I spotted our next stranger near the library and regretted not approaching him for a portrait. Luckily, I ran into him again near 4th Street.
Meet Mel.
What brings you uptown today? “Travelling, actually. A few people, we’re on a camping tour, and we’re just kind of hanging out right now until things liven up, until the event starts.”
Where do you come from? “New Haven, Connecticut.”
What advice would you give to your younger self? “Probably be a little bit more patient and less temper, ready to strike on people so much.”
What changed all of that? “Life… struggles changed a lot of things for me.”
What is your biggest challenge right now? “I don’t know, so it’s a mystery {laughs}. The biggest challenge hasn’t happened yet. It’s just small challenges.”
What is your passion? “My passion is making things. I like to make jewelry. I like meeting people. I like communicating and talking.”
How would your friends describe you? “They would describe me as odd. Most of them look at me in a way where I have good energy, so they like to be around me, but they also see that I’m a little bit crazy too. So they just kind of deal with me.”
Technical Notes: We were on a shady street corner, and Mel was facing some bright buildings.
Dan Russell-Pinson 