Brother can you spare a dime?

[RBSinTo]

This shot was taken a day or two before Christmas here in downtown Toronto. It was bitterly cold and I was standing on the opposite side of the street from a large department store when I noticed an elderly man standing in front of a display window asking passersby for money. As is often the case, most people simply walked by without giving him even a glance.
There was a dark, brooding atmosphere to the scene offset by the brightly coloured display behind him that I liked, so using my longest lens, I grabbed this shot. Almost immediately after I took this, the man turned and walked away.
motorized Nikon F2AS
Tokina ATX 80~200 2.8 AIS manual focus
Fuji 100 ISO colour slide
exposure about 2.8 @ 1/30th or 1/60th

[Shadowman]

I usually see one or two vagrants when visiting Toronto, some of my friends have complained about being pestered. I know the needy have taken to placing themselves near outdoor cafes and ATMs. Nice brooding imagery, the slight blur of the pedestrians really make the capture.

[RBSinTo]

I usually see one or two vagrants when visiting Toronto, some of my friends have complained about being pestered. I know the needy have taken to placing themselves near outdoor cafes and ATMs. Nice brooding imagery, the slight blur of the pedestrians really make the capture.

Thanks, John.
The image was dark and brooding which is why I had to shoot wide open (2.8), and even then, I was cheating at about 1/30th or 1/60th at 200 mm of focal length, as I recall. Remember I'm shooting film and while I could have changed rolls to a higher speed film, by the time I'd done so the subject would have been gone.
I knew the passersby would be blurred at the slow shutter speed, but that emphasized the fact that the subject is being ignored, which helps tell the story.
Robert