821/900 - Wayne
I rode by him on Toronto’s Front Street and thought his tall slender form, spattered with white paint, made him look like a living sculpture. Circumstances made it awkward for me to stop my bicycle and approach him so I carried on with a twinge of regret and stopped a couple of blocks later to do an errand. Low and behold, the Goddess of Second Chances smiled on me and he appeared on the sidewalk, walking by me. I greeted him and said I would like to photograph him for my project and got a very friendly “Sure man.” Meet Wayne who waited patiently while I quickly finished locking my bicycle. I clarified his name and he said "Yeah. Like John Wayne."
I explained that I needed some sheltered light and led us a few steps to the covered sidewalk in front of a bank and shops. Confirming his name, he said “Yeah, Wayne… like John Wayne.” I explained that I liked his look and that the spatters would add interest to the photograph. He laughed and said he has been photographed before. I showed him my contact card with sample photos and he said “I know this one!” pointing to one of my previous Strangers, Hollywood Taj. “I’ve known him for many years. He’s a musician.” Indeed, he is.
Once I got my camera out and showed Wayne where I wanted him to stand (just near the edge of the shade) and asked him to look into my camera, he began posing. This surprised me a bit although it has happened on rare occasions before. His poses were like those of a hip hop street dancer and I knew they would photograph well. I was able to take several photos with different poses.
I asked if he was a painter and he said “No, I’m a drywall taper.” I commented that it is an art and my own efforts at drywall taping on a home renovation project were a disaster. Wayne laughed and confirmed that it’s an art. “It has to come from the heart” he said, patting the palm of his hand over his heart. “You have to have the love for doing it and I do.” Wayne has been taping drywall for ten years. He said he takes pride in his work. “I always think about the fact that people are going to be living in this house or apartment and they might be looking at my workmanship for the rest of their lives. It should be perfect.”
Wayne said “I have two jobs. I’m also a furniture maker. That is an art and a science. It has to look attractive but it involves a lot of measuring and math.” Wayne is clearly a detail-guy as both jobs involve close attention to detail. When I commented on his island accent he laughed and said “I’m from Jamaica, man.” I wasn’t surprised. His “one love” friendly, positive attitude was similar to what I have experienced many times before with people from Jamaica.
Wayne is 43 and came to Canada at the age of 20. I was concerned that I was using up his lunch hour but he said he’s on his own time. He’s a sub-contractor and is not timed on the job. When I asked how life is treating him these days he said “All is good, man.” He has known some tough times when he was trying to establish himself because he did not yet have a reputation and finding jobs was difficult. “When you get a job, if you do it well, it helps your reputation and now I don’t have trouble getting work. People know they are going to get a good job from me.” When I asked what is important to him in life, Wayne patted his chest over his heart and said “Love God.” Encounters on the streets for this photo project don’t get any more up-beat and fun than this one was.
Thank you Wayne for the enjoyable chat and for participating in The Human Family. You are #821 in Round 9 of my project. Please email me and I will send you copies of the photos.
821/900 - Wayne
I rode by him on Toronto’s Front Street and thought his tall slender form, spattered with white paint, made him look like a living sculpture. Circumstances made it awkward for me to stop my bicycle and approach him so I carried on with a twinge of regret and stopped a couple of blocks later to do an errand. Low and behold, the Goddess of Second Chances smiled on me and he appeared on the sidewalk, walking by me. I greeted him and said I would like to photograph him for my project and got a very friendly “Sure man.” Meet Wayne who waited patiently while I quickly finished locking my bicycle. I clarified his name and he said "Yeah. Like John Wayne."
I explained that I needed some sheltered light and led us a few steps to the covered sidewalk in front of a bank and shops. Confirming his name, he said “Yeah, Wayne… like John Wayne.” I explained that I liked his look and that the spatters would add interest to the photograph. He laughed and said he has been photographed before. I showed him my contact card with sample photos and he said “I know this one!” pointing to one of my previous Strangers, Hollywood Taj. “I’ve known him for many years. He’s a musician.” Indeed, he is.
Once I got my camera out and showed Wayne where I wanted him to stand (just near the edge of the shade) and asked him to look into my camera, he began posing. This surprised me a bit although it has happened on rare occasions before. His poses were like those of a hip hop street dancer and I knew they would photograph well. I was able to take several photos with different poses.
I asked if he was a painter and he said “No, I’m a drywall taper.” I commented that it is an art and my own efforts at drywall taping on a home renovation project were a disaster. Wayne laughed and confirmed that it’s an art. “It has to come from the heart” he said, patting the palm of his hand over his heart. “You have to have the love for doing it and I do.” Wayne has been taping drywall for ten years. He said he takes pride in his work. “I always think about the fact that people are going to be living in this house or apartment and they might be looking at my workmanship for the rest of their lives. It should be perfect.”
Wayne said “I have two jobs. I’m also a furniture maker. That is an art and a science. It has to look attractive but it involves a lot of measuring and math.” Wayne is clearly a detail-guy as both jobs involve close attention to detail. When I commented on his island accent he laughed and said “I’m from Jamaica, man.” I wasn’t surprised. His “one love” friendly, positive attitude was similar to what I have experienced many times before with people from Jamaica.
Wayne is 43 and came to Canada at the age of 20. I was concerned that I was using up his lunch hour but he said he’s on his own time. He’s a sub-contractor and is not timed on the job. When I asked how life is treating him these days he said “All is good, man.” He has known some tough times when he was trying to establish himself because he did not yet have a reputation and finding jobs was difficult. “When you get a job, if you do it well, it helps your reputation and now I don’t have trouble getting work. People know they are going to get a good job from me.” When I asked what is important to him in life, Wayne patted his chest over his heart and said “Love God.” Encounters on the streets for this photo project don’t get any more up-beat and fun than this one was.
Thank you Wayne for the enjoyable chat and for participating in The Human Family. You are #821 in Round 9 of my project. Please email me and I will send you copies of the photos.