Chris Day panhandler

I took this photo over the summer while working as the multimedia editor. A panhandler had been struck and killed in April. This photo was taken in May while ordinances were being discussed on where panhandling would be allowed in the city. To put a face to this decision, I went in search of a homeless person who survives based on the money they collect while panhandling. This man, William Irmen, made for a striking sight standing shirtless with only a green bandana protecting him from the sweltering heat of a Florida summer. I joined Irmen in the median of Waldo Road, and after introducing myself, he was welcoming and open to me taking photos of him. After first taking a few wide-angle shots showing the cars passing by, I noticed his tattered sign. Switching to my telephoto lens, I realized that a shot of his worn sign being held against his weathered and tanned hands could be visually representative of all panhandlers. Without his face in the photo, Irmen could symbolize the individuals we all see daily and the cardboard messages they flash at us through tinted windows in hopes of catching our eyes. As I walked away, Irmen said he was proud of me for choosing photojournalism as my career and wished me the best. This brief passing comment has stuck with me ever since. It reinforced to me that one of the best parts of this field is the people you’ll meet and the grace they’ll show even in the worst of situations. It was clear to me the kindness displayed on the sign he held was also found within the man holding it.