A new exhibit examines the people affected by incarceration. NY1's Shannan Ferry filed the following report.
Photographer Sal Espinoza said that all of his pictures tell a story.
The images are of people on the Q100 bus, traveling to and from Rikers Island.
"I would always see inmates get off the bus, and then after time, I would see visitors going on the bus, and it just peaked my interest," said Espinoza.
Espinoza also began taking the bus to meet and photograph the passengers.
The bus travels through parts of Queens before ending up at the corrections facility.
Now, Espinoza's photos of that process are on display at this new exhibit called Q100.
"We're eager to just put people away, but it affects not just inmates, but it also affects their families and on a larger scale, the communities," said Espinoza.
Espinoza spent a lot of time on the Q100. He took the bus to and from Rikers Island at least twice a month for about a year.
"It's pretty traumatic experience to go on this bus, and go through these visits, but they want to know that people recognize their struggles," said Espinoza.
Espinoza met many fascinating people through this project, but a woman named Ivana from the Bronx captured him the most.
She was recovering from a kidney transplant, on the way to visit her son.
"She took a three hour trip," said Espinoza. "Saw him for five minutes, because she couldn't take her medication onto the Island, and she had to take it at a certain time. You know, it was tough to see her do that."
He hopes to bring Ivana's story and others to life with one picture at a time.
The exhibit is open to the public and is located inside the QNS Collective coworking space located at 36-27 36th Street.