Framed within the door to the balcony of a 19th century apartment building, this man strikes a macho pose as he gazes into my lens just across the street from my rooftop vantage point. It is a portrait full of contradictions – the peeling paint and trim speak of decay and neglect, yet the ornamentation was once intended to communicate wealth and refinement. The pose, chosen spontaneously by the subject without a spoken word, conveys strength and self-confidence. Yet for all of its bravado, the pose still competes with the incongruous pink feminine garment hanging before him on the clothesline. Its color provides a focal point for the entire image.