On our walks through San Buenaventura State Park we often encounter homeless folks. One guy caught my eye with his striking eyes and long bushy beard. My first though was "it’d be cool to take a few shots of this guy". About a month and a half later I ran into him at our Vons parking lot Recycling Center. I introduced myself and expressed my desire to capture his sticking features. Guy and I agreed to link up in the park the following week. Numerous rides through the park that week with no signs of Guy! Another month passes and I run into him on his morning recycling route. To my amazement he remembers my name (I’m terrible with names) and we agree again to link up the next day in the park at dusk.
What a blast it was shooting Guy Walker. We laughed and joked the entire time. His buddies in the park got a bang out of seeing Guy in a makeshift studio (black backdrop draped over bench divider and umbrella with canon flash). I felt privileged to have the opportunity to learn a little about him that foggy afternoon. His family is his pride and joy. He shared photos of his children and grandchildren and spoke of life on the road the last 20 years. Genuine and happy best describe this homeless man. With that said, there’s always something mysterious about someone who chooses life on the street. As I returned from dropping off my first load of gear, I looked over to say goodbye and he had vanished. I hope to run into him again soon, as he requested a print. He wanted me to pick the one I liked best so he could give it to his mom.