Canada–1997

To me this photograph is, essentially, a portrait of a gentle man. It was taken while touring the eastern part of Newfoundland during peak blueberry season – a time when it seems nearly every farmhouse has a “Blueberries for Sale” sign.

I didn’t get out of my car with the intention of taking a portrait, but when this man returned with my blueberries he struck me somehow, and I knew I needed to photograph him. I especially liked the layers of his clothing, and the colour of his hat and shirt, but mostly I wanted to capture his gentle nature, and the pride he obviously took in his work and his home region.