Subjects really do matter...

I photograph on the street, but I'm not a street photographer.  I make portraits, whether I ask or not, the subject of my photographs is always the most important element of my photograph.

I photograph people.  I realize that the people that I'm most drawn to photograph are people with whom I feel some sort of connection on a physical aspect of their being, or perhaps some perceived or imagined emotional state that they seem to be in at that moment.

What I do realize is that the subjects I choose to photograph say quite a bit about me.  The people that I choose to photograph, out of all the others that are available has taught me about who I am and where I come from.  These people are important to me, each and every one of them, even I we never exchanged a word.  Something about them makes me want to acknowledge their presence in this place and time, and in so doing, I've acknowledged my own being there too.

This is Duane.  He is a mechanic on the west side of NYC a block from the Javits Center.  We met one morning as I was walking to Photo Expo.  I saw him standing outside his shop and thought he looked interesting.  The light was happening and I asked if I could photograph him, and he said no thanks. Regardless, we proceeded to have a conversation and realized we had a few things in common, and before I said goodbye, he allowed me to make this photograph of him.  Thank you Duane.