Heat exhaustion...

This New York Stranger took advantage of a convenient metal ledge in SOHO to take a breather. Temperatures were much improved over the previous two days, but when the sun finally poked through this afternoon, the heat+humidity still warranted the occasional break.

the clown

i've been reading this blog for almost a year and now i'm part of it. fantastic - thanks for the invite james.
this clown was part of a mid summer parade we had last weekend. he was just one of many colourful characters who went by.

Perspective...

I will admit to a real internal conflict about photos like this one. I am very sensitive to the exploitation of the poor or the homeless as easy targets to show how "real" a photographer is. I see shots like this (well...better than this) in photo shows, and it doesn't sit well with me. On the other hand, I do feel that a shot like this is a valid observation of the world, and certainly a vivid reminder that there are people in need. I think if we were making money from this blog, I would feel strongly against posting.

I guess, ultimately, its up to the viewer to decide if this is a positive journalistic image, or pop-art that panders.

Doctor in the house...

I'm sure this is a stupid question, but could someone remind me why iconic images of doctors always include a headband plus round mirror.

Are They Biting?

I'm a long-time reader, first time poster. My wife and I took our daughter out to Longstreet Farm in NJ and I spotted this man. I thought, "What a perfect picture for the 'Strangers Among Us' blog!" So I e-mailed John who told me to talk to Buddy, and to make a short story shorter, I'm now a contributor here.

He Goes For Three

Water basketball mano-a-mano. Nuff said.

Blue hat...

We spotted this curious Stranger visiting the Point Bonita lighthouse in the Marin Headlands. In spite of strong wind gusts, his signature blue hat stayed put on his head.

Two-fer...

I was rummaging through a bunch of photos today, and ran across this Stranger that Jeff snapped a picture of during Bay to Breakers. The guy isn't dressed in an odd costume, but his actions made him memorable.

Jeff and I were sitting along a wall watching the masses walk along John F. Kennedy Drive. This Stranger, dressed in bright orange, plopped himself down right next to Jeff...clearly a bit intoxicated. His cell phone rang numerous times, and he would turn towards Jeff and say something along the lines of "Ugh, its my *#$!$# girlfriend!" In between phone calls and outbursts, Jeff's new friend would pull a warm bottle of wine out of his backpack and take a long swig. At one point, at if to say "thank you" to Jeff for the one-sided camaraderie they had developed, the Stranger offered Jeff a swig from the bottle. What a gentleman.

The puzzled look...

This Stranger set him self apart from the typical Bay to Breakers walker by going the intellectual route rather than the physical. The result is no less odd. All hail Lord Sudoku.

Fun in the sun...

The sunshine and clear skies today reminded me of last month's trip to Orlando and the pool full of Strangers soaking up the Florida sun. This Stranger was mixing business with pleasure...I'm sure he was closing some major deal over the phone or something.

Throw It To First!

I gotta say, there's almost nothing more entertaining to watch than a bunch of little tykes trying to play baseball. I saw this game being played in a park last weekend. The kids are out there giving it their all and they try so hard, but a lot of time it looks like something you would see watching the Keystone Cops. Kids will fall down more or less randomly. All of kids will go after a ball that's been hit. And it's rare that a thrown ball ever makes it to it's intended destination. I really don't mean to take anything away from them since to them it's a really big deal, but it can be pretty amusing to watch at times.

Hammer time...

I watched this father and son team of Strangers put up a large party tent in record time. I'm sure the well-rehearsed, synchronized hammering kept the pace up nicely.

Solidarity

Saw these guys on a baseball team at a local park. All for one and all that jazz.

Gaelic Strangers...

These Strangers were enjoying the nice day at the local Celtic festival.

Nuts...

We spotted these crazy Strangers in Pacific Grove as they stood fearlessly in the icy waters of Monterey Bay. The Northern California coast hasn't seen seen the sun in a couple of weeks, so I'm sure these folks were cold to the bone.

[Note, that I did post some non-Stranger jellyfish pics over on Travels and Tribulations today. Thanks for the compliments, and the request.]