As this man paused to wearily massage his face, I made a portrait of him that speaks of a long and perhaps difficult life. He was watching a domino game at a park in the middle of Little Havana, a community of Cuban exiles, as well as immigrants from several Central American countries. I know nothing of this man’s own story. I leave that to the imagination of the viewer. I made this portrait of him from a distance at a 200mm telephoto focal length. I was drawn to the wonderful play of reflected sunlight that illuminated his face and his meticulously combed hair. He stands before a vividly colored canvas awning that brings shade to the players. The red, green and yellow stripes on this awning were so visually striking that they competed with the contemplative nature of the portrait. By converting the image to black and white, I was able to place my emphasis on the man, rather than on the setting. One eye is open, the other shut. The furrows in his forehead conform to the pressure of his fingers upon his face. He has no doubt seen much of life, and has come to watch the competition and socialize with his friends. Yet at this moment, he seems far away from it all.