Lenoose Martial hopes his photos will encourage more public sympathy for those who live on the streets. (CBC)Life on the streets of Edmonton, as seen though the eyes of the homeless, is on display at an inner-city social services agency.

More than a dozen homeless or formerly homeless Edmonton residents were given cameras to document their lives on the street. Their work is being shown at Boyle Street Community Services, 10116 105th Ave.

"I sat there on my last drink," said Lenoose Martial, pointing at a large black and white photo of a group of men beside a downtown building.

"You know, my last drink was on that chair. And my last drink ever was Listerine."

That was two years ago. But Lenoose hopes his photographs can help other people find a bit of compassion for the people who live on the streets.

"All I wanted to do was just show people that our community here, we live here," he said. "And I can actually say that I do love, I do love myself and I do love my family. Because this community here is a family community."

Erin Bryksa is one of two social work students who organized the photography project. (CBC)The photo project was set up by two social work students doing a community development practicum at the Boyle Street Centre.

"We were blown away," said Erik Bryksa. "I don't think we anticipated that the photos were going to turn out as well as they did."

"We learned, I guess, what their lives looked like through their eyes."

Another photographer, Grant Moses, was particularly happy with his photograph of the flags flying over the Shaw Conference Centre.

"It's where I mostly go when I'm by myself," he said.

Moses found a place to live this winter, but he knows how bitter an Edmonton winter can be for the homeless.

"I slept outside a couple of winters already and almost lost my, like, I'm glad I didn't lose my fingers or my toes."

The photography will be on permanent display at the Boyle Street Community Services building.