Tyrone - $2 Portraits - Jeff Marcowitz Photography

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$2 Portraits

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A street photography project founded in 2009 by Thomas Hawk in San Francisco. I joined the project in 2011 and it has forever changed my outlook on interaction with strangers on the street.

Superman
Superman = Robert
Robert
Unnamed
Brian
Jonathan
Cedric
Ron
Harold
JR
Sam & Roy
Kirk
Top Cat
JR + 2 Weeks
Marco
Marco
Quincy
Barbara
Unnamed
Gary
Isom
Michael
Unnamed
Ricky B.
Ricky T.
Ryan
Tyrone
Donna
Monsieur Violin
Paul
F.R.O.G.
Josh
Darryl
Stephan
Harvey
Unnamed
Wilma
Navin
Robert
Marcus
Jerry
Richard
Kewu
Gerald
Svetlio
Aaron
Larry
Francis
Roderick
Henry
Robert...Two Years Later
Zack
Walter
Bob
Frankie
Frankie
Czech Guy
Bradley
Roma
Jonathan
Joe
Robert…Three Years Later
Pablo
Kenneth
Robert & Me
Ken
Troy
Amelia
Robert C.
Josh
Jason
Jeff
Ken
Tomas & Tara
Kevin
Michael
Doris
Brian
Brian
Jeremy (Elmo)
Connor
Papa Bear
Juanita
Frank
Spanky
Ron
Robert (and Jeff)
Joaquim
Frank
Charles
Little Holland Wolf
Willie
Mike
Robert
Kev
Andre
Marcus
"I Believe"
Gene
Deacon Robert
Lynn
I watched him from afar for a while; approaching people on the street and serenading them with songs about San Francisco. Some people smiled and listened and others turned a shoulder and quickly moved away. When he approached me, I greeted him with a smile and told him about the $2 Portrait project. He immediately asked if I could make it $3; I knew I had a character in my midst. He introduced himself as Tyrone and we shook hands. He had a very strong grip which I commented on. &quot;My daddy taught me that&quot;, he said. &quot;When you shake someone&#39;s hand, let them know you mean it.&quot;<br><br>Tyrone is 57 years old and lives in a hotel room in San Francisco which he obtained through a local homeless agency after a 2 year wait. Originally from Missouri, just across from the Illinois border, he&#39;s been in San Francisco since 1978. He used to work as a general laborer but has severe arthritis in his hands (hmmm...strong grip) and shoulders and now lives on SSI. For supplementary income, he sells the Street Sheet and sings in a street band (which was supposed to show up tonight, but didn&#39;t).<br><br>I took a few shots of Tyrone and could then tell he was anxious to move on. It was like the meter ran out on a $2 contribution, so I gave him his money and said perhaps I&#39;d catch him out here again. He thanked me and went on to sing for some other folks walking by.<br><br>Taken 7/21/11<br>Posted 8/4/11 - Week 31
Portraits,San,Francisco,Union,Square,portrait,week31
Tyrone - $2 Portraits - Jeff Marcowitz Photography
I watched him from afar for a while; approaching people on the street and serenading them with songs about San Francisco. Some people smiled and listened and others turned a shoulder and quickly moved away. When he approached me, I greeted him with a smile and told him about the $2 Portrait project. He immediately asked if I could make it $3; I knew I had a character in my midst. He introduced himself as Tyrone and we shook hands. He had a very strong grip which I commented on. &quot;My daddy taught me that&quot;, he said. &quot;When you shake someone&#39;s hand, let them know you mean it.&quot;<br><br>Tyrone is 57 years old and lives in a hotel room in San Francisco which he obtained through a local homeless agency after a 2 year wait. Originally from Missouri, just across from the Illinois border, he&#39;s been in San Francisco since 1978. He used to work as a general laborer but has severe arthritis in his hands (hmmm...strong grip) and shoulders and now lives on SSI. For supplementary income, he sells the Street Sheet and sings in a street band (which was supposed to show up tonight, but didn&#39;t).<br><br>I took a few shots of Tyrone and could then tell he was anxious to move on. It was like the meter ran out on a $2 contribution, so I gave him his money and said perhaps I&#39;d catch him out here again. He thanked me and went on to sing for some other folks walking by.<br><br>Taken 7/21/11<br>Posted 8/4/11 - Week 31