Overcoming an awkward situation to start a conversation, and slowing down to take a picture of a random person in the street never fails to make me feel validated and re-energized.

These shots are from a recent photo walk I did in NYC. The painter, Mr. Richard Stalter, was in his tent as part of a street art show near West 14th Street. I remember he stood out to me the moment I saw him, seating next to his landscape paintings and wearing his straw hat. I must have done a lousy job trying to be unnoticed, shooting from the hip. When I asked him if I could take his picture, he said I already done it, to which I smiled, and he nodded in agreement to have his photo taken. So I took some shots from a close distance, and I stopped the moment he made eye contact with the camera.

The second street portrait I got to shoot on this walk was of Jazz Musician Richard Howard when he was warming up and waiting for the rest of quintet in Washington Square Park. He was alongside his wife seated in a park bench. Contrary to Mr. Stalter a few moments earlier, photographing Mr. Howard was more welcoming, so it was easier for me to take photos of him at a close distance, which was a lot of fun.

At my current skill level with the camera, besides returning with well-exposed images, I’m quite content with pictures that have a good narrative. So for me, coming back with a street portrait is usually the cherry on top.