St. John's County Flea Market

Proving it's a buyer's market (as long as the merchandise is cute), Nicole Tyrell and her son Caleb of St. Augustine fall for the flea market's charms.

Identifying himself only as 'Jerry,' this man has owned and operated the "Indoor Junkyard" stall for nearly 13 years.

The picturesque greeting of the West entrance facing the parking lot.

This series of photos were taken on the front line of one of the truest indicators on how people get by during economic hardships: the Flea Market. According to one of the stall owners, most vendors at the Market are new people trying to eke out a little more money to make ends meet in a trying economic time.

(Wo)man at Work

Nicole during cleanup, "spinning out" a paint roller so it can be used for another project.

Tyrell's boots are one of the few "girly" items she can wear on the job site.

Tyrell using a roller to quickly finish one of the closet spaces assigned to her that day.

This series of photographs all feature Nicole Tyrell, a St. Augustine painter doing what she does best, and were taken during work on a home renovation in the Marsh Creek development.