Faces of Street Roots, 2009

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These portraits were all taken at the Street Roots office on 2nd and Davis in Portland. I was a volunteer photographer for the paper at the time. When vendors stopped in to buy papers, and maybe grab a morning cup of coffee, I asked them for a minute to shoot a photo. While volunteers were copy-editing, staff were doing layout or board members came by the office I shot them as they were. I taped a piece of black canvas on the wall, used an office lamp for light, and captured these faces on film. There were always folks around, often watching, as people stood to have their portrait taken. It can be awkward to have your likeness photographed unexpectedly in this way, doubly so in a busy office or at early hours of a rough morning. I’m thankful that people with much to do, or who weren’t feeling their best, indulged me and my odd-looking camera.