The 1930s depression made for iconic news photos - most famously perhaps the bread line or soup line under a billboard boasting that the U.S. had the world’s highest living standard - but today’s economic misery is largely hidden by social programs making it “invisible,” notably food stamps now being on debit cards just like everyone uses.  Food pantries instead of bread lines also get today’s continuing depression off the street - and out of view of lenses.
   But some aspects of today’s continuing depression can be shot - if today’s photojournalist keeps his eyes open and thinks, as in thinks like a woman; for instance, that even supermarket food prices now can’t avoid dropping on basic foods.
   Most of all, though, the unconcealable reality of today’s depression is that so many jobs now pay nil - reflecting a current U.S. in which almost half of workers are paid $15 hourly or less, as reported last month by Fortune.   And the careful shooter can find plenty to cover in that - if she keeps her eyes open.
   The inability of today’s U.S. to create middle-class jobs in anywhere near sufficient numbers is reflected, of course, in the ability of nil-wage employers to be able to find adults desperate enough to work for poverty wages - and that’s today’s shooter’s opportunity.  When I find such potential story photos, I shoot a package and upload it to a news-photo agency - as of this one of the large numbers of “new jobs” now that are at tipped-wage restaurants and fast-food joints here that I shot this week.

Restaurant jobs now are much of the total job market - but pay little.
Shot May 17, 2015 in Burlington, N.C.