"Mathew" - Bisbee, Arizona. Mathew is an avid reader and house-less wanderer I met behind a coffee shop during my travels. He and a few locals were gathered in lawn chairs discussing/debating the wise words of Hemingway. My travel partner and I joined in the riveting discussion for a time and then I asked Mathew if I could take his photograph. His reply: "Yes, but I'm not going to stop and pose. I have more important things to do."
La Mesa Blvd. La Mesa, Ca. Once upon a time, there was a coffee shop called Cosmos on La Mesa Blvd. All of the locals went there and gathered on the patio beneath the giant tree. People read books, discussed life, sipped coffee and watched passerby's. On Friday's Marty would sing jazz standards with a 3 piece band that was paid in tips and coffee cake. You could hear "My Funny Valentine" drifting down the street and into the farmers market. Those were the days of miracle and wonder.
"Unknown" -Tombstone, Az. The west still holds glimpses of wild in some parts of the country. In Tombstone Arizona, a gentleman leads his horse to the hitching post while finishing off a cigarette. The evasive smoke was captured in the frame just as he began to step out of the scorching sun and into the shade.
"Unknown"- La Mesa, Ca. A gentlemen I spotted regularly for years sitting alone on the patio, sipping his coffee and watching. As the years passed, his pants became baggier and he walked a little slower. I had never spoken to him before, but one day I was compelled and politely requested to take his photo. Unlike most of my subjects, he looked confidently into the camera and didn't say anything. His face was expressive enough. After taking his photo, he silently handed me a card. He was an author and had apparently written many books. Unfortunately the card was misplaced somewhere that day. I have not seen him since.
"Unknown" San Diego, Ca. At Oktoberfest, a local face painting artist posed for the camera. He never left his character behind for a moment as I snapped a few shots. His empty and eerie gaze seemed to freeze time and silence life as it followed me through the crowd. After developing the print, I noticed the second meta portrait staring me down in the bottom right-hand corner.
"Unknown"- Ventura, Ca. A store clerk poses with his pipe outside of a boutique store on Main Street. After chatting with him about the local area, I asked if he would mind stepping outside so I could take his portrait. "Me?", he asked. I assured him I wasn't mistaken and we stepped outside. As I snapped his photo he, began to turn side to side posing and exclaiming, "Well, I guess you never know, I could be famous or something. Maybe I should be charging you for my photo."
"Unknown"- Adams Ave. Street Fair, San Diego, Ca. This lively gentleman, with a joint in his mouth, energetically walked around speaking of peace and happiness while requesting signatures on a "Legalize Marijuana Petition". His spirit was infectious and inspired a smile from nearly everyone he encountered. If you didn't want to sign, "That's cool man, peace and love." When I asked to take his photograph, he posed with a peace sign and held the petition up for the camera.
"Reuben"- Lake Henshaw, Ca. A fisherman and his buddies were propped up at the lakes edge with a cooler and a few fishing poles laughing and carrying on. I shyly interrupted, requesting a photo of Reuben specifically. He did not understand a word of my English and I did not understand a word of his Spanish. I pointed to the camera and then aimed it at him asking if it was ok. He smiled, flattered almost, and his buddies cheered him on. The expression on his face holds no language barrier.
"Jack"- Jerome, Az. A gentle giant wandered through the old half abandoned mining ghost town. He proudly wore his American Flag pin and headphones, which were plugged into his teddy bear. After speaking to him briefly, I learned his name, Jack, and that he was a veteran who likely suffered from PTSD. The members of the small town seemed to own him and take care of good care of him. This was a huge contrast from the houseless population in the big cities I was used to. As I took his photograph, he smiled calmly and elegantly through his beautiful white beard.
"Unknown"- La Mesa, Ca.