Standing on the street corner yelling at the top of his lungs. Bible waving wildly overhead. Holy pages flying in the breeze. It was not hard to see or hear him half a block away. Everyone that had to pass by giving him a wide berth as they stared down eyes fixed only at their feet.

The beauty of having a camera is it can give you a reason to approach any stranger, no matter how intimidating they may seem from a safe distance across the street. A camera and a question “may I take a picture of you?” the only opening you need to understand more about this wild man on the street corner.

A simple observation would reveal he was a rancher. Championship belt buckle holding up baggy dirt filled Wranglers. A felt cowboy hat worn thin with sweat permanently staining the headband. Dust covering pretty much everything from his well worked cowboy boots to the very pages of his Bible firmly cliched in his calloused hands.

He looked up from beneath the brim of his hat and said with a soft kind voice “ of course it would be a pleasure”.

Over the next several minutes I shot a couple pictures and we talked confirming what I had observed earlier. Fresh from a long day working the ranch, taking up a street corner preaching his truth for everyone in earshot to hear. We talked awhile longer and we parted ways. Him holding his point of view tightly in his hand and me holding mine.

Once again happy I had my camera. A reason to approach a perfect stranger and the chance to share my point of view after a long day as well.