If you have time to read the story below, please do, it is worth your while.
Meet Mike Saddler. He is 56 years old, homeless, and one of the nicest, most down to earth people you’ll meet on Baltimore streets.
Let me start with a quick preface. Yesterday I was feeling quite unmotivated and my shot didn’t turn out as well as I would have liked it to. Even after tinkering with it in post, still, no dice. Today I set out on a mission, get a great shot, one of not me, but someone else for a change. And not family – I wanted it to be of a stranger.
On my way home from work I saw a man sitting at a bus stop. He looked to be in no rush so I stopped, parked, walked up to him with all my gear and politely asked “Could I take your picture?” He mumbled something and I had to ask him again. He had said no. I thanked him for his time and moved along. I walked up and down the street for another 10 minutes or so and then finally decided to call it quits and went home.
After dinner, I set out again. I went down into town looking for another stranger to shoot. When passing a local 7-11 I saw a homeless man who I had seen before. Right then I made my mind up that I was going to simply go and ask him for a picture. I pulled in, walked up and as I approached him, before I had a chance to speak I heard a “Hey Buddy, can you help me?” I replied with, “Well, I was hoping you could help me.”
I went on to describe my project, where I am in life, and he did the same. We found out we both grew up in the same town, graduated from the same high school, and love Baltimore sports. I never even asked for his story because I felt like I already had a good, positive one about tonight already.
Upon wrapping up he asked for a ride down the street so I gave him one – along with a few dollars. I ended up realizing that he probably helped me more than I did him. I wish you the best of luck Mike, I’m sure you’ll get things sorted out.
Camera Info: Canon 40D, EF50mm f/1.8 II @f2.2, 1/200 sec, ISO 200.
Strobist Info: 430EXII to camera left about 6.5 feet high and 4 feet away from subject @1/4 power and 24mm zoom fired through Apollo 28″ softbox.
See the final shot on Flickr here.
