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During a visit to this small Northern California coastal town, I had a chance to photograph a group of commercial fishermen unloading thousands of fish from a trawler moored in its harbor. One of them was clearly in charge. Although he worked along with them, he often stood back to see what was happening as a manager would see it. I photograph him here with one hand resting on the shovel he had been using to guide a pile of fish along a conveyor belt, and the other hand poised over a power switch controlling the machinery. It is a portrait of authority, a man in control. The reading glasses riding up on his forehead offer a humanizing touch that softens the intensity of his stern gaze. He has been in this business for a long time, and although the gaze may seem grim, he also comes through as a tough, shrewd hardworking boss who knows his trade and his crew inside and out. This image does what a workplace portrait should do, expressing the character and personality of this man instead of just describing his appearance.
Image Copyright © held by Phil Douglis, The Douglis Visual Workshops