I was strolling down Yonge Street shooting photos when this guy approached me wielding a knife in his hand. Other people around us dispersed in a hurry.
“See this?” He asked me lifting the knife in the air.
“Yes” I replied as I looked in his eyes.
“You want to stab me?”
After a short pause he said “No…you are a good guy.”
“Thanks. I’ll give you a cigarette if you put the knife away.?”
To my relief, he put the knife in his pocket and as he took the cigarette from my hand I asked him if I could take his picture.
“Yeah! Yeah! I used to be a boxer! My name is George! ” He screamed as he proceeded to pose in various boxing moves.
The two of us were standing in the middle of the sidewalk bottlenecking the flow of pedestrian traffic. I kept releasing the shutter as fast as my G2 would let me…
~now this is my cup of tea, street photography/journalism is my passion, and I am glad i have stumbled in here via theme thursday…the light seems a bit harsh, but I understand the conditions while shooting on the street are never yours to control. Xlnt expression you managed to cature, intriguing and it makes me wonder about the subject, the mark of a successful shot IMHO~
Wow. Fantastic story and your bravery has been rewarded with a reall stunner. I could see the slight madness in his eyes in George 2 and this image and copy confirms. Wonderful image.
11 Comments
Purchase a Print
I was strolling down Yonge Street shooting photos when this guy approached me wielding a knife in his hand. Other people around us dispersed in a hurry.
Posted by Charles on July 19th, 2004 at 5:45 PM“See this?” He asked me lifting the knife in the air.
“Yes” I replied as I looked in his eyes.
“You want to stab me?”
After a short pause he said “No…you are a good guy.”
“Thanks. I’ll give you a cigarette if you put the knife away.?”
To my relief, he put the knife in his pocket and as he took the cigarette from my hand I asked him if I could take his picture.
“Yeah! Yeah! I used to be a boxer! My name is George! ” He screamed as he proceeded to pose in various boxing moves.
The two of us were standing in the middle of the sidewalk bottlenecking the flow of pedestrian traffic. I kept releasing the shutter as fast as my G2 would let me…
Cool story, you are a brave man. I think i would have freaked and I live in NYC!
Posted by Darieus on July 20th, 2004 at 4:27 PMgreat portrait shot.. interesting story too
Posted by darragh on July 21st, 2004 at 6:32 AM~now this is my cup of tea, street photography/journalism is my passion, and I am glad i have stumbled in here via theme thursday…the light seems a bit harsh, but I understand the conditions while shooting on the street are never yours to control. Xlnt expression you managed to cature, intriguing and it makes me wonder about the subject, the mark of a successful shot IMHO~
Posted by btezra on July 22nd, 2004 at 8:26 AMbrave shot!
Posted by Peace on July 22nd, 2004 at 5:27 PMCold blood you had and this shot was a good reward for this. Seems like his fist is coming out from the screen: great capture.
Posted by stef on September 22nd, 2004 at 11:41 AMhis turmoil shows in his eyes…great shot.
Posted by karol on January 5th, 2005 at 11:51 AMWow. Fantastic story and your bravery has been rewarded with a reall stunner. I could see the slight madness in his eyes in George 2 and this image and copy confirms. Wonderful image.
Posted by Andy (Sensorchip) on May 25th, 2005 at 11:55 AMWow that is a great story! I probably wouldn’t have been nearly as brave myself. I love the way you’ve got the lighting on his face too
Posted by Digital Drool on March 2nd, 2006 at 10:09 AMImpressive how you handled the situation and actually used your camera to give expression to his humanity, rather than take something away.
Posted by Jackie on March 2nd, 2006 at 10:16 AMGreat shot, congratulations on your bravery–or foolhardiness? Perhaps if you’d turned the camera toward yourself we’d have seen a shot of masculinity!
(It is a good shot, though!!!!) Mary
Posted by Mary Stebbins on March 2nd, 2006 at 12:57 PM