It was undoubtedly fun making portraits of beautiful models wearing dramatic outfits and styled by professional makeup artists. But there’s a level of artificiality. That’s not necessarily bad if you’re going for that look. However, there is a pleasant authenticity to a portrait of a stranger on the street.

I don’t remember how this portrait came to be. Most likely, this gentleman approached me asking for a photograph. But unlike this woman who looked visibly unique, this man looked like any other I’ve seen on the street. For that reason, I probably didn’t initiate the conversation. I paid him a few bucks; that was perhaps what he was after. So despite looking pleasantly authentic, he might have been somewhat practiced. Still, it’s dramatically different than a model who poses for a living.

I really like how this street portrait came together. Quite by accident, the colors of his clothes complement the colorful background, which is pleasantly out of focus. Regardless of how this portrait originated, the finished product is something that I’m satisfied with.

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