I love taking portraits, especially of people who are decidedly NOT famous. I met this Chickasaw elder in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. She was undergoing kidney dialysis at the same time as my dad. I would drive 60 mile to his home, pick him up, and drive him another 20 miles to Pauls Valley for his dialysis, which took several hours. It was too far from my home to return, so I would have time to burn while he underwent his dialysis treatment twice weekly.
I would often walk the streets of Pauls Valley, looking for interesting subjects to photograph. I saw this lady several times at the dialysis center – she was undergoing dialysis simultaneously. She didn’t talk much so I never got to know her, but eventually, I asked her if I could take her photograph in the parking lot. Her granddaughter translated for her and she agreed.
So I found a somewhat clean background against the side of the dialysis center and used my Nikon Df and a 50mm lens to capture this portrait. She never said a word during our 10-minute session, although her granddaughter was pleasant and friendly. I just don’t think this lady wanted to talk, but she didn’t mind me taking her portrait.
I love these types of photos. They are a treasure in my photo archive.
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