People who know how much time I spend hanging out in the woods, fields and swamps of Louisiana might be surprised to learn that I love hanging out on the streets of cities, too. It’s not something I get to do often. So, getting a shot that really works is especially gratifying.

Of course, it helps when a show with the perfect theme shows up. Say “Cheese”! got invited to a show themed “Srike a Pose: Portraiture & Figurative Work,” hosted by the Cultural Center of Cape Cod. Many thanks to the Center for making a place for this kind of work. The show will run Feb. 7 until Mar. 4.

In fact, when I am hanging out on the streets of a city, I gravitate to workers–the many people who work outdoors, in public, in all kinds of weather. And, in general, I much prefer to photograph them interacting with me via the camera than to “snatch” their picture unawares. It was a cold day in Atlanta when I pointed my 300mm lens at these hard hats high above the street in their cherry picker. I waited. They spied me and obliged. I love it! Thanks, guys.

This gentleman, on the other hand, did not know I made this picture. I indeed “snatched” it. I saw the billboard-size ad at street level, I waited, and along comes this man. What I could not predict was him looking up at the guy on the billboard at just the Decisive Moment that I tripped the shutter.

And I like it because I think the image does not disrespect him. I mean, real men wear pink polos, right? I’d have made his picture if he hadn’t walked in front of this ad. He’s real and seems quite comfortable in his own skin, and I hope the image shows that.

Decisive Moment was invited into a show called “On the Streets–the Urban Experience,” hosted by the MVA (Modern Visual Arts) Gallery in Bethlehem, PA. The show runs from Feb. 22 until Mar. 19.